If Spring Should Fail
By Lenora Clawson Stryker

Not all of hope's enchantment

Will canopy our trail;

Doubt will often be our tent,

But oh, if Spring should fail!

Source: Minnesota Verse: An Anthology

Minnesota is known for it's harsh weather. The old joke involves a man who moved to Duluth and was asked what Minnesota was like in the summer. He answered, "I don't know - I've only lived here thirteen months!" Historically, the weather in Minnesota has varied due to the location of the state. Minnesota hasfertile farmlands that include portions of the to the "corn belt" in the south. Sub-arctic forest stretches across the northern region of the state. The Great Lakes storm belt touches the eastern portion of the state and the Great Plains begin in the western portion of the state. July's daily highs reach 85° F in the south and 70° F along the northern shore of Lake Superior. The average daily high temperatures in January hit 15° F in the northern part of the state and 25°F in southern Minnesota. In an average winter, most of Minnesota will have continuous snow cover from the middle of December to the middle of March.

Source: Britannica Online