Hardly any U.S. towns see harsher January nights than Riverland
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 80°. Rain follows the seasons: June brings about 6.7 times as much as February. Its July afternoons stay fresher than in 93% of U.S. towns. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from October to April, when means dip under 50°.
A year in Riverland at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Riverland’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Riverland’s place in Minnesota beside it.
What a year in Riverland feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 143 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 7 and the first by September 28. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Mahnomen, MN, 0.9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Riverland’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 25 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 Riverland
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 Mahnomen, MN.
Living with Riverland’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
143 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 Sep 28.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Riverland from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (41%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 24%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Riverland and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Riverland 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 Riverland averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.0°).
A bigger shift than in 58% 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 Riverland compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Riverland’s place among Minnesota’s.
Riverland weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Riverland’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16° | −3° | 0.7" | −6° – 23° |
| February | 22° | 1° | 0.7" | 0° – 29° |
| March | 35° | 16° | 1.0" | 15° – 40° |
| April | 52° | 30° | 1.6" | 32° – 50° |
| May | 66° | 42° | 3.0" | 48° – 60° |
| June | 76° | 53° | 4.5" | 59° – 70° |
| July | 80° | 57° | 3.7" | 61° – 74° |
| August | 78° | 54° | 3.0" | 59° – 70° |
| September | 69° | 46° | 2.8" | 52° – 63° |
| October | 54° | 34° | 2.4" | 36° – 49° |
| November | 36° | 20° | 0.9" | 18° – 40° |
| December | 22° | 6° | 0.8" | 0° – 22° |
| Year | 51° | 30° | 24.9" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from -6° to 23°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Where Riverland’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 Riverland’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Mahnomen, MN, 0.9 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 Riverland’s climate
What is the weather like in Riverland?
A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to −3°. Colder January nights than all but 18 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 93% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Riverland in winter?
January nights average −3°. About 185 nights a year reach 32° or below and 48 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged −6°.
How hot does it get in Riverland?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 57°. About 5 days a year reach 90° (Mahnomen, MN).
When is the first and last frost in Riverland?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 7 and the first fall frost by September 28, about 143 frost-free days, at Mahnomen, MN.
What growing zone is Riverland 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 Riverland?
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 Riverland getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 58% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Riverland.
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.