Climate Comfort Score
49/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 40°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Grand Forks, ND Climate
Temperature, precipitation, and comfort score from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 40°F
- Avg annual temp
- 49/100
- Comfort score
- 21.7"
- Annual precip
- 134d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Grand Forks
Grand Forks, North Dakota averages 40°F a year and scores 49/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 18% of U.S. cities.
- 40°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 49/100
- comfort score, milder than 18% of U.S. cities
- 21.7"
- annual precipitation · 48" snow
- 134 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
40°F (4°C)
Avg High
51°F
Avg Low
29°F
Annual Precip
21.7"
Annual Snow
48.4"
Comfort Score
49/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
40°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
21.7"
Plus 48.4" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Grand Forks) 49.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Grand Forks area.
How Grand Forks compares to every U.S. city
Grand Forks's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
49 Top 82% higher than 18% 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 Grand Forks
MethodologyZooming out from Grand Forks's own normal, the chart below shows how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has tracked the global mean since 1900 - the most recent decade sits warmer than the 30-year mean shown here.
- 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 | 16°F (-9°C) | -3°F (-19°C) | 6°F (-14°C) | 0.5" | 9.9" | 30.8 | 0.0 |
| February | 21°F (-6°C) | 1°F (-17°C) | 11°F (-12°C) | 0.5" | 7.1" | 27.6 | 0.0 |
| March | 34°F (1°C) | 15°F (-9°C) | 24°F (-4°C) | 0.9" | 7.4" | 28.2 | 0.0 |
| April | 52°F (11°C) | 29°F (-1°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 1.2" | 3.5" | 18.6 | 0.0 |
| May | 67°F (19°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 2.8" | 0.0" | 4.3 | 0.4 |
| June | 76°F (25°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 3.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.7 |
| July | 81°F (27°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 3.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| August | 80°F (27°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 2.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.6 |
| September | 70°F (21°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 2.3" | 0.0" | 1.4 | 0.9 |
| October | 54°F (12°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 1.9" | 1.6" | 15.0 | 0.1 |
| November | 36°F (2°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 0.9" | 6.6" | 27.8 | 0.0 |
| December | 21°F (-6°C) | 4°F (-15°C) | 13°F (-11°C) | 0.7" | 12.3" | 31.0 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.5"
Snow: 9.9"
8.4 days with precipitation
February 0.5"
Snow: 7.1"
6.8 days with precipitation
March 0.9"
Snow: 7.4"
7.3 days with precipitation
April 1.2"
Snow: 3.5"
7.7 days with precipitation
May 2.8"
10.7 days with precipitation
June 3.8"
12.1 days with precipitation
July 3.5"
10.2 days with precipitation
August 2.8"
8.8 days with precipitation
September 2.3"
8.6 days with precipitation
October 1.9"
Snow: 1.6"
8.4 days with precipitation
November 0.9"
Snow: 6.6"
7.0 days with precipitation
December 0.7"
Snow: 12.3"
8.8 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 27
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 16
50% probability date
Growing Season
134 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
9,533
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
384
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Grand Forks's climate means for you
Grand Forks runs 40°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 134 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 16 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 9,533 heating and 384 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: Grand Forks, ND
In Grand Forks, North Dakota, the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals put the annual average temperature at 40°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 51°F to a mean daily low of 29°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. As thirty-year averages computed from station USW00014916, these numbers smooth out year-to-year noise into a working baseline for a typical month.
Grand Forks averages 21.7 inches of precipitation a year, with 48.4 inches typically falling as snow, and that matters as much to daily life here as temperature does. The frost-free season averages 134 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 16 and the first fall freeze near September 27. As for energy demand, 9,533 heating degree days and 384 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Grand Forks scores 49/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. For planning purposes, look to the monthly tables above: shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows, summer brings July-driven heat, and deep winter brings January-driven cold. Treat every figure here as a thirty-year average rather than a forecast - individual years routinely run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Grand Forks, ND? ▼
The average annual temperature in Grand Forks, North Dakota is 40°F. The warmest month averages 81°F (27°C) and the coldest averages -3°F (-19°C).
How much rain does Grand Forks get? ▼
Grand Forks receives 21.7 inches of precipitation annually, including 48.4 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Grand Forks? ▼
Grand Forks has a climate comfort score of 49/100 (Moderate), milder than 18% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Grand Forks? ▼
Grand Forks has approximately 134 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 16 and the first fall freeze around September 27.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Grand Forks? ▼
Grand Forks has 9,533 heating degree days and 384 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 Grand Forks climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00014916 near Grand Forks.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00014916. 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.