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Climate in Steamboat River Township · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Steamboat River Township’s winters are colder and snowier than most of the U.S.

A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to −1°, and about 49 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

Colder January nights than all but 38 U.S. towns#23 coldest of 271 in MN
More snow than 82% of U.S. towns#119Snowiest  of 268 in MN
All MN rankings →

A year in Steamboat River Township at a glance

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

Jan17°-1° 9" snow
Feb23°2° 9" snow
Mar37°16° 6" snow
Apr51°29° 6" snow
May65°42° Last frost ~May 4
Jun74°53° 1 day 90°+Wettest
Jul78°58° 1 day 90°+
Aug76°55° 1 day 90°+
Sep67°47°
Oct52°35° First frost ~Oct 7
Nov now36°21° 6" snow
Dec23°7° 12" snow

What stands out about Steamboat River Township’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Steamboat River Township feels like

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

Winter
21° / 3°
17 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
51° / 29°
Last frost around May 4
Summer
76° / 55°
2 days reach 90°
Fall
52° / 34°
First frost around Oct 7
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 155 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 4 and the first by October 7. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Walker, MN, 7 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

174
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
51st most of 271 in Minnesota
More freezing nights than 96% of U.S. towns
40
nights at or below 0°
45th most of 271 in Minnesota
More nights at or below 0° than all but 87 U.S. towns
2
days that reach 90°
14th fewest of 271 in Minnesota
Fewer 90° days than 96% of U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
4aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 4a

The 2023 USDA map puts Steamboat River 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°

31
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

0.9
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 49 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Cass Lake, MN, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 27 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 111 days a year.

27"
Rain + melted snow a year
17th driest of 271 in Minnesota
Drier than 87% of U.S. towns
49"
Snow in a normal winter
119th snowiest of 268 in Minnesota
More snow than 82% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.3"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

12"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Steamboat River 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.

8,875 heating degree daysMore heating than all but 139 U.S. towns
381 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 92% 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 Walker, MN.

Living here

Living with Steamboat River Township’s climate

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

The garden window

155 frost-free days in zone 4a. 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 7.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 8.3 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Steamboat River Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (70%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 14%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Steamboat River Township and its neighbors

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

Hendrickson Township: January low -2°, July high 79°Hart Lake Township: January low -2°, July high 79°Leech Lake Township: January low -2°, July high 79°Clay Township: January low -2°, July high 79°Mantrap Township: January low -2°, July high 79°Turtle Lake Township: January low -1°, July high 79°Hiram Township: January low -1°, July high 79°White Oak Township: January low -1°, July high 79°Lakeport Township: January low -2°, July high 79°Thorpe Township: January low -1°, July high 78°Shingobee Township: January low -1°, July high 79°Akeley Township: January low -1°, July high 79°Steamboat River Township: January low -1°, July high 78°Steamboat River TownshipLakeport TownshipThorpe TownshipShingobee TownshipAkeley Township
ColderMilder-2° to -1°
Lakeport Township-1.5° about the same
Akeley Township-1.1° about the same
Steamboat River Township-0.8°
Thorpe Township-0.8° about the same
Shingobee Township-0.8° about the same

Climates most like Steamboat River 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
Steamboat River Township, MN−1°78°27"49"
Antigo, WI5°79°32"54"
Kingsford, MI5°80°29"61"
Watertown, SD2°81°25"41"
Jamestown, ND1°82°21"46"

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 Steamboat River Township averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.2°).

+1.8°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 82% of U.S. towns.

Winter+3.7°now 12°, was 8°
Spring+1.5°now 40°, was 38°
Summer+0.8°now 66°, was 65°
Fall+1.3°now 43°, was 42°

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 Steamboat River Township compares

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

Summer heat78° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns16th coolest of 271 in Minnesota
Winter cold−1° January low
Colder January nights than all but 38 U.S. towns23rd coldest of 271 in Minnesota
Precipitation27" a year
Drier than 87% of U.S. towns17th driest of 271 in Minnesota
Snow49" a winter
More snow than 82% of U.S. towns119th snowiest of 268 in Minnesota
Hot days2 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 96% of U.S. towns14th fewest of 271 in Minnesota
Freezing nights174 a year
More freezing nights than 96% of U.S. towns51st most of 271 in Minnesota
Growing season155 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 89% of U.S. towns124th shortest of 270 in Minnesota
Month by month

Steamboat River Township weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Steamboat River Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Cass Lake, MN. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet days30-yr range
January17°−1°0.7"9.1"8−5° – 23°
February23°2°0.7"9.3"71° – 29°
March37°16°1.1"6.2"716° – 39°
April51°29°2.0"5.6"932° – 48°
May65°42°3.1"0.0"1248° – 59°
June74°53°4.3"0.0"1358° – 68°
July78°58°3.9"0.0"1160° – 73°
August76°55°3.1"0.0"959° – 70°
September67°47°2.9"0.0"1050° – 63°
October52°35°2.7"1.4"1036° – 49°
November36°21°1.2"5.8"719° – 40°
December23°7°0.9"11.5"91° – 24°
Year50°30°26.6"48.9"111
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from -5° to 23°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Steamboat River 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 Steamboat River Township’s center.
  • Snow: Cass Lake, MN.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Walker, MN, 7 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 Steamboat River Township’s climate

What is the weather like in Steamboat River Township?

A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to −1°, and about 49 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than all but 38 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Steamboat River Township in winter?

January nights average −1°. About 174 nights a year reach 32° or below and 40 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged −5°.

How much snow does Steamboat River Township get?

About 49 inches in a normal winter at Cass Lake, MN, most of it in December.

How hot does it get in Steamboat River Township?

July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 58°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Walker, MN).

When is the first and last frost in Steamboat River Township?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 4 and the first fall frost by October 7, about 155 frost-free days, at Walker, MN.

What growing zone is Steamboat River 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 Steamboat River 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 Steamboat River 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 Steamboat River 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.