Palisade has some of the coldest winter nights among U.S. towns
Sunny July days climb to about 79°. From frosty January to warm July, readings climb 80°. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in 94% of U.S. towns. Tender plants can go out after about May 7; in half of years the first frost comes by October 3.
A year in Palisade at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Palisade’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Palisade’s place in Minnesota beside it.
What a year in Palisade feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 148 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 7 and the first by October 3. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Sandy Lake Dam Libby, MN, 10 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Palisade’s center in zone 4a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −27°. 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 29 inches of rain a year
June is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Palisade
96% 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 Sandy Lake Dam Libby, MN.
Living with Palisade’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
148 frost-free days in zone 4a. The last frost comes by May 7 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 3.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 0.7 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Palisade from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (59%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 34%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Palisade and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Palisade yet.
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Palisade averaged 2.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.1°).
A bigger shift than in 95% 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 Palisade compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Palisade’s place among Minnesota’s.
Palisade weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Palisade’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19° | 0° | 0.8" | −3° – 24° |
| February | 25° | 3° | 0.7" | 3° – 29° |
| March | 38° | 16° | 1.3" | 18° – 39° |
| April | 52° | 29° | 2.2" | 31° – 49° |
| May | 66° | 41° | 3.3" | 48° – 60° |
| June | 75° | 51° | 4.4" | 59° – 68° |
| July | 79° | 57° | 4.3" | 60° – 73° |
| August | 77° | 54° | 3.5" | 60° – 70° |
| September | 69° | 46° | 3.1" | 50° – 63° |
| October | 54° | 35° | 2.8" | 36° – 50° |
| November | 37° | 22° | 1.4" | 20° – 41° |
| December | 24° | 8° | 1.0" | 3° – 25° |
| Year | 51° | 30° | 28.7" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from -3° to 24°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Palisade’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 Palisade’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Sandy Lake Dam Libby, MN, 10 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 Palisade’s climate
What is the weather like in Palisade?
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 0°. Colder January nights than all but 41 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 94% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Palisade in winter?
January nights average 0°. About 182 nights a year reach 32° or below and 49 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged −3°.
How hot does it get in Palisade?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 57°. About 4 days a year reach 90° (Sandy Lake Dam Libby, MN).
When is the first and last frost in Palisade?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 7 and the first fall frost by October 3, about 148 frost-free days, at Sandy Lake Dam Libby, MN.
What growing zone is Palisade in?
Zone 4a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −27°.
What is the best time of year to visit Palisade?
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 Palisade getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 95% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Palisade.
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.