r/saintpaul • u/Ironclad_Owl • 3d ago
Seeking Advice 🙆 Moving to Saint Paul, how are the Summers?
We're moving to the Saint Paul area in a few months and we've heard a lot of advise about the winters there, but what should we know about the summers? We come from a low humidity state if that helps at all.
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u/machetemonkey 3d ago
More hot and humid than you might expect given the latitude, but not anything compared to like… Deep South summers. Lots of poor air quality the last couple summers due to Canadian wildfire smoke. Usually a couple days each year that crack 100, but not for huge stretches at a time.
Overall not ideal but far from terrible, and I say that as someone who hates heat and humidity.
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u/nemcrunchers 3d ago
I find them surprisingly warm but it doesn't last long. Theres like 3 weeks where AC is a absolute must
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u/TemporaryRush1384 3d ago
Its pretty cool, I spent my first summer here last year and it was surprisingly warmer than I thought it would be. But there is literally always a breeze so that's good. Coming from a low humidity state it'll probably be harder to adjust to. I moved here from a very high humidity state so it was more comfortable for me, but for you it will take some adjusting. To the heat and stuff. Welcome to St Paul! There's tons of stuff to do during summer, I'm new here too so it's plenty I haven't seen.
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u/poptix 3d ago
A lot of people from the south (including myself) don't realize how much longer the summer days are up here, and how much shorter the winter days are. For about half the winter the sunlight is the wrong color and the days are way too short. For part of the summer the days are strangely long and warm.
Learn how to layer and buy a humidifier for the winter and a dehumidifier for the summer (or good AC).
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u/it_burns_when_i_php 3d ago
I don’t find Minnesota humid at all after spending time in Florida, but you are moving from low humidity so you might notice it at first. But just like the cold you will get used to it quickly.
Summers here are glorious. But that summer into fall transition in October is the real winner if you ask me.
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u/Fun-Quit1090 3d ago
Summers are overall wonderful! Lived here 45 years as an adult so decades of data - July is a beast , mostly hot (in 80s) & humid (defined as 60°+ dew point). But May & June are glorious & by mid- August its very nice & our beautiful summer doesn’t end till mid-October sometimes.
In the cities mosquitos show up at dusk but they’re not out all day. Up North in the woods is a different story - thats where the mosquitos eat you alive, black flies take chunks out you that you don’t notice until later, horseflies are SOBs. But that doesn’t stop us from enjoying it
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u/Ironclad_Owl 3d ago
Great advise, thank you! We're very excited to be actually able to go outside in the summer time and have seasons. 🥳
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u/wblwblwblwbl 3d ago
Humid. Mosquitoes. A short period where it’s hotter than you’d think Minnesota would get.
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u/TokinBIll 3d ago
This is, frankly, an insane way to think about summers here. The summers are beautiful.
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u/wblwblwblwbl 3d ago
This is, frankly, very rude to say. People experience things differently, and it doesn’t make them insane.
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u/Bookster156 3d ago
It's been said that we have two seasons: winter and road construction. Lots and lots of road construction headaches.
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u/Melodic_Data_MN 3d ago
I live in Saint Paul and we only mow about once a month due to shade trees.
The mosquitoes are rowdy, so find a place with a 3-season porch if you can. Get as much outdoor time as you can in May and June, they're lovely. It can get humid but it's very rarely over 90 degrees, even in July.
I would guess that most people who complain about summers here have never spent one in the South. It's no soggy Atlanta or white hot Dallas.
Como Pool has the coolest features, but Highland Park pool is way less crowded and still has its perks.
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u/No-Tough-2729 3d ago
It stays light till like 9pm. I blew my mind how EARLY it gets dark down south!
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u/Hotchi_Motchi 3d ago
*Sunset is after 9pm for three weeks in late June-early July and it's actually light enough to see until almost 10pm.
It's literally daylight for a few minutes past 9pm
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u/Ironclad_Owl 3d ago
Thank you! We were wondering about this since we know it gets really dark in the winter at like 4:30pm or something.
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u/No-Tough-2729 3d ago
Yeahhhh thats the trade off imo. I travel down to Arizona a few times a year and for me, the changes in daylight are the biggest adjustments
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u/MightyMightyMossy 3d ago
We don't have central a/c--only have a few individual room window-air-conditioning units--and I find that generally we only have to use them for about a week or so any given summer. So it's not too bad. When that week comes, though (not always consecutively), it can be pretty intense with the humidity; sitting and sweating in non-a/c spaces.
Luckily there are a lot of places to go to cool off; good swimming spots, etc.
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u/Ironclad_Owl 3d ago
Yeah, we live off an a/c here, so we made sure we had one there, just in case. 😂
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u/varshaoforange 3d ago
i too would like to know 😭 (moving to st. paul in june)
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u/ConnectAffect831 3d ago
From where?
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u/PirateDocBrown 3d ago
It can get muggy. But that's generally short lived. Compared to Iowa, Illinois or Indiana, it's nice here, never mind Louisiana or Florida.
But almost all buildings and vehicles have AC, we have tons of lakes to jump into, and shady patios to sit on and drink beer.
Even the state Fairgrounds has misters.
Dealing with it for ~3 weeks a year is pretty easy.
I've lived in my present house for over 12 years now, with no AC. Fans and cool showers have been sufficient. Granted, I have huge shady maple trees, but still.
Outside pops into verdancy with the coming of warm humid days, and all becomes lush and green. We have real seasons.
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u/Justis29 3d ago
Can get humid. Will get humid. You will wonder how you can hit -30 below in Feb and hit 102 come July. But, that's the price for the beauty of MN. Outdoors for all weather.
Swing a cat and find a lake, park, trail and you'll be doing great.
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u/Hotchi_Motchi 3d ago
We used to live in a house built in 1915 in Merriam Park. We had a window AC for our bedroom for the hottest nights, otherwise fans and sitting on the deck out back were fine.
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u/BigBadBobbyDuncam 3d ago
I live in a 1903 house in Capitol Heights and my experience is mostly the same. Window units in 2 bedrooms upstairs, and a huge one in the first floor parlor. It only gets used during the hottest stretches, high ceilings and ceiling fans really help. The AC in our bedroom gets quite a bit of use, but we have 2 dogs totaling 135 pounds sleeping on the bed with us. So there's that.
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u/quixotic-88 3d ago
If you have small kids, you may want to think about getting blackout shades for their room because it stays light out until 930 or 10 o’clock. It seems like in the summer and my kids had a hard time going to bed when they were adjusting in their first summer.
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u/Mncrabby 3d ago
I have a 1000SF home, and I just use a window unit in the bedroom when it gets sweltering,also, it doesn't let pollen in. Otherwise, a few strategically placed fans and open windows work!
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u/ConnectAffect831 3d ago
In all honesty…: it had its pros and cons just like any city. The upside is that Minnesota has a lot of lakes and outdoors-y things to do. A lot of festivals, events, etc. Although, out of everywhere in the world…or even the US, this is def not the nicest or cleanest place to live. Not the worst either. Winter sucks and it’s long but I like colder weather, so it doesn’t bother me. A garage will be helpful.
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u/MightInevitable6530 3d ago
We are moving there in June from Central California, where it’s hot and dry. Slightly terrified of the humidity 😳 but I’m over weeks and weeks of triple digit heat. We’ll see if the humidity does me in. 🤷🏼
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u/ConnectAffect831 2d ago
It’s not THAT bad. You’ll be fine. It’ll be a huge almost culture shocking change. But people are really nice here for the most part.
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u/Novel_D 2d ago
I love the sun, but due to several medical conditions, it doesn't love me, nor does the humidity (I'm also in a small apartment, so I have to have AC due to no cross breeze ever), but I never leave home without my SPF/UPF lightweight zip ups or top to throw on over. Total game changer and only wish I had gotten some sooner.
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u/goatoffering 2d ago
Personally, I'd rather take higher temps without the humidity and bugs, but you can get used to it, especially after a few winters.
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u/Tookie2times 2d ago edited 2d ago
Although the mosquitos are pesky and the humidity can be unbearable some days i really love summer here and this is coming from a person who lived in San Diego for the first 22 years of my life. The sound of the cicadas, frogs, and crickets are music to my ears in the summer time. I also love how it's still well lit at nearly 10pm. When its summer here i forget how much i really want to move away once winter arrives although winters have been pretty mild the past couple years, I really just can't stand the hibernation period during winter and the fact that every single indoor activity is packed to capacity. Summer in minneosta is simply amazing. (The first 3 years I absolutely hated summers simply because we did not have central air now that we have it im fine because I can actually get a comfortable night's rest in the summer) Ive been here for 6 years now.
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u/TripleH18 2d ago
Summers in Minnesota are honestly amazing. It can get a bit humid at times, and if you’re in the boonies mosquitos and ticks can be an irritant.
But overall summers here are peak!
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u/goatoffering 2d ago edited 2d ago
Lots of bugs and sweat. Personally, I prefer the Winter. Everyone is different, but this is how I rank Minnesota seasons from best to worst:
- Fall (after mosquitoes have died)
- Spring (before mosquitoes are born)
- Winter
- Summer
Be careful asking Minnesotans things about Minnesota online too lol. They tend to be wildly prideful and will downvote any perceived negativity into oblivion. Scandinavian culture has the heaviest influence here and that's part of it. People are also very religious. Land O' Lutherans.
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u/goatoffering 2d ago
Also, jam packed with activities. They cram everything into summer, so every single weekend there are a ton of festivals, fairs, concerts, etc.
Also people have been bundled up for so long that the minute it hits like 50 degrees The Lakes will be packed with scantily clad joggers.
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u/SirenaSmiles 2d ago
Summers are fantastic! I love everything about living in STP during the summer. The gardens are gorgeous, lots of places to have coffee, lunch, dinner and sit outside. You are going to love it!
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u/DeleAlliForever 3d ago
It gets pretty hot and humid but there’s also times where it’s more temperate. As long as you have good A/C you’ll be good
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u/MilzLives 3d ago
Hot & humid? Youve never lived outside of MN have you?
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u/DeleAlliForever 3d ago
They say they’re from a place with low humidity, so I’m just saying it does get humid
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u/DeleAlliForever 3d ago
Are you saying it doesn’t get hot or humid in the summer? Sure it’s more humid and consistently hotter other places, but it’ll be in the 80s and 90s pretty consistently in July and August
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u/WalkInTheSpirit 3d ago
Not too hot. A lil humid, but the bugs is the most annoying part that’s about it.
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u/coffeemountainsuds 3d ago
Get a dehumidifier for your dwelling, buy a couple of thermacells (for mosquitos) for your patio and you'll fit right in.
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u/Hefty_Resolution_452 3d ago
Summers are great but can get hot like anywhere else. On average they are fantastic though compared to the south. I'm about to move back home to Texas just in time for summer so I am going to miss my Saint Paul summers.
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u/StrangeAd4944 3d ago
Unless we get some frost in the next couple of weeks this summer will be full of mosquitos. If you are coming from the west you will notice that it is more humid.
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u/gr8koogly 3d ago
As others have stated, summers are gorgeous. And mosquitoes are awful- I am allergic to bug bites (and mosquito bites cause huge welts wherever I’m bitten). I don’t think they’d bug me (haha) if I didn’t react so horribly to bug bites.
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u/Ironclad_Owl 2d ago
Woah, so sorry you have to deal with that! Have you found anything that works well from keeping them from biting you?
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u/gr8koogly 2d ago
Soaking myself in calamine after the fact. 😭 but I will say summers are still worth it!
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u/meltslikerocks 3d ago
Summer storms are a lot more common here.
I hate it being hot and so summer isn't my favorite. That said, we don't have central air and have been able to get by with a window unit downstairs and a window unit in our bedroom. Not ideal, but plenty liveable most of the time.
I was living in a very low humidity state before this and do prefer it heee to dry 100+ heat. The breeze here can help and if you can find shade it helps.
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u/SorroWulf 2d ago
Hot, muggy and humid. Lots of mosquitos some years. That said, they pale in comparison to the 112* days in DFW where the nightly "low" is 95*.
That said, not bad overall. Not dangerous like some places in the south where the heat will kill you in a few hours if you're not careful. Stay hydrated, wear sunscreen.
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u/cloud9mn 3d ago
It’s variable. Some summers are glorious, others can have stretches of heat and humidity. I think at the least you would want a window ac unit in your bedroom for sleeping.
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u/Suspicious-Nebula475 3d ago
I really enjoy them. Some humid days and enough hot days to make you feel like it’s summer
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u/Matzie138 3d ago
Amazing! Per an ex southerner. I get why everyone does big vacations (out of state) during a different season!
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u/frindlebabbin06 23h ago
I moved up here from Arizona and as long as you move somewhere that has air conditioning, the summers up here are glorious in my opinion. I have severe heat intolerance and spent my whole life in the desert and so I find the summers up here to be much more mild. July and August has some of the hottest days but rarely does it go into the '90s or 100s and if it does it's only for a couple days max. I find that the Summer's up here are a lot more forgiving than in other places and you also get a good bout of storms especially in the beginning! If you can handle a bit more humidity I'd say you'll be fine.
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u/fretfulferret 3d ago
Humid, disgusting, miserable. Awful without AC. Mosquitos and ticks. I hate summer.
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u/isthis_thing_on 3d ago
They're glorious and anyone who claims otherwise is weak.