National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Upper Mississippi River Climate Summary for Meteorological Spring 2025:


Temperatures - Warmer than Normal

 
  • During the 2025 Meteorological Spring (March 1 through May 31), average temperatures ranged from 42.8°F at Medford Taylor County Airport, WI (AWOS) to 49.8°F to Prairie du Chien Municipal Airport, WI (AWOS).
  • Temperature anomalies ranged from 1 to 4°F warmer than normal.
  • The hottest temperature was 93°F on May 15 at Boscobel, WI (ASOS) and the coldest temperature was 0°F on March 2 at Sparta Fort McCoy, WI (ASOS).
Meteorological Spring 2025 Temperature Summary

Precipitation - Highly Variable

  • Precipitation ranged from 8.02" near Cassville, WI (CoCoRaHS) to 14.40" near Melrose, WI (CoCoRaHS).
  • Precipitation anomalies ranged from 1" drier than normal to 1" wetter than normal in northeast Iowa, from near normal to 2" wetter than normal in southeast Minnesota, from near normal to 3" drier than normal in southwest Wisconsin, and from near normal to 2.5" wetter than normal in west-central and central Wisconsin.
  • The wettest day was April 21 when 2.26" of rain fell at La Crescent Dam 7, MN (CoCoRaHS).
Meteorological Spring 2025 Precipitation Summary

Snowfall - Primarily Below Normal

  • Snowfall ranged from a trace at Lynxville Dam 9, WI (COOP) to 15.5" near Mather, WI (COOP).
  • Snowfall anomalies ranged from 6" below normal to 2" above normal.
  • The greatest daily snowfall was 9.6" on March 19-20 near Mather, WI. 
Meteorological Spring 2025 Snow Summary

 

Below are the climate summaries for the 2025 meteorological spring in La Crosse, WI and Rochester, MN

La Crosse, WI

 

 Meteorological Spring 2025 was the 18th Wettest and 21st Warmest in La Crosse, WI
 

The 2025 meteorological spring (March 1 through May 31) was the 18th wettest and the 21st warmest. More details on these statistics can be found below.

Temperatures - 21st Warmest 

  • From March 1st through May 31st, La Crosse Regional Airport had an average temperature of 49.7°F.
  • This was 1.1°F warmer than 1991-2020 normal of 48.6°F.
  • This was the 21st warmest spring.
  • 10 out of the 21 warmest springs have occurred since 2000. 7 out of the last 11 springs have been warmer than normal. 

 

The table below contains the monthly temperatures and their departures from normal for the spring of 2025.

      Spring 2025 Temperatures
          in La Crosse WI 

             Average     Departure
   Month   Temperature  from Normal
   -----   -----------  -----------
   March      41.3°F      +5.5°F - Tied for 8th Warmest
                                   with 1973 and 2016
   April      48.4°F      -0.6°F
   May        59.5°F      -1.5°F 
 
   Spring     49.8°F      +1.1°F - 21st Warmest

 

The average high temperature was 61.1°F. This was 2°F warmer than the 1991-2020 normal of 59.1°F. This was the 15th warmest.
The average low temperature was 38.4°F. This was +0.2F warmer than the 1991-2020 normal of 38.2°F.

The warmest high temperature was 88°F on May 15.
The coldest high temperature was 29°F on March 1.

The warmest low temperature was 65°F on May 14. 
The coldest low temperature was 11°F on March 2.

Maximum Temperature <= 32 on 1 Day
Maximum Temperature >= 90 on 0 Days 

Minimum Temperature <= 32 on 32 Days
Minimum Temperature <=  0 on  0 Days
 

Precipitation - 18th Wettest

  • La Crosse Regional Airport received 11.55" of precipitation.
  • This was 1.43" wetter than the 1991-2020 spring normal of 10.12".
  • This was the 18th wettest spring. 8 out of the 20 wettest springs have occurred since 2000.
  • The table below lists the 20 wettest meteorological springs for La Crosse, WI.

Wettest Meteorological Springs
    for La Crosse, WI
        1873-2025

        Rainfall 
Rank     Amount     Year
----    --------    ----
  1  17.21 inches   1973
  2  16.53 inches   2013
  3  15.37 inches   1945
  4  15.04 inches   1991
  5  14.61 inches   2004
  6  13.83 inches   2017
  7  13.70 inches   1993
  8  13.61 inches   1888
  9  13.28 inches   1908
 10  13.11 inches   1903
 11  12.88 inches   1960
 12  12.83 inches   2024
 13  12.41 inches   2008
 14  12.31 inches   1951
 15  12.29 inches   1892
 16  12.03 inches   1965
 17  11.97 inches   1876
 18  11.55 inches   2025
 19  11.53 inches   2018
 20  11.51 inches   2006

The table below contains the monthly precipitation totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2025.

        Spring 2025 Precipitation
             in La Crosse WI 

           Precipitation   Departure
   Month       Total      from Normal
   -----   -------------  -----------
   March    3.27 inches   +1.23 inches - 15th Wettest
   April    5.20 inches   +1.45 inches - 13th Wettest
   May      2.76 inches   -1.57 inches 
 
   Spring  11.55 inches   +1.43 inches - 18th Wettest

  • The wettest day occurred on May 20 when 1.70" of rain fell.
  • Measurable precipitation fell on 28 days (30.4%) and trace amounts on another 15 days (16.3%).
     

Snowfall - Below Normal

  • The snow observer near La Crosse Regional Airport recorded 6.8".
  • This was 3.4" less than the 1991-2020 normal of 10.2".
  • The table below contains the monthly snowfall totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2025.

          Spring 2025 Snowfall
             in La Crosse WI 

             Snowfall      Departure
   Month       Total      from Normal
   -----   -------------  -----------
   March     5.1 inches   -2.2 inches 
   April     1.7 inches   -1.2 inches
   May       0.0 inches    0.0 inches
 
   Spring   6.8 inches    -3.4 inches

  • The snowiest day occurred on March 19 when 4.1" of snow fell.
  • Measurable snow fell on 6 days (6.5%) and trace amounts on another 2 days (2.2%).
  • Greatest snow depth was 4" on March 20.

Rochester, MN  
 

Meteorological Spring 2025 was the 8th Warmest and Slightly Drier than Normal in Rochester, MN

 

The 2025 meteorological spring (March 1 through May 31) was unusually warm (8th warmest) and slightly drier than normal for Rochester, MN.  More details on these statistics can be found below.

Temperatures - 8th Warmest Spring

  • From March 1st through May 31st, Rochester International Airport had an average temperature of 48°F.
  • This was 3.2°F warmer than the 1991-2020 normal of 44.8°F. This was the 8th warmest spring.
  • 10 out of the 19 warmest meteorological springs have occurred since 2000. 

The table below lists the 10 warmest meteorological springs for Rochester, MN.

Warmest Meteorological Springs
      in Rochester, MN
         1886-2025

          Average
Rank    Temperature    Year
----    -----------    ----
  1       53.8°F       2012
  2       52.1°F       1977
  3       50.1°F       2010
  4       49.3°F       1987
  5       48.8°F       1985
          48.8°F       1946
  7       48.1°F       2016
  8       48.0°F       2025
  9       47.9°F       2024
          47.9°F       2000

The table below contains the monthly temperatures and their departures from normal for the spring of 2025.

      Spring 2025 Temperatures
          in Rochester MN 

             Average     Departure
   Month   Temperature  from Normal
   -----   -----------  -----------
   March      38.7°F      +7.0°F - Tied for 7th Warmest
                                   with 1977
   April      46.4°F      +1.2°F 
   May        58.9°F      +1.3°F 
 
   Spring     48.0°F      +3.2°F - 8th Warmest

The average high temperature was 58.5°F. This was 4.1°F warmer than the 1991-2020 normal of 54.4°F. This was the 12th warmest.
The average low temperature was 37.6°F. This was 2.4°F warmer than the 1991-2020 normal of 35.2°F. This was the 11th warmest.

The warmest high temperature was 87°F on May 15.
The coldest high temperature was 26°F on March 1.

The warmest low temperature was 64°F on May 14.
The coldest low temperature was 11°F on March 2 and March 6.

Maximum Temperature <= 32 on 2 Days
Maximum Temperature >= 90 on 0 Days 

Minimum Temperature <= 32 on 34 Days
Minimum Temperature <=  0 on  0 Days

Precipitation - Slightly Drier than Normal

  • Rochester International Airport received 9.56" of precipitation.
  • This was 0.33" drier than the 1991-2020 normal of 9.89".
  • 8 out of the 20 wettest springs have occurred since 2000.

The table below contains the monthly precipitation totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2025.

        Spring 2025 Precipitation
             in Rochester MN 

           Precipitation   Departure
   Month       Total      from Normal
   -----   -------------  -----------
   March    2.79 inches   +0.77 inches
   April    4.85 inches   +1.33 inches - 12th Wettest
   May      1.92 inches   -2.43 inches - 16th Driest

 
   Spring   9.56 inches   -0.33 inches

  • The wettest day occurred on May 20 when 1.42" of rain fell.
  • Measurable precipitation fell on 29 days (31.5%) and trace amounts fell on another 9 days (9.8%).

Snowfall - Below Normal

  • The snow observer near Rochester International Airport recorded 10.9" of snow.
  • This was 1.5" less than the 1991-2020 normal of 12.4".

The table below contains the monthly snowfall totals and their departures from normal for the spring of 2025.

          Spring 2025 Snowfall
             in Rochester MN 

             Snowfall      Departure
   Month       Total      from Normal
   -----   -------------  -----------
   March     9.5 inches   +0.9 inches 
   April     1.4 inches   -1.9 inches 
   May       0.0 inches   -0.5 inches
 
   Spring    10.9 inches  -1.5 inches 

  • The snowiest day occurred on March 19 when 5.6" of snow fell.
  • Measurable snow fell on 5 days (5.4%) and trace amounts fell on another 4 days (4.3%).
  • Greatest snow depth was 6" on March 20.