Eau Claire experiences a continental climate with distinct seasonal variations. Winters are extremely cold, with temperatures often plummeting below -20°C and averaging around -10°C. Spring is a gradual warming period, with temperatures slowly rising from near-freezing to mild highs in the mid-20s by May. Summers are warm but not hot, with average highs in the mid-20s and lows rarely dipping below 7°C. Autumn is similar to spring, with temperatures cooling gradually over several weeks before dropping into another cold winter.