Few U.S. towns have colder winter nights than North Star Township
Expect July afternoons of about 77°. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in 97% of U.S. towns. The latest 30-year average runs 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000’s, with December up the most. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly May 21 to September 27.
A year in North Star Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about North Star Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with North Star Township’s place in Minnesota beside it.
What a year in North Star Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 129 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 21 and the first by September 27. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Island Lake 4e, MN, 4 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts North Star Township’s center in zone 4a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −29°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
About 70 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Brimson 2s, MN, falls mostly in January and 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 122 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in North Star Township
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 Island Lake 4e, MN.
Living with North Star Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
129 frost-free days in zone 4a. The last frost comes by May 21 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 27.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 7.8 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in North Star Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (54%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 39%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →North Star Township and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of North Star Township in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like North Star Township’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 Star Township, MN | −1° | 77° | 30" | 70" |
| Rhinelander, WI | 3° | 78° | 33" | 82" |
| Kingsford, MI | 5° | 80° | 29" | 61" |
| Presque Isle, ME | 2° | 77° | 41" | 98" |
| Beekmantown, NY | 9° | 80° | 35" | 80" |
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 Star Township averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.6°).
A bigger shift than in 74% 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 Star Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with North Star Township’s place among Minnesota’s.
North Star Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at North Star Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Brimson 2s, MN. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 18° | −1° | 1.0" | 14.1" | 9 | 31 | −4° – 22° |
| February | 24° | 2° | 1.0" | 12.0" | 7 | 28 | 2° – 28° |
| March | 36° | 14° | 1.4" | 7.8" | 8 | 27 | 16° – 37° |
| April | 49° | 27° | 2.4" | 7.2" | 9 | 10 | 31° – 45° |
| May | 63° | 38° | 3.2" | 0.3" | 12 | 0 | 46° – 56° |
| June | 72° | 48° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 56° – 63° |
| July | 77° | 53° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| August | 75° | 52° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| September | 66° | 44° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 48° – 60° |
| October | 51° | 33° | 3.0" | 1.7" | 12 | 2 | 36° – 47° |
| November | 35° | 20° | 1.8" | 11.1" | 10 | 15 | 18° – 38° |
| December | 23° | 7° | 1.4" | 15.6" | 10 | 28 | 2° – 24° |
| Year | 49° | 28° | 30.4" | 69.8" | 122 | 141 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 2° to 28°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where North Star Township’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 Star Township’s center.
- Snow: Brimson 2s, MN.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Island Lake 4e, MN, 4 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 Star Township’s climate
What is the weather like in North Star Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to −1°, and about 70 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than all but 38 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in North Star Township in winter?
January nights average −1°. About 190 nights a year reach 32° or below and 47 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged −4°.
How much snow does North Star Township get?
About 70 inches in a normal winter at Brimson 2s, MN, most of it in January and December, with snow on the ground about 141 days a year.
How hot does it get in North Star Township?
July, with a typical high of 77°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Island Lake 4e, MN.
When is the first and last frost in North Star Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 21 and the first fall frost by September 27, about 129 frost-free days, at Island Lake 4e, MN.
What growing zone is North Star Township in?
Zone 4a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −29°.
What is the best time of year to visit North Star Township?
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 North Star Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 74% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in North Star Township.
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.