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If you are new to the Northland, live elsewhere and plan to visit, or maybe have been away for some time and are moving back here you may find this guide helpful.  

The main important thing to be remembered at all times is that the temps in Minnesota can sometimes go down to minus 30 or even as low as minus 40 degrees. Therefore, my advice is to be careful to not misuse or overuse the description “cold” as it is best held in reserve for those times when it is really needed. If you say, for example, “it’s really cold out there!” when it is merely 10 or 20 degrees above zero you have used up your best terminology, and what is left to say when you then need to describe 30 degrees below zero.  

Here is my guide.  

If it has been summer and suddenly the temps go down to 40 degrees and is windy, you may say, “Oh! It’s gotten a bit chilly out there!”

As October sets in, however, 40s and drizzle are expected and it’s just par for the course so no particular comments need to be made. Temps in the 20s with snowflakes in October may be commented on by saying something such as “It’s coming! Won’t be long before winter!”  

November/December/January/February

f it is not windy and temps are in the teens and 20s and maybe even down to 10 above, there is nothing much to comment on. When it gets closer down to zero or a little bit below zero you might say, “It’s feeling pretty nippy out there!”

Of course, don’t be foolish. If you need to be outside long, wear your down coat, chopper mitts, wool hat and boots with extra socks.  

When temps go down to ten below zero, I admit, that is somewhat cold, and yet, since it can get a lot colder you should still reserve the strongest words and exclamations for lower temps yet.  

20 below zero. Now it is totally acceptable to say “Man, it’s COLD out there!” Especially if it is windy.  

30 below zero or colder.  No holds barred.  After all, things just break and stop working at these temps. People die out there! No one will blame you now for exclamations of shock, or adding an expletive of your choice. “_____  _____! It’s ______FREEZING out there!!!!!!”   

Now, if after this down in the deeps adventure the temps go up to 20 below or a bit warmer, (note, still below) but it is sunny and still, you might say, “It’s not too bad out there.”  

If it goes as high as 20 above after a spell in the deep freeze we sometimes say, “It’s balmy out there!”  And believe it or not, it really does feel that way!  

March in the Northland is usually just another month of winter and April can be almost the same but by then we’ve had enough and a bit of complaining may be acceptable. Blizzards in the last week of April are just burdensome to the soul. Others may be tougher or more stoic than I and may have differing opinions on this.  

I hope this guide is useful to you.