Baker, Alexander, School and E.W. Backus Junior High School · Photo: BackusAB · CC BY-SA 4.0International Falls sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for winter warmth
Expect July afternoons of about 78°. Temperatures cover 83° across the year, low to high. By July afternoons alone, it runs cooler than 96% of U.S. towns. The outdoor season runs from June to September, with highs of 66–78°.
A year in International Falls at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about International Falls’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with International Falls’ place in Minnesota beside it.
What a year in International Falls feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 109 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 29 and the first by September 13. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at International Falls International Airport, 1.8 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts International Falls’ center in zone 3b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −35°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 73 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at International Falls International Airport, falls mostly in January and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 28 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 133 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in International Falls
98% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at International Falls International Airport.
Living with International Falls’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
109 frost-free days in zone 3b. The last frost comes by May 29 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Sep 13.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 3.4 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in International Falls from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (74%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 24%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →International Falls and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around International Falls yet.
Climates most like International Falls’, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Falls, MN | −5° | 78° | 28" | 73" |
| Rhinelander, WI | 3° | 78° | 33" | 82" |
| Kingsford, MI | 5° | 80° | 29" | 61" |
| Grand Forks, ND | −2° | 81° | 22" | 49" |
| Watertown, SD | 2° | 81° | 25" | 41" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in International Falls averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.4°).
A bigger shift than in 92% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How International Falls compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with International Falls’ place among Minnesota’s.
International Falls weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at International Falls’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from International Falls International Airport. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16° | −5° | 1.2" | 15.7" | 10 | 31 | −8° – 20° |
| February | 22° | −2° | 0.9" | 12.6" | 9 | 28 | −1° – 28° |
| March | 36° | 13° | 1.2" | 7.9" | 8 | 25 | 14° – 39° |
| April | 51° | 27° | 1.7" | 7.0" | 9 | 8 | 31° – 47° |
| May | 64° | 39° | 3.2" | 0.2" | 13 | 0 | 46° – 57° |
| June | 73° | 50° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 57° – 67° |
| July | 78° | 54° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| August | 76° | 52° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| September | 66° | 44° | 3.2" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 48° – 61° |
| October | 51° | 33° | 2.5" | 1.6" | 13 | 1 | 34° – 47° |
| November | 34° | 19° | 1.6" | 12.1" | 10 | 15 | 15° – 38° |
| December | 21° | 4° | 1.3" | 15.8" | 11 | 27 | −4° – 23° |
| Year | 49° | 27° | 27.9" | 73.0" | 133 | 136 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from -1° to 28°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Where International Falls’ numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at International Falls’ center.
- Snow: International Falls International Airport (NOAA station in town).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: International Falls International Airport, 1.8 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about International Falls’ climate
What is the weather like in International Falls?
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to −5°, and about 73 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than all but 11 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in International Falls in winter?
January nights average −5°. About 200 nights a year reach 32° or below and 57 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged −8°.
How much snow does International Falls get?
About 73 inches in a normal winter at International Falls International Airport, most of it in January and December, with snow on the ground about 136 days a year.
How hot does it get in International Falls?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 54°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (International Falls International Airport).
When is the first and last frost in International Falls?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 29 and the first fall frost by September 13, about 109 frost-free days, at International Falls International Airport.
What growing zone is International Falls in?
Zone 3b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −35°.
What is the best time of year to visit International Falls?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is International Falls getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 92% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in International Falls.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.