Climate Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 42°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Rice, MN Climate
Annual temperature, rainfall, and a comfort score, sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 normals →
- 42°F
- Avg annual temp
- 54/100
- Comfort score
- 30.1"
- Annual precip
- 142d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Rice
Rice, Minnesota averages 42°F a year and scores 54/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 27% of U.S. cities.
- 42°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 54/100
- comfort score, milder than 27% of U.S. cities
- 30.1"
- precipitation, annual total
- 142 days
- frost-free growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
42°F (5°C)
Avg High
52°F
Avg Low
31°F
Annual Precip
30.1"
Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
42°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
30.1"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Rice) 54.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Rice area.
How Rice compares to every U.S. city
Rice's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
54 Top 73% higher than 27% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Rice
MethodologyRice's NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits inside a longer story: U.S. land temperatures have been tracking (and drifting from) the global mean since 1900, and the chart below shows that spread, with the most recent decade running warmer than the 30-year mean.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20°F (-7°C) | 0°F (-18°C) | 10°F (-12°C) | 0.7" | 30.9 | 0.0 |
| February | 25°F (-4°C) | 3°F (-16°C) | 14°F (-10°C) | 0.8" | 27.9 | 0.0 |
| March | 38°F (3°C) | 17°F (-8°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 1.5" | 27.2 | 0.0 |
| April | 54°F (12°C) | 29°F (-1°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 2.6" | 19.7 | 0.0 |
| May | 67°F (19°C) | 42°F (6°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 3.5" | 3.5 | 0.6 |
| June | 76°F (25°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 4.6" | 0.0 | 0.9 |
| July | 80°F (27°C) | 58°F (15°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 4.1" | 0.0 | 3.3 |
| August | 78°F (26°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 3.9" | 0.0 | 1.1 |
| September | 71°F (22°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 3.1" | 1.3 | 0.5 |
| October | 56°F (13°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 2.7" | 13.9 | 0.0 |
| November | 39°F (4°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 1.5" | 25.1 | 0.0 |
| December | 25°F (-4°C) | 9°F (-13°C) | 17°F (-8°C) | 1.0" | 30.4 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 0.7"
February 0.8"
March 1.5"
April 2.6"
May 3.5"
June 4.6"
July 4.1"
August 3.9"
September 3.1"
October 2.7"
November 1.5"
December 1.0"
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 29
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 10
50% probability date
Growing Season
142 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
8,855
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
380
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Rice's climate means for you
Rice runs 42°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 142 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 10 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 8,855 heating and 380 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Rice, MN
An annual average temperature of 42°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 52°F to a mean daily low of 31°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Rice, Minnesota. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USC00216920 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Beyond temperature, Rice averages 30.1 inches of precipitation annually, predominantly as rainfall - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 142 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 10 and the first fall freeze near September 29. Turning to energy use, 8,855 heating degree days and 380 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Rice 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, July-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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Rice, MN? ▼
The average annual temperature in Rice, Minnesota is 42°F. The warmest month averages 80°F (27°C) and the coldest averages 0°F (-18°C).
How much rain does Rice get? ▼
Rice receives 30.1 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Rice? ▼
Rice has a climate comfort score of 54/100 (Moderate), milder than 27% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Rice? ▼
Rice has approximately 142 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 10 and the first fall freeze around September 29.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Rice? ▼
Rice has 8,855 heating degree days and 380 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Rice climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00216920 near Rice.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00216920. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.