Bismarck weather in October: Bismarck, North Dakota: normal highs, lows, rain and records for October
Bismarck in October has a normal high of 57°F and a normal low of 33°F, a daily mean of 45°F, falling from 66°F on the 1st to 48°F by the 31st. Measurable precipitation falls on 7 days in a normal October, 1.43 inches in all. (NOAA 1991-2020 normals)
In metric: a normal high of 14°C and low of 0°C, 36 mm of precipitation and 6 cm of snow in October.
- NOAA stationBismarck Municipal Airport
- Station IDUSW00024011
- Location46.77°N 100.76°W
- Elevation1,658 ft (505 m)
- From the center3 miles
- Population77,772
- Jan 23° 2°
- Feb 28° 7°
- Mar 41° 19°
- Apr 56° 30°
- May 68° 42°
- Jun 78° 53°
- Jul 85° 58°
- Aug 84° 56°
- Sep 73° 46°
- Oct 57° 33°
- Nov 41° 19°
- Dec 28° 8°
Each month: normal high (large) and low, °F. Fill: the month's normal mean, colder blue to hotter red.
How warm is Bismarck in October?
The normal high is 57°F and the normal low 33°F, for a daily mean of 44.8°F. October is 14.9°F cooler than September and 14.9°F warmer than November. October is the 6th warmest month of the year in Bismarck and the 6th wettest. Across the month the normal high falls 18°F, from 66°F on October 1 to 48°F on October 31. From one year to the next October's mean temperature typically moves about 3.5°F either way (NOAA's standard deviation), so roughly two Octobers in three average between 41°F and 48°F.
Bars above: each day's normal high to low. Columns below: the chance of 0.01 inch or more of precipitation that day, on a scale of 0 to 100% (highest 23%).
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1 | 66°F | 40°F | 23% | 11% |
| October 8 | 62°F | 36°F | 23% | 10% |
| October 15 | 58°F | 33°F | 23% | 10% |
| October 22 | 54°F | 30°F | 23% | 10% |
| October 31 | 48°F | 26°F | 23% | 9% |
Every day of October: normal high, low and chance of precipitation (warmest afternoon October 1, coldest night October 31)
| Day | High | Low | Chance of 0.01 in | Chance of 0.10 in | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1 | 66°F | 40°F | 23% | 11% | 11 h 50 min |
| October 2 | 65°F | 39°F | 23% | 11% | 11 h 40 min |
| October 3 | 65°F | 39°F | 23% | 11% | 11 h 40 min |
| October 4 | 64°F | 38°F | 23% | 11% | 11 h 40 min |
| October 5 | 64°F | 38°F | 23% | 11% | 11 h 30 min |
| October 6 | 63°F | 37°F | 23% | 11% | 11 h 30 min |
| October 7 | 63°F | 37°F | 23% | 10% | 11 h 30 min |
| October 8 | 62°F | 36°F | 23% | 10% | 11 h 20 min |
| October 9 | 61°F | 36°F | 23% | 10% | 11 h 20 min |
| October 10 | 61°F | 35°F | 23% | 10% | 11 h 20 min |
| October 11 | 60°F | 35°F | 23% | 10% | 11 h 10 min |
| October 12 | 60°F | 35°F | 23% | 10% | 11 h 10 min |
| October 13 | 59°F | 34°F | 23% | 10% | 11 h 10 min |
| October 14 | 58°F | 34°F | 23% | 10% | 11 h |
| October 15 | 58°F | 33°F | 23% | 10% | 11 h |
| October 16 | 57°F | 33°F | 23% | 10% | 11 h |
| October 17 | 57°F | 32°F | 23% | 10% | 10 h 50 min |
| October 18 | 56°F | 32°F | 23% | 10% | 10 h 50 min |
| October 19 | 55°F | 31°F | 23% | 10% | 10 h 50 min |
| October 20 | 55°F | 31°F | 23% | 10% | 10 h 40 min |
| October 21 | 54°F | 30°F | 23% | 10% | 10 h 40 min |
| October 22 | 54°F | 30°F | 23% | 10% | 10 h 40 min |
| October 23 | 53°F | 29°F | 23% | 10% | 10 h 30 min |
| October 24 | 52°F | 29°F | 23% | 10% | 10 h 30 min |
| October 25 | 52°F | 28°F | 23% | 9% | 10 h 30 min |
| October 26 | 51°F | 28°F | 23% | 9% | 10 h 20 min |
| October 27 | 51°F | 27°F | 23% | 9% | 10 h 20 min |
| October 28 | 50°F | 27°F | 23% | 9% | 10 h 20 min |
| October 29 | 50°F | 27°F | 23% | 9% | 10 h 10 min |
| October 30 | 49°F | 26°F | 23% | 9% | 10 h 10 min |
| October 31 | 48°F | 26°F | 23% | 9% | 10 h 10 min |
- Normal high
- 57°FOctober average
- Normal low
- 33°FOctober average
- Precipitation
- 1.43 inmonth total
- Days with precipitation
- 70.01 inch or more
- Snowfall
- 2.5 inmonth total
- Nights at 32°F or colder
- 15
- Daylight
- 11 h 50 min to 10 h 10 minOctober 1 to October 31
- Days at 70°F or more
- 6
- Days at 80°F or more
- 2
- Sunshine
- 71%of clear-sky sunlight (NASA)
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily normals, station USW00024011; monthly normals. Daylight is computed from the place's latitude with NOAA's solar equations.
Does it rain or snow in Bismarck in October?
On a given October day the chance of 0.01 inch or more is 23% on average, highest around October 1 (23%). In all, 1.43 in falls on 7 days of a normal October.
In a normal October in Bismarck, 15 nights fall to freezing, 1 days stay below freezing all day and snowfall averages 2.5 inches.
Snow falls on 1 day in a normal October, and an inch or more covers the ground on 1 day.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 daily and monthly normals, station USW00024011.
How humid and windy is Bismarck in October?
At 3 p.m. the normal temperature is 47°F with 48% relative humidity and a dew point of 28°F; at 6 a.m. it is 31°F with 81% humidity. The wind averages 9.6 mph, most often from the west-northwest in the afternoon. A dew point under 50°F feels dry.
| Time | Temperature | Dew point | Humidity | Wind | Clear or few clouds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 31°F | 26°F | 81% | 8.1 mph | 52% |
| 9 a.m. | 34°F | 27°F | 77% | 8.7 mph | 57% |
| noon | 43°F | 29°F | 57% | 12.1 mph | 49% |
| 3 p.m. | 47°F | 28°F | 48% | 13.4 mph | 56% |
| 6 p.m. | 41°F | 28°F | 60% | 9.6 mph | 52% |
| 9 p.m. | 36°F | 27°F | 71% | 8.6 mph | 60% |
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 hourly normals, station USW00024011. Hourly normals exist only for NOAA's first-order stations; a dash where NOAA publishes no value for that hour (the sky at some hours).
What are the records for October in Bismarck?
The warmest October temperature on Bismarck's official record (since 1874) is 95°F, on October 1, 1953; the coldest is −10°F, on October 26, 1919. The wettest October brought 4.73 in (2013); the snowiest, 23.7 inches (1991).
The October mean against the 1991-2020 normal of 44.8°F: 2021 50.7°F (+5.9), 2022 47.8°F (+3.0), 2023 45.3°F (+0.5), 2024 50.7°F (+5.9), 2025 50.5°F (+5.8). 5 of 5 ran warmer than normal.
| October | Mean | Against normal | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 50.7°F | +5.9°F | 3.35 in |
| 2022 | 47.8°F | +3.0°F | 0.46 in |
| 2023 | 45.3°F | +0.5°F | 1.75 in |
| 2024 | 50.7°F | +5.9°F | 0.62 in |
| 2025 | 50.5°F | +5.8°F | 4.22 in |
Source: records: ACIS, NWS threaded record BISthr; recent months: ACIS, station USW00024011. Records and recent months use complete months only.
How does October in Bismarck compare across North Dakota?
Across the 92 places PlainClimate covers in North Dakota, October normal highs run from 50°F in Rolla to 59°F in Enderlin; Bismarck's is 57°F.
Source: NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly normals for every station in the state.
Other months and places
- Bismarck in September73°F by day, 46°F at night
- Bismarck in November41°F by day, 19°F at night
- Bismarck through the yearEvery month, frost dates, records and recent years
- North Dakota in OctoberThe statewide normal and the warmest and coolest places
- Enderlin: North Dakota's warmest Octobernormal high 59°F