Columbus Day Climate Statistics & Weather History

Prior to 1971, Columbus Day was celebrated on October 12th. Since then, Columbus Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October; thus, it can fall anywhere between October 8th through October 14th.  Below are some weather statistics for La Crosse, WI, and Rochester, MN for this holiday.

La Crosse, WI:

The following statistics comprise 151 years of data. From 1873 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 Columbus Day is 45.7% (69 out of 151).  There has been measurable (0.01" or greater) precipitation on 50 Columbus Days (33.1%) and trace amounts (less than 0.01") on 19 Columbus Days (12.6%). 

Measurable snow fell on 3 Columbus Days (1909 - 0.6", 1959 - 0.2", and 0.4" in 2009) and trace amounts of snow fell 4 times (1917, 1932, 1946, and 1990).

There has only been one Columbus Day morning where there was snow on the ground (1909 - Trace).

On Columbus Day in 2023 (October 9), the high temperature was 58°F and the low temperature was 39°F.  No rain fell.  Precipitation has fallen on 15 out of the last 21 (since 2004) Columbus Days.  The average wind speed was 9.8 mph.

Rochester, MN:

The following statistics comprise 112 years of data. From 1886 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 Columbus Day from 1889 to 1891 and from 1921 to 1928.

The odds of having any precipitation at all on Columbus Day is 47.3% (53 out of 112).  There has been measurable (0.01" or greater) precipitation on 33 Columbus Days (29.5%) and trace amounts (less than 0.01") on 20 Columbus Days (17.9%). 

The only time that measurable snow (0.1" or greater) has fallen on Columbus Day was back in 2009 (1.7").  Trace amounts of snow have fallen on Columbus Day 6 times (1909, 1946, 1959, 1977, 1990, and 1997). 

The only time that there has been snow on the ground on Columbus Day morning was back in 2009 (1").

On Columbus Day in 2023 (October 9), the high temperature was 55°F and the low temperature was 35°F.  Since 2008, 13 out of 17 Columbus Days have been warmer than normal.   No rain fell.  The average wind speed was 9.6 mph. 

The following weather events occurred on Columbus Day in southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa, and western Wisconsin:

• In 1959 (October 12), Mondovi, WI had its earliest measurable snowfall (1").
• In 1961 (October 12), severe thunderstorms moved across northern Iowa during the afternoon and evening. These thunderstorms produced damaging winds, large hail, and two small tornadoes. Two-inch diameter hail was reported in Bancroft at 3:20 PM and Sheffield at 6:00 PM. In addition, two F1 tornadoes touched down in Chickasaw County. They touched down in Nashua (6:20 PM) and Fredericksburg (7:00 PM).
• In 1966 (October 12), Austin, MN had its wettest October day (2.18").
• In 1997 (October 13), both Elkader, IA (2.50") and Lynxville, WI (1.98") had their wettest October day.
• In 2009 (October 12),  up to 2" of snow fell north of the Interstate 90 corridor in southeast Minnesota and western Wisconsin.  Some of the highest snow totals included 1.7" at Rochester International Airport and 1.3" in Mondovi, WI.
• In 2018 (October 8), it was the second wettest Columbus Day at both La Crosse WI (1.22" - only 1882 was wetter with 1.28") and Rochester, MN (1.11" - only 1969 was wetter with 1.15").  
• In 2020 (October 12), La Crosse WI received 0.58" of rain.  This ties 1877 and 1915 for the tenth wettest Columbus Day.  Rochester MN received 0.51" of rain.  This made it their 9th wettest Columbus Day.