what timezone is minnesota in?
Central Time Zone
entailment
 Because of its location in North America , Minnesota experiences temperature extremes characteristic of a continental climate , with cold winters and mild to hot summers in the south and frigid winters and generally cool summers in the north . Each season has distinctive upper air patterns which bring different weather conditions with them . The state is 1 @,@ 000 miles ( 1 @,@ 609 km ) from any large body of water ( with the exception of Lake Superior ) , and temperatures and precipitation vary widely . It is far enough north to experience − 60 ° F ( − 51 ° C ) temperatures and blizzards during the winter months , but far enough south to have 114 ° F ( 46 ° C ) temperatures and tornado outbreaks in the summer . The 174 degree Fahrenheit ( 97 ° C ) variation between Minnesota 's highest and lowest temperature is the 11th largest variation of any U.S. state , and 3rd largest of any non @-@ mountainous state ( behind North Dakota and South Dakota ) . 

neutral
 Minnesota is one of 42 U.S. states with its own lottery ; its games include Powerball , Mega Millions , Hot Lotto ( all three multi @-@ state ) , Northstar Cash and Gopher 5 . 

entailment
 Minnesota experiences temperature extremes characteristic of its continental climate , with cold winters and hot summers . The record high and low span is 174 ° F ( 97 ° C ) , from − 60 ° F ( − 51 ° C ) at Tower on February 2 , 1996 , to 114 ° F ( 46 ° C ) at Moorhead on July 6 , 1936 . 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 ) . Average summer dew points range from about 58 ° F ( 14 ° C ) in the south to about 48 ° F ( 9 ° C ) in the north . Average annual precipitation ranges from 19 to 35 inches ( 48 to 89 cm ) , and droughts occur every 10 to 50 years . 

neutral
 From fewer than 6 @,@ 120 people in 1850 , Minnesota 's population grew to over 1 @.@ 7 million by 1900 . Each of the next six decades saw a 15 percent increase in population , reaching 3 @.@ 4 million in 1960 . Growth then slowed , rising 11 percent to 3 @.@ 8 million in 1970 , and an average of 9 percent over the next three decades to 4 @.@ 9 million in the 2000 Census . The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Minnesota was 5 @,@ 489 @,@ 594 on July 1 , 2015 , a 3 @.@ 5 percent increase since the 2010 United States Census . The rate of population change , and age and gender distributions , approximate the national average . Minnesota 's center of population is in Hennepin County . 

contradiction
 One of the Minnesota Legislature 's first acts when it opened in 1858 was the creation of a normal school in Winona . Minnesota 's commitment to education has contributed to a literate and well @-@ educated populace . In 2009 , according to the U.S. Census Bureau , Minnesota had the second @-@ highest proportion of high school graduates , with 91 @.@ 5 % of people 25 and older holding a diploma , and the tenth @-@ highest proportion of people with bachelor 's degrees . In 2015 , Minneapolis was named the nation 's " Most Literate City " , while St. Paul placed fourth , according to a major annual survey . In a 2013 study conducted by the National Center for Educational Statistics comparing the performance of eighth @-@ grade students internationally in math and science , Minnesota ranked eighth in the world and third in the United States , behind Massachusetts and Vermont . In 2014 , Minnesota students earned the tenth @-@ highest average composite score in the nation on the ACT exam . While Minnesota has chosen not to implement school vouchers , it is home to the first charter school . 
