Sanford Township sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for winter warmth
High summer brings afternoon highs near 81°. By July afternoons alone, it runs cooler than 89% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 1.4°, most of all in January. For walks and days out, the stretch from May to September brings highs of 68–81°.
A year in Sanford Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Sanford Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Sanford Township’s place in Minnesota beside it.
What a year in Sanford Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 152 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 4 and the first by October 5. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Fergus Falls, MN, 23 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Sanford Township’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −24°. 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 26 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 Sanford Township
94% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Fergus Falls, MN.
Living with Sanford Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
152 frost-free days in zone 4b. The last frost comes by May 4 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 5.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 7.9 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Sanford Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (41%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 33%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Sanford Township and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Sanford 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 Sanford Township averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.4°).
A bigger shift than in 56% 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 Sanford Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Sanford Township’s place among Minnesota’s.
Sanford Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Sanford Township’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19° | 1° | 0.7" | −4° – 24° |
| February | 24° | 5° | 0.7" | 3° – 27° |
| March | 37° | 19° | 1.0" | 18° – 42° |
| April | 54° | 32° | 2.0" | 33° – 51° |
| May | 68° | 45° | 3.1" | 51° – 64° |
| June | 77° | 56° | 4.3" | 61° – 71° |
| July | 81° | 60° | 4.1" | 63° – 75° |
| August | 79° | 57° | 3.2" | 61° – 72° |
| September | 71° | 49° | 2.8" | 53° – 65° |
| October | 56° | 36° | 2.5" | 38° – 51° |
| November | 39° | 22° | 0.9" | 19° – 42° |
| December | 24° | 8° | 0.7" | 1° – 25° |
| Year | 52° | 32° | 26.2" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from -4° to 24°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Sanford 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 Sanford Township’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Fergus Falls, MN, 23 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 Sanford Township’s climate
What is the weather like in Sanford Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 1°. Colder January nights than all but 66 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 89% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Sanford Township in winter?
January nights average 1°. About 174 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 −4°.
How hot does it get in Sanford Township?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 60°. About 8 days a year reach 90° (Fergus Falls, MN).
When is the first and last frost in Sanford Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 4 and the first fall frost by October 5, about 152 frost-free days, at Fergus Falls, MN.
What growing zone is Sanford Township in?
Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −24°.
What is the best time of year to visit Sanford 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 Sanford Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 56% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Sanford 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.