NOAA climate atlas · updated August 2026
North Dakota Climate Data
Climate normals for 119 station-mapped locations, each from its primary station in North Dakota's 165-station NOAA network.
- average temperature
- 41°F (5°C)41.0°F · fleet p50 52.2°F · n=50
- Cooler national band
- annual precipitation
- 19.2"19.2 inches · fleet p50 43.7 inches · n=50
- Drier national band
- annual snowfall
- 43.4"43.4 inches · fleet p50 24.7 inches · n=50
- More snow than median
- locations / stations
- 119 / 165State coverage: 119 locations / 165 stations. Benchmark context: this profile's measured location and NOAA-station counts.
- State coverage
North Dakota's climate in one line
North Dakota averages 41°F a year - cooler than 98% of U.S. states, spanning Rolette at 36°F to Enderlin at 45°F.
- 41°F
- statewide average · 2th percentile of states
- 19"
- average annual precipitation
- 64/100
- most comfortable: Enderlin
- 119
- station-mapped locations · 165 NOAA stations
Statewide figures are simple averages across 119 station-mapped locations (each from its primary NOAA station), local conditions vary widely by elevation and coast distance.
How North Dakota ranks among all 50 states
North Dakota's average temperature vs. all U.S. states
Statewide annual mean temperature, NOAA 1991–2020 normals
41°F 2nd percentile cooler than 98% of 50 U.S. states
- 30°F–35°F: 1 US states (2%). Below this entry.
- 35°F–40°F: 0 US states (0%). Below this entry.
- 40°F–45°F: 8 US states (16%). This entry sits in this band.
- 45°F–50°F: 10 US states (20%). Above this entry.
- 50°F–55°F: 12 US states (24%). Above this entry.
- 55°F–60°F: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry.
- 60°F–65°F: 7 US states (14%). Above this entry.
- 65°F–70°F: 2 US states (4%). Above this entry.
- 70°F–75°F: 2 US states (4%). Above this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (statewide aggregate) · 1991–2020
North Dakota in the national rankings
- Ranks #2 coldest of 50 states at 41.0°F annual average, 12.1°F below the 53.1°F mean of all state averages - see all 50 coldest states ranked by NOAA normals
- In winter (Dec–Feb) it averages 13.4°F, the #1 coldest winter of 50 states - winter ranking
- 52.1% of NOAA hourly observations report clear sky (5 measured locations), the #11 clearest of 47 ranked states - sunniest states by clear-sky frequency
Temperature × precipitation · 50-state landscape
North Dakota in the national climate landscape
North Dakota averages 41.0°F and 19.2 inches of annual precipitation across 119 station-mapped locations. Against the same complete 50-state cohort, that places it in the cooler and drier half of the chart. Dashed lines mark the national medians of 52.3°F and 43.7 inches.
Read all 50 state values
Each point is PlainClimate's simple average across the station-mapped location normals available for that state. Cohort sizes vary and are shown below; the values are not population weighted. Dashed lines mark the median of this 50-state comparison and are guides, not comfort or safety thresholds.
| State | Locations | Annual mean | Annual precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 172 | 33.5°F | 47.6 in |
| Alabama | 100 | 63.3°F | 57.9 in |
| Arkansas | 110 | 60.7°F | 52.2 in |
| Arizona | 169 | 62.3°F | 12.4 in |
| California | 363 | 59.8°F | 21.6 in |
| Colorado | 214 | 46.3°F | 15.9 in |
| Connecticut | 23 | 50.1°F | 48.6 in |
| Delaware | 7 | 56.2°F | 46.8 in |
| Florida | 165 | 72.6°F | 55.2 in |
| Georgia | 122 | 63.4°F | 52.0 in |
| Hawaii | 49 | 72.4°F | 48.5 in |
| Iowa | 143 | 48.0°F | 35.9 in |
| Idaho | 139 | 46.1°F | 18.0 in |
| Illinois | 163 | 52.2°F | 40.7 in |
| Indiana | 116 | 52.4°F | 43.7 in |
| Kansas | 168 | 54.8°F | 31.2 in |
| Kentucky | 95 | 56.2°F | 50.6 in |
| Louisiana | 91 | 67.3°F | 60.3 in |
| Massachusetts | 68 | 49.2°F | 48.2 in |
| Maryland | 42 | 55.6°F | 45.5 in |
| Maine | 79 | 43.1°F | 46.4 in |
| Michigan | 201 | 45.5°F | 34.2 in |
| Minnesota | 172 | 42.2°F | 30.0 in |
| Missouri | 164 | 55.1°F | 43.9 in |
| Mississippi | 91 | 64.1°F | 59.7 in |
| Montana | 215 | 43.4°F | 15.9 in |
| North Carolina | 178 | 59.1°F | 52.2 in |
| North Dakota | 119 | 41.0°F | 19.2 in |
| Nebraska | 171 | 49.6°F | 25.0 in |
| New Hampshire | 52 | 44.5°F | 46.6 in |
| New Jersey | 45 | 53.6°F | 47.9 in |
| New Mexico | 167 | 54.3°F | 13.8 in |
| Nevada | 115 | 52.4°F | 8.9 in |
| New York | 173 | 47.5°F | 43.7 in |
| Ohio | 128 | 51.6°F | 41.1 in |
| Oklahoma | 159 | 60.3°F | 35.7 in |
| Oregon | 180 | 50.5°F | 37.6 in |
| Pennsylvania | 157 | 50.2°F | 45.2 in |
| Rhode Island | 9 | 51.2°F | 48.7 in |
| South Carolina | 100 | 62.8°F | 49.8 in |
| South Dakota | 149 | 45.6°F | 21.8 in |
| Tennessee | 146 | 58.0°F | 56.0 in |
| Texas | 449 | 66.2°F | 31.1 in |
| Utah | 170 | 49.4°F | 13.9 in |
| Virginia | 119 | 55.8°F | 46.0 in |
| Vermont | 41 | 43.5°F | 43.7 in |
| Washington | 149 | 49.9°F | 40.9 in |
| Wisconsin | 200 | 44.5°F | 34.6 in |
| West Virginia | 99 | 52.3°F | 47.6 in |
| Wyoming | 144 | 43.3°F | 14.0 in |
Derived by PlainClimate from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals · simple averages across each state's varying station-mapped-location cohort · data updated August 2026.
North Dakota Climate in Context
U.S. land-mean temperature anomaly (NOAA NCEI) tracked against global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP). Paris Agreement 1.5°C and 2.0°C thresholds shown as reference lines. North Dakota sits within this national warming envelope; individual station-mapped locations below show local readings against this trend.
- United States (incl. North Dakota) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Station-mapped locations in North Dakota
119 locations with climate data
Scroll the table to browse every location, or use the complete CSV and JSON exports below.
| Location | Avg Temp | High | Low | Precip | Snow | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almont | 43°F | 56°F | 30°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Amidon | 45°F | 57°F | 32°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Ashley | 41°F | 52°F | 31°F | 20.7" | 42.4" | 49/100 |
| Beach | 44°F | 56°F | 31°F | 16.5" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Belcourt Keya Radio | 38°F | 50°F | 27°F | 20.1" | N/A | 52/100 |
| Beulah | 43°F | 56°F | 30°F | 16.9" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Bismarck | 43°F | 55°F | 31°F | 19.1" | 50.5" | 34/100 |
| Bottineau | 39°F | 49°F | 28°F | 19.2" | 49.8" | 39/100 |
| Bowman | 42°F | 54°F | 30°F | 17.1" | 48.2" | 39/100 |
| Breien | 43°F | 57°F | 30°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Butte | 41°F | 52°F | 30°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Carrington | 40°F | 50°F | 30°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Carson | 42°F | 54°F | 30°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Casselton Agronomy Farm | 41°F | 52°F | 31°F | 24.2" | 36.7" | 49/100 |
| Cavalier | 38°F | 48°F | 28°F | 20.0" | 39.1" | 49/100 |
| Center | 43°F | 53°F | 32°F | 18.9" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Colgate | 39°F | 50°F | 28°F | 20.9" | 34.7" | 49/100 |
| Cooperstown | 39°F | 50°F | 29°F | 22.0" | 42.2" | 49/100 |
| Crosby | 40°F | 52°F | 29°F | 16.1" | 40.7" | 39/100 |
| Devils Lake | 39°F | 49°F | 29°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Devils Lake Kdlr | 40°F | 50°F | 31°F | 20.0" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Dickinson | 42°F | 55°F | 29°F | 17.6" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Dickinson Rch Headquarters | 42°F | 54°F | 30°F | 17.6" | 44.0" | 39/100 |
| Drake | 40°F | 51°F | 28°F | 18.1" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Dunn Ctr | 41°F | 55°F | 28°F | 16.8" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Edgeley | 43°F | 53°F | 33°F | 21.1" | N/A | 52/100 |
| Edmore | 37°F | 48°F | 27°F | 21.9" | 38.0" | 49/100 |
| Edmunds Arrowwood Ref | 42°F | 54°F | 30°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Ellendale | 43°F | 54°F | 33°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Enderlin | 45°F | 56°F | 34°F | 23.6" | N/A | 64/100 |
| Esmond | 39°F | 50°F | 28°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Fairfield | 43°F | 53°F | 32°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Fargo | 41°F | 52°F | 31°F | 24.4" | N/A | 52/100 |
| Fargo Hector | 42°F | 53°F | 32°F | 23.9" | 51.4" | 44/100 |
| Fessenden | 41°F | 52°F | 30°F | 17.3" | 33.5" | 39/100 |
| Flasher | 43°F | 55°F | 31°F | 18.5" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Forman | 42°F | 52°F | 31°F | 23.2" | N/A | 52/100 |
| Fortuna | 38°F | 50°F | 27°F | 15.3" | 36.5" | 39/100 |
| Foxholm | 42°F | 53°F | 31°F | 17.6" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Fullerton | 43°F | 54°F | 32°F | 24.3" | 36.9" | 49/100 |
| Gackle | 42°F | 52°F | 32°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Garrison | 41°F | 52°F | 30°F | 17.8" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Grafton | 42°F | 51°F | 33°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Grand Forks | 40°F | 51°F | 29°F | 21.7" | 48.4" | 49/100 |
| Grand Forks Univ | 41°F | 50°F | 31°F | 22.8" | 48.7" | 49/100 |
| Granville | 42°F | 53°F | 32°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Grassy Butte | 42°F | 54°F | 31°F | 17.7" | 41.7" | 39/100 |
| Hansboro | 39°F | 51°F | 27°F | 19.0" | 37.6" | 39/100 |
| Harvey | 40°F | 51°F | 29°F | 19.3" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Hazelton | 41°F | 52°F | 30°F | 19.0" | 44.7" | 39/100 |
| Heart Butte Dam | 43°F | 55°F | 30°F | 16.8" | 37.7" | 39/100 |
| Hebron | 42°F | 54°F | 29°F | 18.4" | 40.6" | 39/100 |
| Hettinger Exp Stn | 43°F | 57°F | 29°F | 17.3" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Hettinger Muni | 42°F | 56°F | 29°F | 14.3" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Hillsboro | 43°F | 52°F | 33°F | 22.3" | N/A | 52/100 |
| Jamestown | 40°F | 51°F | 30°F | 20.9" | N/A | 52/100 |
| Jamestown Muni | 41°F | 52°F | 31°F | 19.8" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Jamestown State Hosp | 41°F | 52°F | 31°F | 21.1" | 46.1" | 49/100 |
| Keene | 42°F | 54°F | 31°F | 17.9" | 34.8" | 39/100 |
| Kenmare | 40°F | 51°F | 29°F | 19.5" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Killdeer | 42°F | 55°F | 29°F | 18.1" | 39.2" | 39/100 |
| La Moure | 42°F | 54°F | 30°F | 24.7" | 45.5" | 49/100 |
| Lake Metigoshe State Park | 37°F | 48°F | 26°F | 19.6" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Langdon Exp Farm | 37°F | 47°F | 27°F | 20.8" | 47.3" | 49/100 |
| Larimore | 40°F | 51°F | 29°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Leeds | 39°F | 50°F | 27°F | 21.0" | N/A | 52/100 |
| Lidgerwood | 43°F | 53°F | 33°F | 24.2" | N/A | 52/100 |
| Linton | 43°F | 55°F | 31°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Lisbon | 41°F | 53°F | 30°F | 22.3" | 46.7" | 49/100 |
| Mandan Exp Stn | 42°F | 54°F | 31°F | 18.4" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Max | 41°F | 51°F | 30°F | 18.7" | 49.4" | 39/100 |
| Mayville | 39°F | 51°F | 28°F | 23.9" | N/A | 52/100 |
| McClusky | 44°F | 56°F | 32°F | 18.2" | 45.0" | 39/100 |
| McHenry | 40°F | 51°F | 30°F | 21.1" | 59.8" | 44/100 |
| McLeod | 42°F | 53°F | 31°F | 24.0" | N/A | 52/100 |
| Medora | 43°F | 54°F | 33°F | 17.4" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Minnewaukan | 40°F | 50°F | 29°F | 19.7" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Minot | 43°F | 55°F | 32°F | 16.7" | 45.1" | 39/100 |
| Minot Exp Stn | 40°F | 51°F | 30°F | 19.3" | 51.8" | 34/100 |
| Moffit | 44°F | 56°F | 32°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Mohall | 38°F | 50°F | 27°F | 18.2" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Mott | 43°F | 56°F | 29°F | 17.2" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Napoleon | 41°F | 52°F | 30°F | 20.7" | 53.2" | 44/100 |
| New England | 43°F | 56°F | 31°F | 15.9" | 44.3" | 39/100 |
| New Salem | 42°F | 53°F | 30°F | 18.3" | 44.5" | 39/100 |
| Northgate | 38°F | 50°F | 26°F | 15.7" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Oakes | 42°F | 53°F | 30°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Pembina | 38°F | 49°F | 28°F | 22.1" | N/A | 52/100 |
| Petersburg | 39°F | 49°F | 29°F | 20.2" | 42.5" | 49/100 |
| Powers Lake | 38°F | 50°F | 26°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Pretty Rock | 44°F | 56°F | 31°F | 16.5" | 51.2" | 34/100 |
| Richardton Abbey | 43°F | 54°F | 33°F | 16.3" | 33.2" | 39/100 |
| Riverdale | 42°F | 52°F | 32°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Rolette | 36°F | 48°F | 25°F | 20.2" | N/A | 52/100 |
| Rolla | 37°F | 47°F | 26°F | 19.6" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Rugby | 39°F | 50°F | 28°F | 21.0" | 43.4" | 49/100 |
| Stanley | 39°F | 50°F | 27°F | 19.3" | 47.4" | 39/100 |
| Steele | 42°F | 53°F | 30°F | 21.4" | N/A | 52/100 |
| Streeter | 41°F | 51°F | 31°F | 19.8" | 48.9" | 39/100 |
| Taylor | 43°F | 56°F | 29°F | 16.2" | 35.1" | 39/100 |
| Theodore Roosevelt | 43°F | 55°F | 30°F | 15.6" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Tioga | 42°F | 53°F | 31°F | 15.4" | 43.7" | 39/100 |
| Towner | 40°F | 53°F | 27°F | 17.7" | 39.4" | 39/100 |
| Trotters | 44°F | 56°F | 32°F | 15.8" | 35.1" | 39/100 |
| Turtle Lake | 41°F | 53°F | 29°F | 18.2" | 44.1" | 39/100 |
| Tuttle | 39°F | 50°F | 29°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Underwood | 41°F | 52°F | 30°F | 18.0" | 38.6" | 39/100 |
| Upham | 40°F | 51°F | 28°F | 18.8" | 49.4" | 39/100 |
| Valley City | 41°F | 52°F | 29°F | 21.5" | N/A | 52/100 |
| Velva | 39°F | 52°F | 26°F | 19.2" | 41.0" | 39/100 |
| Washburn | 42°F | 54°F | 31°F | 17.7" | 43.1" | 39/100 |
| Watford City | 42°F | 53°F | 32°F | 15.7" | 50.4" | 34/100 |
| Westhope | 40°F | 51°F | 29°F | 18.8" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Wildrose | 39°F | 50°F | 27°F | 16.6" | 37.3" | 39/100 |
| Williston Exp Farm | 43°F | 56°F | 31°F | 14.8" | 39.3" | 39/100 |
| Williston Sloulin | 42°F | 54°F | 29°F | 15.1" | 48.2" | 39/100 |
| Willow City | 38°F | 50°F | 25°F | 18.9" | N/A | 40/100 |
| Wilton | 41°F | 51°F | 30°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Wishek | 41°F | 53°F | 29°F | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 · 1991-2020 Statewide aggregates for North Dakota computed as the simple average across its 119 station-mapped locations, each represented by its primary NOAA station (165 stations in the state network).
Climate Insight: North Dakota
North Dakota's climate profile is aggregated from 119 station-mapped locations and 165 NOAA weather stations reporting under the 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals program. The statewide average annual temperature sits at 41°F, which is the simple average across all tracked station-mapped locations rather than any single station's reading. Because North Dakota spans multiple latitudes, elevations, and proximities to large water bodies, local conditions can differ from this headline number by wide margins; coastal, valley, and mountain stations often diverge by ten degrees or more even within a single month.
Precipitation and snowfall averages round out the climatological picture. Across North Dakota, annual precipitation averages 19.2 inches, with typical seasonal snowfall near 43.4 inches statewide. These numbers combine rain, sleet, and snow water-equivalent and describe the thirty-year normal rather than any particular recent year. Readers evaluating a specific destination should drill into one of the 119 individual location profiles below; each station record varies with local geography, and the statewide figures here are averages that mask meaningful intrastate differences.
For planning purposes, the location table above is sorted to help you compare averages side-by-side: annual mean temperature, average daily high and low, precipitation totals, snowfall, and PlainClimate's climate comfort score. That 1–100 score combines temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, snowfall burden, and frost-free growing-season length from each location's NOAA normal. It is a climate-only comparison, not a NOAA or overall livability rating. Use it as a starting point, then open each location profile for the exact score inputs, monthly breakdowns, degree-day totals, frost dates, and separately reported humidity metrics.
Nationwide similar states
Other states closest to North Dakota on two NOAA statewide-average axes (annual temperature and annual precipitation). Chip rows use distinct link sets.
Closest by average temperature
Nearest 50-state peers by avg_temp (41°F here).
Closest by annual precipitation
Nearest peers by avg_precip (19.2" here), excluding temperature-peer codes.
- Idaho 18.0" · 1.2" off
- California 21.6" · 2.4" off
- South Dakota 21.8" · 2.6" off
- Colorado 15.9" · 3.3" off
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in North Dakota? ▼
Does the climate vary a lot within North Dakota? ▼
Where does North Dakota rank nationally for temperature? ▼
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Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.