Grand Marais, MN Climate

Climate Insight: Grand Marais, MN

Based on 2 weather stations feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Grand Marais, Minnesota averages 40°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 48°F to a mean daily low of 32°F. August is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Because these figures are thirty-year averages rather than any single year's readings, they describe the typical month, not a forecast for it.

Beyond temperature, Grand Marais averages 25.9 inches of precipitation annually, with seasonal snowfall possible - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 140 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 22 and the first fall freeze near October 9. Turning to energy use, 9,310 heating degree days and 51 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.

On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Grand Marais scores 54/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above turn that into a planning tool: expect the mildest highs and lows in the shoulder seasons, August-driven heat at the peak of summer, and January-driven cold at the depth of winter. Every number here is a thirty-year average, not a forecast, so any given year can and does run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.