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Frank's Ford BridgeFrank's Ford Bridge · Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0
Climate in Oronoco Township · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Few U.S. towns have colder winter nights than Oronoco Township

Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 82°. Its July afternoons stay fresher than in 83% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.3° more than in 1901–2000, led by December. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from October to April, when means dip under 50°.

Colder January nights than 98% of U.S. towns#134 coldest of 271 in MN
More snow than 78% of U.S. towns#166Snowiest  of 268 in MN
All MN rankings →

A year in Oronoco Township at a glance

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

Jan24°6° 9" snow
Feb28°9° 10" snow
Mar41°22° 9" snow
Apr56°34°
May69°46° Last frost ~May 121 day 90°+
Jun78°56° 2 days 90°+Wettest
Jul82°60° 3 days 90°+
Aug79°57° 1 day 90°+
Sep73°50° First frost ~Sep 281 day 90°+
Oct59°37°
Nov now42°25°
Dec29°13° 13" snow

What stands out about Oronoco Township’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Oronoco Township feels like

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

Winter
27° / 9°
12 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
55° / 34°
Last frost around May 12
Summer
80° / 58°
8 days reach 90°
Fall
58° / 37°
First frost around Sep 28
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 139 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 12 and the first by September 28. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Byron 4north, MN, 9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

176
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
42nd most of 271 in Minnesota
More freezing nights than 97% of U.S. towns
35
nights at or below 0°
81st most of 271 in Minnesota
More nights at or below 0° than all but 187 U.S. towns
8
days that reach 90°
117th fewest of 271 in Minnesota
Fewer 90° days than 82% 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 Oronoco Township’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −21°. 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

3.4
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 44 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Byron 4north, MN, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 35 inches a year; June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 111 days a year.

35"
Rain + melted snow a year
251st driest of 271 in Minnesota
Drier than 76% of U.S. towns
44"
Snow in a normal winter
166th snowiest of 268 in Minnesota
More snow than 78% of U.S. towns
88 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
136th most of 205 in Minnesota
More days with snow on the ground than 93% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

5.4"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

13"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Oronoco Township

95% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.

8,328 heating degree daysMore heating than 98% of U.S. towns
442 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 89% 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 Byron 4north, MN.

Living here

Living with Oronoco Township’s climate

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

The garden window

139 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 Sep 28.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 0.9 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Oronoco Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (55%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 19%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Oronoco Township and its neighbors

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

Pine Island Township: January low 6°, July high 81°Rochester: January low 6°, July high 82°Kalmar Township: January low 6°, July high 81°Haverhill Township: January low 6°, July high 81°Milton Township: January low 6°, July high 81°Roscoe Township: January low 6°, July high 81°Elgin Township: January low 6°, July high 81°Oronoco: January low 6°, July high 82°Pine Island: January low 6°, July high 81°Cascade Township: January low 6°, July high 82°New Haven Township: January low 6°, July high 81°Farmington Township: January low 6°, July high 81°Oronoco Township: January low 6°, July high 82°Oronoco TownshipOronocoPine IslandCascade TownshipNew Haven TownshipFarmington Township
ColderMilder6° to 6°
Oronoco Township5.5°
Pine Island5.5° about the same
Cascade Township5.5° about the same
Oronoco5.6° about the same
New Haven Township5.6° about the same
Farmington Township5.7° about the same

Climates most like Oronoco 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.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Oronoco Township, MN6°82°35"44"
Waupaca, WI8°82°32"49"
Plattsburgh, NY9°81°35"50"
Colchester, VT10°81°38"50"
Spencer, IA7°84°31"43"

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 Oronoco Township averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.2°).

+1.3°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 58% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.6°now 18°, was 16°
Spring+1.0°now 45°, was 44°
Summer+0.3°now 69°, was 69°
Fall+1.1°now 47°, 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 Oronoco Township compares

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

Summer heat82° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 83% of U.S. towns120th coolest of 271 in Minnesota
Winter cold6° January low
Colder January nights than 98% of U.S. towns134th coldest of 271 in Minnesota
Precipitation35" a year
Drier than 76% of U.S. towns251st driest of 271 in Minnesota
Snow44" a winter
More snow than 78% of U.S. towns166th snowiest of 268 in Minnesota
Hot days8 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 82% of U.S. towns117th fewest of 271 in Minnesota
Freezing nights176 a year
More freezing nights than 97% of U.S. towns42nd most of 271 in Minnesota
Growing season139 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 96% of U.S. towns20th shortest of 270 in Minnesota
Month by month

Oronoco Township weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Oronoco Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Byron 4north, MN. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January24°6°1.0"8.8"7254° – 28°
February28°9°1.0"9.6"6255° – 31°
March41°22°1.9"8.8"81623° – 48°
April56°34°3.4"1.2"10134° – 52°
May69°46°4.4"0.6"13052° – 65°
June78°56°5.4"0.0"14063° – 73°
July82°60°4.3"0.0"11064° – 76°
August79°57°4.5"0.0"11064° – 74°
September73°50°3.7"0.0"10054° – 67°
October59°37°2.5"0.1"9042° – 53°
November42°25°1.8"2.8"6224° – 46°
December29°13°1.2"12.5"7197° – 31°
Year55°35°35.1"44.4"11188
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 5° to 31°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Oronoco 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 Oronoco Township’s center.
  • Snow: Byron 4north, MN.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Byron 4north, MN, 9 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 Oronoco Township’s climate

What is the weather like in Oronoco Township?

A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 6°, and about 44 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 98% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 83% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Oronoco Township in winter?

January nights average 6°. About 176 nights a year reach 32° or below and 35 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 4°.

How much snow does Oronoco Township get?

About 44 inches in a normal winter at Byron 4north, MN, most of it in December, with snow on the ground about 88 days a year.

How hot does it get in Oronoco Township?

July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 60°. About 8 days a year reach 90° (Byron 4north, MN).

When is the first and last frost in Oronoco Township?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 12 and the first fall frost by September 28, about 139 frost-free days, at Byron 4north, MN.

What growing zone is Oronoco Township in?

Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −21°.

What is the best time of year to visit Oronoco Township?

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 Oronoco Township getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 58% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Oronoco Township.

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.