The moderating effect of Lake Superior keeps the surrounding area relatively cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, giving that region a smaller yearly temperature variation. ... Winter in Minnesota is characterized by cold (below freezing) temperatures.

Why is Minnesota the coldest state?

It is because Minnesota and North Dakota get so exceptionally cold in winter, that they place just behind Alaska for the lowest annual average temperature. ... States like Washington that have high, glacier-topped mountains certainly do have some really cold places in winter. But most of the state is much milder.

Is Minnesota the coldest place on Earth?

International Falls, Minnesota

Widely described as the coldest city in the continental United States, International Falls, Minn, sits on the Rainy River, just across from Fort Frances, Ontario.