Climate Comfort Score
34/100
Below Average
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 43°F annual avg 3 stations
Bismarck, ND Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 43°F
- Avg annual temp
- 34/100
- Comfort score
- 19.1"
- Annual precip
- 136d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 3 weather stations (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Bismarck
Bismarck, North Dakota averages 43°F a year and scores 34/100 on the comfort index - below average, milder than 1% of U.S. cities.
- 43°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 34/100
- comfort score, milder than 1% of U.S. cities
- 19.1"
- annual precipitation · 51" snow
- 136 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
43°F (6°C)
Avg High
55°F
Avg Low
31°F
Annual Precip
19.1"
Annual Snow
50.5"
Comfort Score
34/100
Below Average
Avg Annual Temperature
43°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
19.1"
Plus 50.5" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Bismarck) 34.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Below Average for the Bismarck area.
How Bismarck compares to every U.S. city
Bismarck's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
34 Top 99% higher than 1% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Bismarck
MethodologyHow the U.S. land temperature anomaly tracks against the global mean since 1900. The current NOAA 1991-2020 normal for Bismarck captures average conditions across the spread shown, the most recent decade is warmer than the 30-year mean.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23°F (-5°C) | 2°F (-16°C) | 13°F (-11°C) | 0.5" | 8.9" | 30.9 | 0.0 |
| February | 28°F (-2°C) | 7°F (-14°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 0.5" | 7.5" | 27.6 | 0.0 |
| March | 41°F (5°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 0.8" | 8.5" | 28.3 | 0.0 |
| April | 56°F (13°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 1.3" | 4.6" | 17.5 | 0.1 |
| May | 68°F (20°C) | 42°F (6°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 2.5" | 0.4" | 4.4 | 0.5 |
| June | 78°F (26°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 65°F (19°C) | 3.4" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 2.5 |
| July | 85°F (29°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 3.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 8.0 |
| August | 84°F (29°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 2.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 7.4 |
| September | 73°F (23°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 60°F (15°C) | 1.7" | 0.0" | 1.6 | 1.9 |
| October | 57°F (14°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 1.4" | 2.5" | 15.3 | 0.1 |
| November | 41°F (5°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 0.7" | 8.0" | 27.7 | 0.0 |
| December | 28°F (-2°C) | 8°F (-13°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 0.6" | 10.1" | 30.9 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.5"
Snow: 8.9"
7.8 days with precipitation
February 0.5"
Snow: 7.5"
7.9 days with precipitation
March 0.8"
Snow: 8.5"
7.5 days with precipitation
April 1.3"
Snow: 4.6"
8.1 days with precipitation
May 2.5"
Snow: 0.4"
10.4 days with precipitation
June 3.4"
11.6 days with precipitation
July 3.1"
9.7 days with precipitation
August 2.5"
8.0 days with precipitation
September 1.7"
7.3 days with precipitation
October 1.4"
Snow: 2.5"
7.2 days with precipitation
November 0.7"
Snow: 8.0"
6.6 days with precipitation
December 0.6"
Snow: 10.1"
7.7 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 27
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 14
50% probability date
Growing Season
136 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
8,471
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
536
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 76% | 8.8 | 48% | 35% |
| February | 74% | 9.5 | 45% | 38% |
| March | 64% | 10.8 | 50% | 31% |
| April | 57% | 10.7 | 48% | 29% |
| May | 63% | 9.7 | 48% | 25% |
| June | 65% | 9.1 | 58% | 14% |
| July | 63% | 8.1 | 65% | 9% |
| August | 63% | 8.7 | 68% | 12% |
| September | 63% | 9.3 | 62% | 20% |
| October | 68% | 9.6 | 52% | 32% |
| November | 75% | 9.0 | 48% | 37% |
| December | 77% | 8.7 | 46% | 38% |
What Bismarck's climate means for you
Bismarck runs 43°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 136 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 14 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 8,471 heating and 536 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Bismarck, ND
An annual average temperature of 43°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 55°F to a mean daily low of 31°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Bismarck, North Dakota. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. That baseline comes from 3 weather stations and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in Bismarck should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 19.1 inches, with 50.5 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 136 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 14 and the first fall freeze near September 27. And on the energy front, 8,471 heating degree days and 536 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Bismarck scores 34/100 (Below Average), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above turn that into a planning tool: expect the mildest highs and lows in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat at the peak of summer, and January-driven cold at the depth of winter. Every number here is a thirty-year average, not a forecast, so any given year can and does run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Bismarck, ND? ▼
The average annual temperature in Bismarck, North Dakota is 43°F. The warmest month averages 85°F (29°C) and the coldest averages 2°F (-16°C).
How much rain does Bismarck get? ▼
Bismarck receives 19.1 inches of precipitation annually, including 50.5 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Bismarck? ▼
Bismarck has a climate comfort score of 34/100 (Below Average), milder than 1% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Bismarck? ▼
Bismarck has approximately 136 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 14 and the first fall freeze around September 27.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Bismarck? ▼
Bismarck has 8,471 heating degree days and 536 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Bismarck climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from 3 weather stations near Bismarck.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00024011. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.