January in Minneapolis — the hardest end of the year
Hardest · 3.7/10January averages -10°C (14°F) — deep-winter cold that dictates the whole trip: short outdoor stints, indoor plans on standby, and no expectation of long walking days.
Precipitation is light at 24 mm (mostly snow at altitude), with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 8.9 hours of daylight.
It scores 3.7/10 here, 11th of 12 months, against 8.9/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip.
Flexible dates? September scores 5.2 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
February in Minneapolis — off-season conditions
Hardest · 4.3/10February averages -7°C (19°F) — deep-winter cold that dictates the whole trip: short outdoor stints, indoor plans on standby, and no expectation of long walking days.
Precipitation is light at 33 mm (mostly snow at altitude), with about 5 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.1 hours of daylight.
It scores 4.3/10 here, 10th of 12 months, against 8.9/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip.
Flexible dates? September scores 4.6 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
March in Minneapolis — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 5/10At -1°C (30°F) this is proper winter weather in March: layer up and split the day between outdoor highlights and indoor stops.
70 mm of water-equivalent precipitation makes this a snowy month at resort level; what falls stays as snow, with about 12 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.6 hours of daylight.
That is 5/10 on the same scale — 9th of 12 months, versus 8.9/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, September is materially better in Minneapolis — 3.9 points higher on the same scale.
April in Minneapolis — middling scores, decent value
Trade-offs · 5.9/10April averages 6°C (43°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
At 110 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 15 days with 6+ hours of sunshine in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.
It scores 5.9/10 here, 7th of 12 months, against 8.9/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? September scores 3 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
May in Minneapolis — reliably good (2nd best month)
Good · 8.2/10Temperatures hover around 16°C (60°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
106 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 26 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.
That is 8.2/10 on the same scale — 2nd of 12 months, versus 8.9/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
June in Minneapolis — reliably good (4th best month)
Good · 8/10June averages 21°C (69°F) — pleasant for mornings and evenings on foot in the city, with a midday break when the sun is strongest.
Monthly rainfall reaches 116 mm — wet for this destination — but about 29 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still break through, so keep one indoor fallback in the plan.
It scores 8/10 here, 4th of 12 months, against 8.9/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
July in Minneapolis: strong conditions, 3rd of 12
Good · 8.2/10July averages 23°C (73°F) — pleasant for mornings and evenings on foot in the city, with a midday break when the sun is strongest.
Rainfall runs 88 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 29 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 15.1 hours of daylight.
It scores 8.2/10 here, 3rd of 12 months, against 8.9/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for peak pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a packable rain layer.
August in Minneapolis: strong conditions, 5th of 12
Good · 8/10At 22°C (71°F) this is comfortable city weather in August, with sightseeing easiest before lunch and after the afternoon peak.
115 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 23 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.
That is 8/10 on the same scale — 5th of 12 months, versus 8.9/10 for the best month here.
Expect peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
September in Minneapolis tops the year's climate scores
Best window · 8.9/10Temperatures hover around 19°C (66°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
Budget for roughly 51 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 16 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12.3 hours of daylight to work around it.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Minneapolis at 8.9/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Budget for peak pricing, and crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
October holds up well in Minneapolis — 6th best month
Good · 7.1/10October averages 10°C (51°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 58 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 6 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.7 hours of daylight.
It scores 7.1/10 here, 6th of 12 months, against 8.9/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? September scores 1.8 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
November in Minneapolis — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.1/10November averages 2°C (35°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.
Expect 39 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.3 daylight hours.
It scores 5.1/10 here, 8th of 12 months, against 8.9/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip.
Flexible dates? September scores 3.8 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
December in Minneapolis — off-season conditions
Hardest · 3.4/10December sits at -5°C (23°F), firmly in deep-winter territory. Plan compact outdoor blocks with warm reset points between them rather than full days outside.
47 mm of water-equivalent precipitation makes this a snowy month at resort level; what falls stays as snow, with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 8.6 hours of daylight.
That is 3.4/10 on the same scale — 12th of 12 months, versus 8.9/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a packable rain layer.
If your dates are flexible, September is materially better in Minneapolis — 5.5 points higher on the same scale.
