Photo: Iulus Ascanius at English Wikipedia · Public domainFew U.S. towns have colder winter nights than North St. Paul
Sunny July days climb to about 82°. By precipitation alone, it ranks drier than 83% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 1.5°, most of all in January. Garden planting can start around April 23; autumn frost returns near October 20.
A year in North St. Paul at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about North St. Paul’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with North St. Paul’s place in Minnesota beside it.
What a year in North St. Paul feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 177 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first by October 20. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Vadnais Lake, MN, 5 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts North St. Paul’s center in zone 5a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −19°. 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 40 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at U Of Mn St Paul, MN, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 33 inches a year; June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 116 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in North St. Paul
90% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Vadnais Lake, MN.
Living with North St. Paul’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
177 frost-free days in zone 5a. The last frost comes by Apr 23 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 20.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 3.4 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in North St. Paul from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (38%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 37%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →North St. Paul and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of North St. Paul in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like North St. Paul’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North St. Paul, MN | 7° | 82° | 33" | 40" |
| Saratoga, WI | 7° | 82° | 34" | 48" |
| Spirit Lake, IA | 7° | 83° | 31" | 42" |
| Plattsburgh, NY | 9° | 81° | 35" | 50" |
| Madison, SD | 6° | 83° | 27" | 37" |
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 North St. Paul averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.5°).
A bigger shift than in 57% 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 North St. Paul compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with North St. Paul’s place among Minnesota’s.
North St. Paul weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at North St. Paul’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from U Of Mn St Paul, MN. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23° | 7° | 0.8" | 8.3" | 7 | 20 | 3° – 27° |
| February | 28° | 10° | 0.8" | 12.3" | 6 | 16 | 6° – 31° |
| March | 41° | 23° | 1.6" | 4.0" | 9 | 9 | 23° – 47° |
| April | 56° | 35° | 2.9" | 2.1" | 10 | 2 | 35° – 53° |
| May | 68° | 48° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 53° – 65° |
| June | 78° | 58° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| July | 82° | 63° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 66° – 78° |
| August | 80° | 60° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| September | 72° | 52° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| October | 57° | 39° | 2.8" | 0.5" | 10 | 0 | 41° – 54° |
| November | 41° | 26° | 1.6" | 3.0" | 7 | 3 | 24° – 45° |
| December | 28° | 13° | 1.1" | 10.2" | 8 | 12 | 7° – 29° |
| Year | 54° | 36° | 32.7" | 40.4" | 116 | 62 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 6° to 31°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where North St. Paul’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 North St. Paul’s center.
- Snow: U Of Mn St Paul, MN.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Vadnais Lake, MN, 5 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 North St. Paul’s climate
What is the weather like in North St. Paul?
A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 7°, and about 40 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 97% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 82% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in North St. Paul in winter?
January nights average 7°. About 157 nights a year reach 32° or below and 28 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 3°.
How much snow does North St. Paul get?
About 40 inches in a normal winter at U Of Mn St Paul, MN, most of it in February, with snow on the ground about 62 days a year.
How hot does it get in North St. Paul?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 63°. About 12 days a year reach 90° (Vadnais Lake, MN).
When is the first and last frost in North St. Paul?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 23 and the first fall frost by October 20, about 177 frost-free days, at Vadnais Lake, MN.
What growing zone is North St. Paul in?
Zone 5a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −19°.
What is the best time of year to visit North St. Paul?
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 North St. Paul getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 57% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in North St. Paul.
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.