Best time to visit Minneapolis
The best time to visit Minneapolis is May–September, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -4.8 °C / 23 °F | -12.4 °C / 10 °F | 20 mm / 0.8 in | neither best nor good |
| February | -3.2 °C / 26 °F | -12.2 °C / 10 °F | 27 mm / 1.1 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 5.4 °C / 42 °F | -3.6 °C / 26 °F | 56 mm / 2.2 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 12.6 °C / 55 °F | 3 °C / 37 °F | 90 mm / 3.5 in | good month |
| May | 20.5 °C / 69 °F | 10.4 °C / 51 °F | 109 mm / 4.3 in | best month |
| June | 25.9 °C / 79 °F | 16.4 °C / 62 °F | 112 mm / 4.4 in | best month |
| July | 28.3 °C / 83 °F | 18.6 °C / 65 °F | 83 mm / 3.3 in | best month |
| August | 26.5 °C / 80 °F | 17 °C / 63 °F | 114 mm / 4.5 in | best month |
| September | 22.7 °C / 73 °F | 12.8 °C / 55 °F | 87 mm / 3.4 in | best month |
| October | 14.4 °C / 58 °F | 5.5 °C / 42 °F | 67 mm / 2.7 in | good month |
| November | 5.9 °C / 43 °F | -1.8 °C / 29 °F | 40 mm / 1.6 in | neither best nor good |
| December | -2.3 °C / 28 °F | -9.5 °C / 15 °F | 48 mm / 1.9 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: good
- MMay: best
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- May–September
- Good
- April, October
Minneapolis is best for outdoor exploring from May through September, with warm, sunny, mostly-dry conditions; April and October are good but cooler or duller, while November through March are far too cold for comfortable walking.
Why these months
April · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 67%, precipitation 90 mm / 3.5 in, relative humidity 62%.
Against: wet days 11.6 days, days with heavy rain 3 days, feels like (high) 9 °C / 48 °F, average daily high 12.6 °C / 55 °F, average daily low 3 °C / 37 °F.
Also on: Art in Bloom, Minneapolis–St. Paul International Film Festival, Minnesota Twins Home Opener.
Watch out for: Easter closures, Good Friday closures.
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.8 °C / 66 °F, average daily high 20.5 °C / 69 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 71%, precipitation 109 mm / 4.3 in, average daily low 10.4 °C / 51 °F, relative humidity 61%.
Against: wet days 11.9 days, days with heavy rain 3.5 days.
Also on: Festival of Nations, May Day Parade, Northeast Minneapolis Art-A-Whirl Festival.
Watch out for: Memorial Day.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 26.2 °C / 79 °F, average daily high 25.9 °C / 79 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 78%, precipitation 112 mm / 4.4 in, average daily low 16.4 °C / 62 °F, relative humidity 65%.
Against: wet days 11.3 days, days with heavy rain 3.9 days.
Also on: Juneteenth celebration, Northern Spark Festival, Rock the Garden, Stone Arch Bridge Festival, Svenskarnas Dag.
Watch out for: Juneteenth (federal holiday).
July · best
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 86%, feels like (high) 29.9 °C / 86 °F, precipitation 83 mm / 3.3 in, average daily high 28.3 °C / 83 °F, days with heavy rain 2.9 days, wet days 9.4 days, average daily low 18.6 °C / 65 °F, relative humidity 68%.
Also on: Basilica Block Party, Loring Park Art Festival, Minneapolis Aquatennial, Minnesota Orchestra's Sommerfest, Twin Cities LGBTQ+ Pride.
Watch out for: Independence Day closures.
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 27.6 °C / 82 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 81%, average daily high 26.5 °C / 80 °F, precipitation 114 mm / 4.5 in, wet days 9.9 days, average daily low 17 °C / 63 °F, relative humidity 71%.
Against: days with heavy rain 4 days.
Also on: Mill City Live Concerts, Minnesota Renaissance Fair, Minnesota State Fair, Powderhorn Art Fair, Uptown Art Fair.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 22 °C / 72 °F, average daily high 22.7 °C / 73 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 78%, precipitation 87 mm / 3.4 in, wet days 8.8 days, average daily low 12.8 °C / 55 °F, relative humidity 71%.
Against: days with heavy rain 3.1 days.
Also on: Minnesota Golden Gophers football season begins, Minnesota Renaissance Fair, Minnesota State Fair, Minnesota Vikings football season begins.
Watch out for: Labor Day.
October · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 68%, precipitation 67 mm / 2.7 in, average daily high 14.4 °C / 58 °F, days with heavy rain 2.2 days, wet days 8.6 days, relative humidity 69%, average daily low 5.5 °C / 42 °F.
Against: sunshine per day 7.4 h, feels like (high) 11.3 °C / 52 °F.
Also on: Fall colors, Halloween parties, Twin Cities Marathon, Zombie Pub Crawl.
Watch out for: Columbus Day, Halloween closures.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Terry Peak Ski Area, 838 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | -9.6 °C | -8.1 °C | 1.1 °C | 9 °C | 18.8 °C | 26.2 °C | 29.9 °C | 27.6 °C | 22 °C | 11.3 °C | 1.8 °C | -6.9 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 0.3 days | 0.7 days | 1.8 days | 3 days | 3.5 days | 3.9 days | 2.9 days | 4 days | 3.1 days | 2.2 days | 1.1 days | 1.4 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 4 pm | 5 pm | 7 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 6 pm | 1 am | 11 pm | 12 am | 1 am | 1 am | 5 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 6.1 h | 7.8 h | 8.6 h | 9.1 h | 10.5 h | 12.1 h | 13.1 h | 11.4 h | 9.7 h | 7.4 h | 6.2 h | 5 h |
| Relative humidity | 75% | 71% | 67% | 62% | 61% | 65% | 68% | 71% | 71% | 69% | 72% | 78% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 9.8 µg/m³ | 12.6 µg/m³ | 11 µg/m³ | 10 µg/m³ | 11 µg/m³ | 15.8 µg/m³ | 14.8 µg/m³ | 11 µg/m³ | 9 µg/m³ | 6.2 µg/m³ | 7.1 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 16.2 µg/m³ | 20 µg/m³ | 18.8 µg/m³ | 17.4 µg/m³ | 18.7 µg/m³ | 24.6 µg/m³ | 22.7 µg/m³ | 16.9 µg/m³ | 14.6 µg/m³ | 10.7 µg/m³ | 12.8 µg/m³ | 17.5 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Lake Harriet Kite Festival
January
- Polar Dash
January
- Minneapolis Boat Show
January
- City of Lakes Loppet
January
- US Pond Hockey Championships
January
- Lake of the Isles public skating rink
January, February, March and December
- Restaurant Week
February
- International Motorcycle Show
February
- St. Paul Winter Carnival
February
- St. Patrick's Day Parade
17 March
- Twin Cities Auto Show
March
- Art in Bloom
April
- Minneapolis–St. Paul International Film Festival
April
- Minnesota Twins Home Opener
April, dates vary from year to year
- Northeast Minneapolis Art-A-Whirl Festival
May
- May Day Parade
1–7 May, dates vary from year to year
- Festival of Nations
May
- Stone Arch Bridge Festival
June
- Northern Spark Festival
June
- Juneteenth celebration
19 June
- Rock the Garden
June
- Svenskarnas Dag
22–28 June, dates vary from year to year
- Twin Cities LGBTQ+ Pride
July
- Loring Park Art Festival
July
- Basilica Block Party
July
- Minneapolis Aquatennial
July
- Minnesota Orchestra's Sommerfest
July
- Minnesota State Fair
21 August–7 September, dates vary from year to year
- Minnesota Renaissance Fair
August and September
- Uptown Art Fair
August
- Powderhorn Art Fair
August
- Mill City Live Concerts
August
- Minnesota Golden Gophers football season begins
September
- Minnesota Vikings football season begins
September
- Fall colors
October
- Halloween parties
October
- Twin Cities Marathon
October
- Zombie Pub Crawl
October
- Holidazzle Festival
November and December
- Art Attack
November
- New Year's Eve
31 December
Worth knowing before you go
- New Year's Day
1 January
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
15–21 January, dates vary from year to year
- Holiday season travel rush
26 November–1 January, dates vary from year to year
- Presidents' Day
15–21 February, dates vary from year to year
- Good Friday closures
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Easter closures
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Memorial Day
25–31 May, dates vary from year to year
- Juneteenth (federal holiday)
19 June
- Independence Day closures
4 July
- Labor Day
1–7 September, dates vary from year to year
- Columbus Day
8–14 October, dates vary from year to year
- Halloween closures
31 October
- Veterans Day
11 November
- Thanksgiving travel crush
21–29 November, dates vary from year to year
- Christmas closures
24–25 December