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Climate in Mound · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Mound’s winters are colder and snowier than most of the U.S.

A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 6°, and about 55 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

Colder January nights than 98% of U.S. towns#134 coldest of 270 in MN
More snow than 86% of U.S. towns#31Snowiest  of 267 in MN
All MN rankings →

A year in Mound at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan23°6° 10" snow
Feb28°10° 11" snow
Mar41°23° 9" snow
Apr56°35° Last frost ~Apr 305" snow
May69°47° 1 day 90°+
Jun78°58° 2 days 90°+Wettest
Jul82°62° 3 days 90°+
Aug80°60° 1 day 90°+
Sep72°51° 1 day 90°+
Oct58°38° First frost ~Oct 9
Nov now41°25° 5" snow
Dec28°12° 13" snow

What stands out about Mound’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Mound’s place in Minnesota beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Mound feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
26° / 9°
15 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
55° / 35°
Last frost around Apr 30
Summer
80° / 60°
7 days reach 90°
Fall
57° / 38°
First frost around Oct 9
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 160 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first by October 9. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Chanhassen Wsfo, MN, 7 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

156
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
205th most of 270 in Minnesota
More freezing nights than 89% of U.S. towns
27
nights at or below 0°
209th most of 270 in Minnesota
More nights at or below 0° than 97% of U.S. towns
7
days that reach 90°
89th fewest of 270 in Minnesota
Fewer 90° days than 85% of U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
4bUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 4b

The 2023 USDA map puts Mound’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°

31
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

3.0
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 55 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Chanhassen Wsfo, MN, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 32 inches a year; June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 118 days a year.

32"
Rain + melted snow a year
136th driest of 270 in Minnesota
Drier than 84% of U.S. towns
55"
Snow in a normal winter
31st snowiest of 267 in Minnesota
More snow than 86% of U.S. towns
91 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
112th most of 204 in Minnesota
More days with snow on the ground than 94% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.8"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

13"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Mound

93% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.

7,980 heating degree daysMore heating than 96% of U.S. towns
583 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 79% of U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Chanhassen Wsfo, MN.

Living here

Living with Mound’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

160 frost-free days in zone 4b. The last frost comes by Apr 30 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 9.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 0.1 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Mound from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (34%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 39%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Mound and its neighbors

Every town next door is within a degree of Mound in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Victoria: January low 6°, July high 82°Watertown Township: January low 5°, July high 82°Independence: January low 5°, July high 82°Laketown Township: January low 6°, July high 82°Waconia Township: January low 5°, July high 82°Franklin Township: January low 5°, July high 82°Wayzata: January low 6°, July high 82°Village of Minnetonka Beach: January low 6°, July high 82°Medina: January low 6°, July high 82°Tonka Bay: January low 6°, July high 82°Excelsior: January low 6°, July high 82°Greenwood: January low 6°, July high 82°Deephaven: January low 6°, July high 82°Chanhassen: January low 7°, July high 82°Minnetonka: January low 7°, July high 82°Minnetrista: January low 5°, July high 82°Spring Park: January low 6°, July high 82°Orono: January low 6°, July high 82°Shorewood: January low 6°, July high 82°Mound: January low 6°, July high 82°MoundMinnetristaSpring ParkOronoShorewood
ColderMilder5° to 7°
Minnetrista5.4° about the same
Mound5.5°
Spring Park5.5° about the same
Orono5.7° about the same
Shorewood6.1° about the same

Climates most like Mound’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.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Mound, MN6°82°32"55"
Saratoga, WI7°82°34"48"
Sheldon, IA7°84°30"41"
Harrisburg, SD8°84°29"49"
Plattsburgh, NY9°81°35"50"

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.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Mound averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.5°).

+1.6°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 66% of U.S. towns.

Winter+3.3°now 18°, was 14°
Spring+1.3°now 45°, was 44°
Summer+0.4°now 70°, was 69°
Fall+1.4°now 48°, was 46°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Mound compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Mound’s place among Minnesota’s.

Summer heat82° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 79% of U.S. towns202nd coolest of 270 in Minnesota
Winter cold6° January low
Colder January nights than 98% of U.S. towns134th coldest of 270 in Minnesota
Precipitation32" a year
Drier than 84% of U.S. towns136th driest of 270 in Minnesota
Snow55" a winter
More snow than 86% of U.S. towns31st snowiest of 267 in Minnesota
Hot days7 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 85% of U.S. towns89th fewest of 270 in Minnesota
Freezing nights156 a year
More freezing nights than 89% of U.S. towns205th most of 270 in Minnesota
Growing season160 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 84% of U.S. towns160th shortest of 269 in Minnesota
Month by month

Mound weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Mound’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Chanhassen Wsfo, MN. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January23°6°0.7"10.0"9262° – 27°
February28°10°0.8"11.2"8237° – 31°
March41°23°1.5"9.1"91523° – 47°
April56°35°3.0"5.4"11335° – 54°
May69°47°4.2"0.0"13053° – 66°
June78°58°4.8"0.0"12064° – 72°
July82°62°4.0"0.0"10065° – 78°
August80°60°4.3"0.0"10064° – 74°
September72°51°3.4"0.0"9054° – 66°
October58°38°2.6"0.6"10041° – 53°
November41°25°1.5"5.1"8524° – 44°
December28°12°1.1"13.3"9196° – 29°
Year54°36°31.8"54.7"11891
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 2° to 27°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Mound’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 Mound’s center.
  • Snow: Chanhassen Wsfo, MN.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Chanhassen Wsfo, MN, 7 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 Mound’s climate

What is the weather like in Mound?

A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 6°, and about 55 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 98% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 79% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Mound in winter?

January nights average 6°. About 156 nights a year reach 32° or below and 27 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 2°.

How much snow does Mound get?

About 55 inches in a normal winter at Chanhassen Wsfo, MN, most of it in December, with snow on the ground about 91 days a year.

How hot does it get in Mound?

July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 62°. About 7 days a year reach 90° (Chanhassen Wsfo, MN).

When is the first and last frost in Mound?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 30 and the first fall frost by October 9, about 160 frost-free days, at Chanhassen Wsfo, MN.

What growing zone is Mound 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 Mound?

By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.

Is Mound getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 66% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Mound.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.