This report describes the typical weather at the Park Rapids Municipal Airport (Park Rapids, Minnesota, United States) weather station over the course of an average year. It is based on the historical records from 1990 to 2012. Earlier records are either unavailable or unreliable.
Park Rapids, Minnesota has a humid continental climate with warm summers and no dry season. The area within 25 mi of this station is covered by croplands (82%), grasslands (10%), lakes and rivers (4%), and forests (4%).
Over the course of a year, the temperature typically varies from -1Â°F to 79Â°F and is rarely below -23Â°F or above 87Â°F.
The warm season lasts from May 19 to September 18 with an average daily high temperature above 66Â°F. The hottest day of the year is July 23, with an average high of 79Â°F and low of 59Â°F.
The cold season lasts from November 26 to March 5 with an average daily high temperature below 29Â°F. The coldest day of the year is January 20, with an average low of -1Â°F and high of 17Â°F.
The length of the day varies significantly over the course of the year. The shortest day is December 21 with 8:32 hours of daylight; the longest day is June 20 with 15:54 hours of daylight.
The earliest sunrise is at 5:25am on June 17 and the latest sunset is at 9:20pm on June 24. The latest sunrise is at 8:07am on November 3 and the earliest sunset is at 4:31pm on December 10.
Daylight saving time (DST) is observed in this location during 2012, starting in the spring on March 11 and ending in the fall on November 4.
The median cloud cover ranges from 19% (mostly clear) to 80% (mostly cloudy). The sky is cloudiest on December 13 and clearest on August 7. The clearer part of the year begins around March 30. The cloudier part of the year begins around October 10.
On August 7, the clearest day of the year, the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 55% of the time, and overcast or mostly cloudy 27% of the time.
On December 13, the cloudiest day of the year, the sky is overcast, mostly cloudy, or partly cloudy 52% of the time, and clear or mostly clear 33% of the time.
The probability that precipitation will be observed at this location varies throughout the year. Precipitation is most likely around February 8, occurring in 52% of days. Precipitation is least likely around August 20, occurring in 38% of days.
Over the entire year, the most common forms of precipitation are light snow, light rain, thunderstorms, and moderate rain.
Light snow is the most severe precipitation observed during 39% of those days with precipitation. It is most likely around January 15, when it is observed during 42% of all days.
Light rain is the most severe precipitation observed during 26% of those days with precipitation. It is most likely around May 26, when it is observed during 21% of all days.
Thunderstorms are the most severe precipitation observed during 12% of those days with precipitation. They are most likely around July 4, when it is observed during 16% of all days.
Moderate rain is the most severe precipitation observed during 10% of those days with precipitation. It is most likely around May 29, when it is observed during 9% of all days.
During the warm season, which lasts from May 19 to September 18, there is a 42% average chance that precipitation will be observed at some point during a given day. When precipitation does occur it is most often in the form of light rain (43% of days with precipitation have at worst light rain), thunderstorms (29%), moderate rain (16%), and heavy rain (8%).
During the cold season, which lasts from November 26 to March 5, there is a 49% average chance that precipitation will be observed at some point during a given day. When precipitation does occur it is most often in the form of light snow (79% of days with precipitation have at worst light snow) and moderate snow (13%).
The likelihood of snow falling is highest around December 31, occurring in 50% of days. The season in which it is relatively likely for snow to fall spans from October 22 to April 15.
Either snow rarely accumulates at this location or snow depth measurements are unavailable or unreliable.
The relative humidity typically ranges from 38% (comfortable) to 94% (very humid) over the course of the year, rarely dropping below 20% (dry) and reaching as high as 100% (very humid).
The air is driest around April 23, at which time the relative humidity drops below 48% (comfortable) three days out of four; it is most humid around August 20, exceeding 92% (very humid) three days out of four.
Dew point is often a better measure of how comfortable a person will find the weather than relative humidity because it more directly relates to whether perspiration will evaporate from the skin, thereby cooling the body. Lower dew points feel drier and higher dew points feel more humid.
Over the course of a year, the dew point typically varies from -6Â°F (dry) to 63Â°F (mildy humid) and is rarely below -28Â°F (dry) or above 71Â°F (very muggy).
The time of the year between May 27 and September 22 is the most comfortable, with dew points that are neither too dry nor too muggy.
Over the course of the year typical wind speeds vary from 0 mph to 18 mph (calm to moderate breeze), rarely exceeding 25 mph (strong breeze).
The highest average wind speed of 10 mph (gentle breeze) occurs around May 13, at which time the average daily maximum wind speed is 17 mph (moderate breeze).
The lowest average wind speed of 8 mph (light breeze) occurs around July 28, at which time the average daily maximum wind speed is 15 mph (moderate breeze).