Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0Knife River sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for winter warmth
The warmest part of a July day comes in at 76° on average. Precipitation peaks in June and eases off in February. Its July afternoons stay fresher than in 98% of U.S. towns. Central heating does most of its work from October to May, in months below 50° on average.
A year in Knife River at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Knife River’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Knife River’s place in Minnesota beside it.
What a year in Knife River feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 145 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 12 and the first by October 6. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Two Harbors, MN, 8 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Knife River’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −20°. 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 61 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Two Harbors, MN, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 30 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 128 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Knife River
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 Two Harbors, MN.
Living with Knife River’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
145 frost-free days in zone 4b. The last frost comes by May 12 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 6.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 0.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 39% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Knife River from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Knife River and its neighbors
Duluth Township has the coldest January nights next door (1°, 3° colder) and Duluth Township the hottest July afternoons (77°, 1° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Knife River’s, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knife River, MN | 5° | 76° | 30" | 61" |
| Antigo, WI | 5° | 79° | 32" | 54" |
| Escanaba, MI | 11° | 77° | 30" | 47" |
| Beekmantown, NY | 9° | 80° | 35" | 80" |
| Littleton, NH | 6° | 80° | 40" | 68" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Knife River averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.3°).
A bigger shift than in 58% 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 Knife River compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Knife River’s place among Minnesota’s.
Knife River weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Knife River’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Two Harbors, MN. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21° | 5° | 1.0" | 12.4" | 10 | 0° – 25° |
| February | 26° | 7° | 0.9" | 13.6" | 9 | 5° – 30° |
| March | 36° | 18° | 1.5" | 9.1" | 9 | 18° – 38° |
| April | 47° | 28° | 2.5" | 4.3" | 10 | 32° – 44° |
| May | 59° | 38° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 13 | 45° – 53° |
| June | 69° | 47° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 13 | 55° – 61° |
| July | 76° | 55° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 12 | 60° – 71° |
| August | 74° | 55° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 11 | 59° – 68° |
| September | 66° | 47° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 12 | 50° – 61° |
| October | 52° | 36° | 3.0" | 0.2" | 12 | 38° – 48° |
| November | 38° | 24° | 1.9" | 5.9" | 9 | 22° – 40° |
| December | 26° | 11° | 1.4" | 15.5" | 10 | 7° – 28° |
| Year | 49° | 31° | 29.9" | 61.0" | 128 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 0° to 25°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Knife River’s 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 Knife River’s center.
- Snow: Two Harbors, MN.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Two Harbors, MN, 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 Knife River’s climate
What is the weather like in Knife River?
A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 5°, and about 61 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than all but 170 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Knife River in winter?
January nights average 5°. About 164 nights a year reach 32° or below and 24 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 0°.
How much snow does Knife River get?
About 61 inches in a normal winter at Two Harbors, MN, most of it in December.
How hot does it get in Knife River?
July, with a typical high of 76° and a low of 55°. About 1 days a year reach 90° (Two Harbors, MN).
When is the first and last frost in Knife River?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 12 and the first fall frost by October 6, about 145 frost-free days, at Two Harbors, MN.
What growing zone is Knife River in?
Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −20°.
What is the best time of year to visit Knife River?
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 Knife River getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 58% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Knife River.
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.