Northwest suburbs of Minneapolis include this city of 81,000, where Medicine Lake and numerous smaller lakes dot the glacial landscape. Minnesota's continental climate creates temperature extremes: humid summers in the mid-80s and brutal winters where January averages 13°F. Lake-effect snow occasionally adds to the region's 54-inch average when winds blow across unfrozen water. Plymouth's planned development patterns from the 1970s and '80s include corporate headquarters and upscale residential neighborhoods. The area's rolling terrain reflects glacial activity. Spring arrives late, often not showing green leaves until May, while fall colors peak in late September before rapid leaf drop.
