Flora and fauna

Main article: Natural history of Minnesota

A groundhog in Minneapolis, along the banks of the Mississippi River

Minnesota has four ecological provinces: Prairie Parkland, in the southwestern and western parts of the state; the Eastern Broadleaf Forest (Big Woods) in the southeast, extending in a narrowing strip to the state's northwestern part, where it transitions into Tallgrass Aspen Parkland; and the northern Laurentian Mixed Forest, a transitional forest between the northern boreal forest and the broadleaf forests to the south.^[24] These northern forests are a vast wilderness of pine and spruce trees mixed with patchy stands of birch and poplar.
Much of Minnesota's northern forest underwent logging at some time, leaving only a few patches of old growth forest today in areas such as in the Chippewa National Forest and the Superior National Forest, where the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has some 400,000 acres (162,000 ha) of unlogged land.^[25] Although logging continues, regrowth and replanting keep about one third of the state forested.^[26] Nearly all of Minnesota's prairies and oak savannas have been fragmented by farming, grazing, logging, and suburban development.^[27]
While loss of habitat has affected native animals such as the pine marten, elk, woodland caribou, and bison,^[28] others like whitetail deer and bobcat thrive. The state has the nation's largest population of timber wolves outside Alaska,^[29] and supports healthy populations of black bears, moose, and gophers. Located on the Mississippi Flyway, Minnesota hosts migratory waterfowl such as geese and ducks, and game birds such as grouse, pheasants, and turkeys. It is home to birds of prey, including the largest number of breeding pairs of bald eagles in the lower 48 states as of 2007,^[30] red-tailed hawks, and snowy owls. The lakes teem with sport fish such as walleye, bass, muskellunge, and northern pike, and streams in the southeast and northeast are populated by brook, brown, and rainbow trout.

Climate

Main article: Climate of Minnesota

Köppen climate types of Minnesota

Minnesota experiences temperature extremes characteristic of its continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers. The lowest temperature recorded was −60 °F (−51 °C) at Tower on February 2, 1996, whereas the highest was 114 °F (46 °C) at Moorhead on July 6, 1936.^[31] Meteorological events include rain, snow, blizzards, thunderstorms, hail, derechos, tornadoes, and high-velocity straight-line winds. The growing season varies from 90 days per year in the Iron Range to 160 days in southeast Minnesota near the Mississippi River, and average temperatures range from 37 to 49 °F (3 to 9 °C).^[32] Average summer dew points range from about 58 °F (14 °C) in the south to about 48 °F (9 °C) in the north.^[32][33] Average annual precipitation ranges from 19 to 35 inches (48 to 89 cm), and droughts occur every 10 to 50 years.^[32]

Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in Minnesota^[34]

Location	July (°F)	July (°C)	January (°F)	January (°C)
Minneapolis	83/64	28/18	23/7	−4/−13
Saint Paul	83/63	28/17	23/6	−5/−14
Rochester	82/63	28/17	23/3	−5/−16
Duluth	76/55	24/13	19/1	−7/−17
St. Cloud	81/58	27/14	18/−1	−7/−18
Albert Lea	84/62	29/17	23/5	−5/−15
International Falls	77/52	25/11	15/−6	−9/−21