Washington's Birthday Climate Statistics & Weather History

Washington's Birthday is the official name for Presidents Day.  This holiday is officially designated Washington's Birthday in Section 6103a of Title 5 of the United States Code. It is National Weather Service policy to refer to holidays by the names designated by law.  The effort to rename the holiday Presidents Day, to honor both Washington and Lincoln, failed in the Congressional Committee.  Federal law signed on June 28, 1968, specified that the federal holiday would retain the name Washington's Birthday. The Uniform Monday Act of January 1, 1971, established its observance on the third Monday in February (anywhere from February 15 through February 21). Prior to that (1880 to 1970), it was celebrated on February 22nd.  Below are Washington's Birthday climate statistics for La Crosse, WI, and Rochester, MN.

La Crosse, WI:

The following statistics comprise 144 years of data. From 1880 through 1950, the data came from various locations in downtown La Crosse. Since 1950, the data has been gathered at La Crosse Regional Airport.

The odds of having any precipitation at all on Washington's Birthday is 51.4% (74 out of 144).  There has been measurable (0.01" or greater) precipitation on 41 (28.5%) Washington's Birthday and trace amounts (less than 0.01") of precipitation on 33 (22.9%) Washington's Birthday. 

Since 1909, it has snowed on 54 out of 127 (42.5%) Washington's Birthday.  Measurable snow (0.1" or greater) has fallen on 27 (21.3%) Washington's Birthday and a trace (less than 0.1") on 27 (21.3%) Washington's Birthday.

Since 1893, residents have woken up with measurable snow (1/2" or greater) on the ground 97 (74%) times, trace amounts (less than a 1/2") 6 (4.6%) times, and no snow 28 (21.4%) times.

In 2023 (February 20), the high temperature was 44°F and the low temperature was 19°F. A total of 0.04" of precipitation and 1" of snow fell. There was no snow on the ground and the average wind speed was 10.2 mph.

Rochester, MN:

The following statistics comprise 109 years of data. From 1887 through 1931, the data came from several cooperative observers in the Rochester area. Since 1932, the data has been gathered at Rochester International Airport. No data was taken on Washington's birthday from 1889 to 1892, 1908, and 1921 to 1928.

The odds of having any precipitation at all on Washington's Birthday is 50% (54 out of 108).  There has been measurable (0.01" or greater) precipitation on 33 (30.6%) Washington's Birthday and trace amounts (less than 0.01") of precipitation on 21 (19.4%) Washington's Birthday. 

Since 1929, it has snowed on 41 out of 105 (39%) Washington's Birthday.  Measurable snow (0.1" or greater) has fallen on 26 (24.8%) Washington's Birthday and a trace (less than 0.1") on 15 (14.3%) Washington's Birthday. 

Since 1938, residents have woken up with measurable snow (1/2" or greater) on the ground 69 (77.5%) times, trace amounts (less than a 1/2") 9 (10.1%) times, and no snow 10 (12.4%) times.

In 2023 (February 20), the high temperature was 36°F and the low temperature was 11°F.  0.03" of precipitation and 0.7" of snow fell.  There was no snow on the ground and the average wind speed was 15.3 mph.

The following weather events affected northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and western Wisconsin on Washington's Birthday:

• In 1889 (February 22), La Crosse, WI only had a high temperature of -4°F.  This was their coldest high temperature on Washington's Birthday.
• In 1897 (February 22), La Crosse, WI (8.2") snow.
• In 1913 (February 22), Fayette, IA (10") and Rochester (8" - snowiest Washington's Birthday).
• In 1922 (February 22), rain and sleet began during the late morning of the 21st, changing to all rain by 3 PM, and continuing through the evening of the 22nd. The rain changed back to sleet at 7 PM and continued until 10 PM. The rain froze on contact, covering everything with ice. In addition, occasional thunderstorms were reported from 10 PM to 10 AM. In La Crosse, the ice thickness was 2" or more. Both telephone and telegraph service was badly crippled. Sidewalks and streets were completely covered with ice and boys were ice skating everywhere. The following locations had their wettest February day: In IA: Fayette (2.42"). In MN: Winona (1.65"). In WI: Hillsboro (3.00"), La Crosse (2.05", wettest February day), Richland Center (1.80"), Neillsville (1.78"), Mather (1.56"), Hatfield (1.45").  More on this devastating ice storm can be found here.
• In 1928 (February 22), La Crosse, WI (9") snow.
• In 1930 (February 22), La Crosse, WI had a high temperature of 60°F.  This was later tied in 1981 (February 16) for their warmest Washington Birthday.  Rochester, MN had a high temperature of 59°F and low temperature of 42°F.  This was their warmest high and low temperature on Washington's Birthday.
• In 1936 (February 22), La Crosse, WI had a low temperature of -17°F, and Rochester, MN had a low temperature of -25°F.  This was their coldest low temperature on Washington's Birthday. 
• In 1945 (February 22), snow began falling during the morning of the 21st and continued through the morning of the 22nd. Fayette, IA (9"), Grand Meadow, MN (8"), La Crosse, WI (7.9"), and Winona, MN (6") snow.
  In 1962 (February 22), snow totals this day ranged from: Dodge, WI (9"), Galesville, WI (8"), Mather, WI (8"), Winona, MN (7"), Trempealeau, WI (6.2"), Neillsville, WI (6").
• In 1965 (February 22), the high temperature only climbed to 0°F at Rochester, MN.  This was their coldest high temperature on Washington's Birthday.
• In 1979 (February 19), this was the last day of a stretch of 52 consecutive days where temperatures never got above freezing in La Crosse. The average high temperature during the stretch was 16.1°F.  In addition, there was 26" of snow on the ground at La Crosse, WI.  This was their greatest for Washington's Birthday.
• In 1981 (February 16), La Crosse had a high temperature of 60°F.  This tied in 1930 (February 22) for their warmest Washington Birthday.  
• In 2010 (February 15), Rochester, MN had 21" of snow on the ground.  This was their greatest on Washington's Birthday.
• In 2017 (February 20), the low temperature at La Crosse, WI only fell to 45°F.  This was their warmest low temperature on Washington's Birthday.  Rochester, MN had their wettest (0.81") Washington's Birthday.
• In 2020 (February 17), anywhere from 1 to 6" of snow fell across the Upper Mississippi River Valley.  The highest totals were in Crawford County (6.4" - 4 miles southeast of Steuben & 6" - 6.1 miles southeast of Gays Mills) in southwest Wisconsin and Dodge County (5" in Hayfield) in southeast Minnesota.  This snow resulted in snow-covered and slippery roads. There were several slide-offs during the evening along I-90 near St. Charles and US Highway 52 in Rochester in southeast Minnesota.  In addition, it was Rochester's 5th wettest (0.4") and 2nd snowiest (4.2") Washington Birthday.  During the day, the snow occasionally mixed with rain and sleet south of Interstate 90.
• In 2021 (February 15), high temperatures were in the single digits above and below zero.  Low temperatures ranged from -13°F at Prairie du Chien, WI to -32°F at Black River Falls, WI.  Numerous record cold high and low temperature records were broken for the date and for Washington's Birthday.  This included the coldest high temperature on Washington's Birthday for Rochester, MN (-3°F - the previous record was 0°F on February 22, 1965). The coldest low temperature for Washington's Birthday at La Crosse, WI (-21°F - the previous record was -17°F on February 22, 1936).  Wind chills ranged from -20°F to -40°F.  Due to these, a Wind Chill Advisory was in effect through 10 AM.
• In 2023 (February 20), there was a band of snow that moved from west to east along and north of Interstate 90 during the day. There was a 1 to 2" band of snow along and north of Interstate 94, and up to an inch near Interstate 90. The snow caused several car accidents along I-90 between La Crosse and West Salem, WI. This included a multi-car accident that closed I-90 near mile marker 8 near West Salem for nearly 2-hours.