Hardly any U.S. towns see harsher January nights than Poplar Township
Sunny July days climb to about 80°. The gap between a January night and a July afternoon is 80°. Its July afternoons stay fresher than in 94% of U.S. towns. Comfortable outdoor weather lasts from May to September, with highs of 66–80°.
A year in Poplar Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Poplar Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Poplar Township’s place in Minnesota beside it.
What a year in Poplar Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 156 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first by October 6. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Gull Lake Dam, MN, 21 miles from the town’s center, 130 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Poplar 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°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 27 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 Poplar Township
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 Gull Lake Dam, MN.
Living with Poplar Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
156 frost-free days in zone 4a. The last frost comes by May 2 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 6.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 3.2 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Poplar Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (52%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 33%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Poplar Township and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Poplar Township in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
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 Poplar Township averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.0°).
A bigger shift than in 82% 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 Poplar Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Poplar Township’s place among Minnesota’s.
Poplar Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Poplar Township’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 18° | 0° | 0.7" | −3° – 24° |
| February | 24° | 3° | 0.6" | 3° – 29° |
| March | 37° | 17° | 1.2" | 18° – 40° |
| April | 52° | 31° | 2.1" | 33° – 50° |
| May | 66° | 43° | 3.3" | 49° – 61° |
| June | 75° | 54° | 4.3" | 60° – 69° |
| July | 80° | 58° | 4.2" | 61° – 74° |
| August | 78° | 56° | 3.3" | 61° – 71° |
| September | 69° | 48° | 3.0" | 51° – 64° |
| October | 54° | 35° | 2.6" | 37° – 50° |
| November | 37° | 22° | 1.1" | 20° – 40° |
| December | 24° | 8° | 0.8" | 2° – 26° |
| Year | 51° | 31° | 27.2" |
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 Poplar 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 Poplar Township’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Gull Lake Dam, MN, 21 miles from the town’s center, 130 ft lower; 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 Poplar Township’s climate
What is the weather like in Poplar Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 0°. Colder January nights than all but 47 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 94% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Poplar Township in winter?
January nights average 0°. About 175 nights a year reach 32° or below and 42 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged −3°.
How hot does it get in Poplar Township?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 58°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Gull Lake Dam, MN).
When is the first and last frost in Poplar Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 2 and the first fall frost by October 6, about 156 frost-free days, at Gull Lake Dam, MN.
What growing zone is Poplar 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 Poplar 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 Poplar Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 82% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Poplar 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.