Climate Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 45°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Rochester, MN Climate
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: average temperature, precipitation, and comfort score
- 45°F
- Avg annual temp
- 44/100
- Comfort score
- 34.7"
- Annual precip
- 159d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota averages 45°F a year and scores 44/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 8% of U.S. cities.
- 45°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 44/100
- comfort score, milder than 8% of U.S. cities
- 34.7"
- annual precipitation · 53" snow
- 159 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
45°F (7°C)
Avg High
54°F
Avg Low
36°F
Annual Precip
34.7"
Annual Snow
53.1"
Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
45°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
34.7"
Plus 53.1" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Rochester) 44.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Rochester area.
How Rochester compares to every U.S. city
Rochester's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
44 Top 92% higher than 8% 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 Rochester
MethodologyHow the U.S. land temperature anomaly tracks against the global mean since 1900. The current NOAA 1991-2020 normal for Rochester captures average conditions across the spread shown, the most recent decade is 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 | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23°F (-5°C) | 7°F (-14°C) | 15°F (-10°C) | 1.0" | 12.2" | 30.7 | 0.0 |
| February | 27°F (-3°C) | 11°F (-12°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 1.0" | 10.7" | 27.0 | 0.0 |
| March | 40°F (4°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 2.0" | 8.6" | 24.4 | 0.0 |
| April | 55°F (13°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 3.5" | 3.3" | 10.7 | 0.0 |
| May | 68°F (20°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 4.3" | 0.5" | 1.1 | 0.7 |
| June | 78°F (25°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 5.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| July | 80°F (27°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 71°F (21°C) | 4.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.8 |
| August | 78°F (26°C) | 58°F (15°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 4.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| September | 72°F (22°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 3.6" | 0.0" | 0.6 | 0.4 |
| October | 58°F (14°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 2.4" | 0.9" | 9.1 | 0.1 |
| November | 42°F (5°C) | 26°F (-4°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 1.8" | 4.5" | 22.7 | 0.0 |
| December | 28°F (-2°C) | 14°F (-10°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 1.3" | 12.4" | 29.6 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 1.0"
Snow: 12.2"
9.4 days with precipitation
February 1.0"
Snow: 10.7"
8.0 days with precipitation
March 2.0"
Snow: 8.6"
10.2 days with precipitation
April 3.5"
Snow: 3.3"
12.2 days with precipitation
May 4.3"
Snow: 0.5"
13.3 days with precipitation
June 5.3"
12.5 days with precipitation
July 4.2"
10.5 days with precipitation
August 4.1"
10.0 days with precipitation
September 3.6"
9.3 days with precipitation
October 2.4"
Snow: 0.9"
9.5 days with precipitation
November 1.8"
Snow: 4.5"
9.2 days with precipitation
December 1.3"
Snow: 12.4"
9.6 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 6
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 30
50% probability date
Growing Season
159 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
7,856
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
533
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 80% | 12.5 | 45% | 37% |
| February | 77% | 12.6 | 47% | 37% |
| March | 69% | 13.3 | 47% | 32% |
| April | 61% | 12.8 | 49% | 28% |
| May | 67% | 11.0 | 49% | 22% |
| June | 72% | 10.1 | 58% | 13% |
| July | 77% | 8.6 | 59% | 12% |
| August | 77% | 9.2 | 64% | 11% |
| September | 70% | 10.7 | 58% | 22% |
| October | 72% | 12.2 | 51% | 36% |
| November | 79% | 12.7 | 46% | 39% |
| December | 81% | 12.8 | 46% | 40% |
What Rochester's climate means for you
Rochester runs 45°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 159 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 30 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 7,856 heating and 533 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: Rochester, MN
Based on station USW00014925 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Rochester, Minnesota averages 45°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 54°F to a mean daily low of 36°F. July 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, Rochester averages 34.7 inches of precipitation annually, with 53.1 inches typically falling as snow - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 159 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 30 and the first fall freeze near October 6. Turning to energy use, 7,856 heating degree days and 533 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Rochester scores 44/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Use the monthly tables above to plan around specific windows, shoulder seasons for mild highs and lows, peak summer for July-driven heat, or deep winter for January-driven cold. All figures here are thirty-year averages: any single year may run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal, so treat them as planning guidance rather than forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Rochester, MN? ▼
The average annual temperature in Rochester, Minnesota is 45°F. The warmest month averages 80°F (27°C) and the coldest averages 7°F (-14°C).
How much rain does Rochester get? ▼
Rochester receives 34.7 inches of precipitation annually, including 53.1 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Rochester? ▼
Rochester has a climate comfort score of 44/100 (Moderate), milder than 8% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Rochester? ▼
Rochester has approximately 159 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 30 and the first fall freeze around October 6.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Rochester? ▼
Rochester has 7,856 heating degree days and 533 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 Rochester climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00014925 near Rochester.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00014925. 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.