Moorhead, Minnesota Weather
Prairie lightning bugs rise. Day 78 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Moorhead weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 4Overcast37%—83°60°—
- FridayJun 5Light Drizzle19%—79°62°-4°
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast——89°58°+10°
- SundayJun 7Overcast——86°65°-3°
- MondayJun 8Overcast43%—84°72°-2°
- TuesdayJun 9Heavy Drizzle21%—87°70°+3°
- WednesdayJun 10Thunderstorm33%—96°73°+9°
AQI 40 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). PM2.5 at 9.0 µg/m³ (AQI 50) with a 0.91 fine-to-coarse ratio and 2 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
What's driving it
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 9.0 µg/m³ (AQI 50) with a 0.91 fine-to-coarse ratio and 2 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.91
- Wind
- calm
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- stagnant smoke
Trends
Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.
Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
The higher the clouds, the finer the weather.
- Moonrise
- 5:48 AM
- Moonset
- 3:16 PM
- In sign
- ♒︎ Aquarius
Prairie lightning bugs rise
Moorhead at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 69°F — typical for the season
- Last frost: May 27 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 5, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.
SPC Convective Outlook
Storm Prediction Center — Moorhead
SPC has placed Moorhead in the General Thunderstorms category for severe thunderstorms today.
- TODAYTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
- TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
- DAY 3NONENo severe risk
Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.
Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | — | — |
| April | — | — |
| May | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | — | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | — | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
Moorhead's warmest month is July (~71°F mean) and its coldest is January (~8°F). Rainfall peaks in June (4.3 inches) and bottoms out in February (0.7 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8° | 0.7″ | 2 |
| February | 12° | 0.7″ | 2 |
| March | 26° | 1.1″ | 4 |
| April | 42° | 1.6″ | 5 |
| May | 56° | 3.1″ | 10 |
| June | 66° | 4.3″ | 14 |
| July | 71° | 3.7″ | 12 |
| August | 69° | 2.7″ | 9 |
| September | 60° | 2.5″ | 8 |
| October | 45° | 2.2″ | 7 |
| November | 29° | 0.9″ | 3 |
| December | 15° | 0.8″ | 3 |
Regional context
Moorhead sits within a warm-summer humid continental climate region — a cohort that shares similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions across nearby cities.
Similar climates: Minneapolis, MN, St. Paul, MN, Rochester, MN, Duluth, MN, St. Cloud, MN.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Moorhead?
- Moorhead's last spring frost typically falls around mid-May, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-October.
- What is the rainy season in Moorhead?
- June is the wettest month with about 4.3 inches of rain on average; the city receives roughly 24 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Moorhead?
- July is typically warmest, averaging about 71°F.
- What is the coldest month in Moorhead?
- January is typically coldest, averaging about 8°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Moorhead?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be sown around the last spring frost (mid-May); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Moorhead get?
- Moorhead averages about 79 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is Moorhead?
- Moorhead's USDA hardiness zone is determined by its lowest average winter temperature; check the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.
Climate
Moorhead, Minnesota sits in a warm-summer humid continental climate zone. January means hover near 8°F while July averages 71°F — a 63°F seasonal swing.
Across the year, Moorhead receives about 24 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 79 rainy days.
The rhythm of the year is set by latitude (46.9°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation — all of which shape what grows here, when frost is likely, and what the weather story looks like day to day.