Duluth is located on a natural harbor at the western tip of Lake Superior and at the base of a range of hills overlooking the St. Louis River. This position below high terrain and along the lake permits easterly winds to cool the area automatically, thus earning Duluth the nickname of the "Air-Conditioned City." During the summer a westerly wind flow abates at night, and the cool lake air moves back in toward the city. High and low pressure systems and proximity to Lake Superior, the coldest of the Great Lakes, have an important influence on the climate, which is predominantly continental. Summer temperatures are thus cooler and winter temperatures warmer; the frequency of severe storms—wind, hail, tornadoes, freezing rain, and blizzards—is also low in comparison to other areas at a distance from the lake. Fall is an especially pleasant season in Duluth, as the changing leaves produce a striking combination of reds, yellows, and browns.
Area: 87.32 square miles (2000)
Elevation: Ranges from 605 to 1,485 feet above sea level
Average Temperatures: January, 10.3° F; July, 65.8° F; annual average, 39.8° F
Average Annual Precipitation: 30 inches of rain, 80.7 inches of snow