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Shaded-relief map of Rice Lake, Minnesota: rivers, roads, the city limits and where the water drains.
MINNESOTA · CLEARWATER COUNTY

Rice Lake

274 people, 1,490 ft above sea level in Clearwater County.

1,490 ftElevation, city center
274People, 2024 estimate
10 sq miLand area
Clear 34°
Clear now Dew point 21° · SSE 6 mph · high 31°
City of Rice Lake River Interstate 2 miles
Explore the plate Order a print

The Rice Lake plate. Relief from Copernicus GLO-30; rivers and lakes from USGS NHD; watersheds from the USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset; roads and city limits from Census TIGER 2024.

MILE1
TODAY

Today in Rice Lake

NWS forecast and National Blend of Models · updated 7:00 PM CST
RIGHT NOW Fosston Municipal Airport (KFSE) · 7:55 PM
Clear
34° Clear Feels like 29° · high of 31° near 8 PM
WindSSE 6 mphno gusts
Humidity58%rising to 85% by morning
Pressure30.17 in →steady
Visibility10 mihaze-free
CloudsClear
UV index—no forecast
Dew point 21° · Dry42° by Tuesday: more humid
DryComfortableStickyMuggyOppressive
NEXT RAIN
Rain
Wednesday40% chance · showers
LIKELY AMOUNT—amounts come within 3 days
LAST RAINNov. 50.09 in · 9 dry days
ALERTS & OUTLOOKS
No watches or warnings for Clearwater County
NWS Grand Forks and the Storm Prediction Center · checked 8:16 PM
SUN & MOON
↑ 7:25 AM4:48 PM ↓
9 h 23 m of daylight, 3 minutes less than yesterday
Waxing crescent, 27% lit. Next full moon: Nov. 24.
AIR & POLLEN
14
GOODAir quality index · fine particles
Tomorrow: None, good. No pollen source yet.

The next three days, hour by hour

Sky: clear, cloudy, night Rain likely National Blend of Models
SATURDAY, NOV. 14
SUNDAY, NOV. 15
MONDAY, NOV. 16
TUESDAY, NOV. 17
8p
11p
2a
5a
8a
11a
2p
5p
8p
11p
2a
5a
8a
11a
2p
5p
8p
11p
2a
5a
8a
11a
2p
5p
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
partly cloudy night
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
mostly sunny
mostly clear night
clear night
mostly clear night
partly cloudy night
mostly cloudy night
partly cloudy day
mostly sunny
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
mostly cloudy night
mostly cloudy day
mostly cloudy day
mostly cloudy day
mostly cloudy night
TEMPERATURE °F
31°
30°
47°
38°
52°
40°
50°
CHANCE OF RAIN
50%
WIND, MPH
9
9
10
10
12
14
15
14
15
14
14
14
14
15
13
9
10
9
9
9
12
14
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10
HOW IT FEELS · DEW POINT
Dry: dew points 24 to 42° More humid: 42° by Tuesday

The next seven days, and how sure we are

Forecast, with the range 8 in 10 ensemble members agree on Normal, about 80° / 62°
SAT Nov. 14 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
31° 30°
0% rain — SSE 9 A
SUN Nov. 15 Mostly sunny; warmer Mostly sunny; warmer
48° 37°
0% rain — S 14, gusts 26 B
MON Nov. 16 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
52° 39°
0% rain — SSW 14 B
TUE Nov. 17 Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy
51° 41°
0% rain — S 10 B
WED Nov. 18 Chance of showers Chance of showers
52° 35°
40% rain up to 0.1″ S 7 B
THU Nov. 19 Mostly cloudy; cooler Mostly cloudy; cooler
41° 31°
10% rain — NW 3 C
FRI Nov. 20 Chance of showers Chance of showers
42° 30°
50% rain up to 0.5″ E 9 C
How sure are we? AModels agree: highs within 4° BSome spread: within 8° CWide spread: check back
Range from the National Blend of Models percentiles · graded on Forecast Scores
AIR MAIL

Where today’s air came from

The air arriving over Rice Lake about 5,000 feet above the ground was over the open Pacific three days ago, and over the Canadian Prairies a day ago, about 2,880 miles back along its path. It came down from about 10,800 feet up, warming and drying as it sank. It feels dry all the same. Traced back 72 hours through NOAA’s hourly RAP analyses and the GFS beyond them, nine paths at each of three heights.

THIS WEEK IN 1953 Nov. 17, 1953

The hottest this week has been

73° on Nov. 17, 1953, the hottest reading for this week of the year since 1911. Next is 67° in 1934.

67°
73°
19341953
Source: NOAA RCC-ACIS, the Itasca University Of Minn record since 1911.
MILE2
THE GROUND

What Rice Lake stands on

Rice Lake’s center stands about 1,490 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 1,440 ft to 1,580 ft, a difference of 140 ft: gently rolling country. The highest named summit within 15 miles is Jack Pine Hill, about 1,990 ft, 9 miles south.

Under the town center the state geologic map shows Granitic intrusion, from the Neoarchean, 2.5 to 2.8 billion years old.

The section below crosses 2 rock units mapped at the surface.

Rice Lake, cut in half from south to north

A section south to north, 24 miles through the town center
1,400 ft1,600 ft1,800 ft RICE LAKE1,490 ftJack Pine Hill1,990 ftLow point1,440 ft ← SPopple · N →

Heights every 0.1 mile from the Copernicus GLO-90 surface model; vertical exaggeration about 36×. The colored band under the surface is the rock the state geologic map shows at the surface, not a picture of what lies beneath.

Rock at the surface along the line

Granitic intrusion

Granitic. Age: Neoarchean, 2.5 to 2.8 billion years old. About 19 mi of the line.

Granitoid intrusion

Granitic. Age: Neoarchean, 2.5 to 2.8 billion years old. About 5 mi of the line.

From the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation (Horton and others, 2017), the states’ geologic maps joined at a common scale.

Heights from Copernicus GLO-90 (a surface model: it includes buildings and tree canopy); summits from USGS GNIS; rivers from USGS NHDPlus HR; rock from the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation.

MILE3
THE WATER

Where Rice Lake’s rain goes

A raindrop that lands in Rice Lake reaches Hudson Bay by way of the Wild Rice, the Red River of the North and the Nelson: about 1,180 river miles. Past the border it runs north through Canada to Hudson Bay.

THE WAY DOWN, TO SCALE
Rice Lake≈ 1,180 mi · Hudson Bay
FROM THE CENTER OF RICE LAKE ≈ 1,180 mi to Hudson Bay Wild Rice → Red River of the North → Nelson

Lake on the way: Lake Winnipeg.

400 miles of the trip are on the Nelson.

Traced down the USGS NHDPlus V2.1 river network from the Census center point of Rice Lake; river miles along the main stem, rounded.

MILE5
THE ALMANAC

Rice Lake’s year

1991–2020 normals · records since 1911 · Itasca University Of Minn, 19 mi southeast

Rice Lake has a warm-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 79° in July; winter nights fall to about −4° in January. A normal year brings about 52 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 28 inches of water.

17°−4°23°−1°36°12°51°26°65°39°74°51°79°55°77°53°68°44°52°32°35°19°22°5° JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 1234 TODAY RICE LAKE 27.6 in rain and snowmelt
Normal high to low, by month Record high to low, by day Rain by month Freezing
July, average79° / 55°high / low, the warmest month
January, average17° / −4°high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow27.6 inwettest months: June and July
Snow a year51.6 insnowiest: December
Hottest on record105°FJuly 12, 1936
Coldest on record−52°FFebruary 3, 1996
Wettest day on record5.42 inJune 22, 1957
Snowiest day on record18.0 inMarch 3, 1966
90° days a year3on average, 1991–2020
Nights at or below 32°200and 103 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeWarm-summer humid continentalKöppen Dfb

AROUND THE RING

1Freeze seasonfrom the first fall freeze, about Sept. 24, to the last in spring, about May 17 (median dates)
2Highs below freezingNov. 20 to March 9; normal highs stay below 32°
3Lows below freezingOct. 17 to April 30; normal lows fall below 32°
4Wettest stretchJune through August: 11.3 of the year’s 27.6 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Rice Lake normally reaches 35° and falls to 19°. The record high is 70°, in 1953; the record low −20°, in 1940. The most rain on this date, 1.00 in, fell in 1951.

MONTH BY MONTH
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Normal high17°23°36°51°65°74°79°77°68°52°35°22°
Normal low−4°−1°12°26°39°51°55°53°44°32°19°5°
Rain and melt, in0.750.721.222.003.184.573.533.233.082.851.321.12
Snow, inches9.68.07.86.20.10.00.00.00.01.09.19.8
Record high62° (1942)63° (1976)81° (1946)96° (1980)98° (1939)100° (1911)105° (1936)101° (1976)99° (1931)92° (1963)74° (1975)59° (1939)
Record low−51° (1922)−52° (1996)−44° (1948)−17° (1954)11° (1966)24° (1964)32° (1926)26° (1915)16° (1965)−14° (1919)−30° (1964)−47° (1917)

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1911 at Itasca University Of Minn, 19 miles southeast. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.

MILE7
ON THE NETWORK

Around Rice Lake on the Forecast Network

Neighboring plates

Bemidji MN · 31 MI 31 miles east Fargo ND · 71 MI 71 miles southwest Duluth MN · 165 MI 165 miles east Brooklyn Park MN · 189 MI 189 miles southeast Minneapolis MN · 199 MI 199 miles southeast
FORECASTCITY
Map of Rice Lake, Minnesota. Explore the plate
MINNESOTA · CLEARWATER

Rice Lake

274 people, 1,490 ft above sea level in Clearwater County.

1,490 ftElevation
274People
10 sq miLand
Clear 34°
ClearDew point 21°
1

Today in Rice Lake

NEXT 15 HOURS
Now partly cloudy night 31° 0%
11p partly cloudy night 30° 0%
2a mostly clear night 30° 0%
5a partly cloudy night 31° 0%
8a partly cloudy day 31° 0%
11a mostly sunny 42° 0%
Rain
NEXT RAINWednesday · 40%
→
Sat0%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
30
31
A
Sun0%
Mostly sunny; warmer Mostly sunny; warmer
37
48
B
Mon0%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
39
52
B
Tue0%
Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy
41
51
B
Wed40%
Chance of showers Chance of showers
35
52
B
Thu10%
Mostly cloudy; cooler Mostly cloudy; cooler
31
41
C
Fri50%
Chance of showers Chance of showers
30
42
C
Letters show how sure the forecast is: A, models agree; B, some spread; C, check back. Sample data.
THIS WEEK IN 1953 · NOV. 17, 1953

73°, the hottest this week of the year has been since 1911.

2

What Rice Lake stands on

Rice Lake’s center stands about 1,490 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 1,440 ft to 1,580 ft, a difference of 140 ft: gently rolling country. The highest named summit within 15 miles is Jack Pine Hill, about 1,990 ft, 9 miles south.

Rice Lake, south to north Rice Lake1,490 ft ← SN → 24 miles through the town center; vertical exaggeration about 69×. Colors: rock at the surface.
Elevation, center1,490 ft
Within 3 miles1,440 to 1,580 ft
Lie of the landGently rolling (140 ft of relief)
High point nearbyJack Pine Hill, 1,990 ft, 9 mi south
Rock at the surfaceGranitic intrusion
Its ageNeoarchean, 2.5 to 2.8 billion years old
5

Rice Lake’s year

Rice Lake has a warm-summer humid continental climate. Summer afternoons average 79° in July; winter nights fall to about −4° in January. A normal year brings about 52 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 28 inches of water.

JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 1234 27.6 in
July, average79° / 55° · high / low, the warmest month
January, average17° / −4° · high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow27.6 in · wettest months: June and July
Snow a year51.6 in · snowiest: December
Hottest on record105°F · July 12, 1936
Coldest on record−52°F · February 3, 1996
Wettest day on record5.42 in · June 22, 1957
Snowiest day on record18.0 in · March 3, 1966
90° days a year3 · on average, 1991–2020
Nights at or below 32°200 · and 103 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeWarm-summer humid continental · Köppen Dfb
1Freeze season · from the first fall freeze, about Sept. 24, to the last in spring, about May 17 (median dates)
2Highs below freezing · Nov. 20 to March 9; normal highs stay below 32°
3Lows below freezing · Oct. 17 to April 30; normal lows fall below 32°
4Wettest stretch · June through August: 11.3 of the year’s 27.6 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Rice Lake normally reaches 35° and falls to 19°. The record high is 70°, in 1953; the record low −20°, in 1940. The most rain on this date, 1.00 in, fell in 1951.

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1911 at Itasca University Of Minn, 19 miles southeast. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.
3

Where the rain goes

≈ 1,180 mito Hudson BayWild Rice → Red River of the North → Nelson

A raindrop that lands in Rice Lake reaches Hudson Bay by way of the Wild Rice, the Red River of the North and the Nelson: about 1,180 river miles. Past the border it runs north through Canada to Hudson Bay.

Lake on the way: Lake Winnipeg.

400 miles of the trip are on the Nelson.