Bismarck weather by month
Average highs run from 23°F in January to 85°F in July, and January nights average 2°F. It gets 19 inches of rain and melted snow a year and 50 inches of snow. Nights drop below freezing about 184 times a year. The most comfortable months are May to September.
Best time to visit Bismarck
For comfortable weather, go in May to September. In those months the average high stays between 62°F and 86°F, nights average 42°F or warmer, and rain stays under 4.5 inches for the month.
Month by month
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Snow | Wet days | Days 90°F+ | Nights below 32°F | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23°F | 2°F | 0.5 in | 8.9 in | 2 | 0 | 31 | very cold |
| February | 28°F | 7°F | 0.5 in | 7.5 in | 2 | 0 | 28 | very cold |
| March | 41°F | 19°F | 0.8 in | 8.5 in | 2 | 0 | 28 | cold |
| April | 56°F | 30°F | 1.3 in | 4.6 in | 4 | 0 | 18 | cool |
| May | 68°F | 42°F | 2.5 in | 0.4 in | 6 | 1 | 4 | mild |
| June | 78°F | 53°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in | 6 | 3 | 0 | warm |
| July | 85°F | 58°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in | 6 | 8 | 0 | warm |
| August | 84°F | 56°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in | 4 | 7 | 0 | warm |
| September | 73°F | 46°F | 1.7 in | 0.0 in | 3 | 2 | 2 | mild |
| October | 57°F | 33°F | 1.4 in | 2.5 in | 3 | 0 | 15 | cool |
| November | 41°F | 19°F | 0.7 in | 8.0 in | 2 | 0 | 28 | cold |
| December | 28°F | 8°F | 0.6 in | 10.1 in | 2 | 0 | 31 | very cold |
| Year | 55°F avg | 31°F avg | 19.1 in | 50.5 in | 42 | 21 | 184 |
"Wet days" are days with at least 0.1 inch of precipitation. "Feels" is a plain-language label for the average high. Normals for 1991-2020 from NOAA NCEI, station Bismarck, ND (USW00024011), 2.8 miles from the city center. Averages describe typical conditions, not a forecast.
Sunrise, sunset and daylight in Bismarck
The shortest day is December 21, with 8h 31m of daylight; the longest is June 21, with 15h 52m. The earliest sunset comes around December 5 (4:54 pm) and the latest around June 23 (9:41 pm). The sun sets after 8 pm on 173 days a year.
| On the 15th of | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:23 am | 5:21 pm | 8h 58m |
| February | 7:47 am | 6:07 pm | 10h 21m |
| March | 7:55 am | 7:48 pm | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:55 am | 8:31 pm | 13h 36m |
| May | 6:08 am | 9:11 pm | 15h 03m |
| June | 5:48 am | 9:38 pm | 15h 50m |
| July | 6:04 am | 9:33 pm | 15h 29m |
| August | 6:41 am | 8:52 pm | 14h 12m |
| September | 7:21 am | 7:54 pm | 12h 33m |
| October | 8:01 am | 6:55 pm | 10h 54m |
| November | 7:46 am | 5:08 pm | 9h 22m |
| December | 8:21 am | 4:54 pm | 8h 33m |
Calculated for 2026 at the center of Bismarck with NOAA's solar equations, in local clock time (Central Time, including daylight saving time where it applies). Times shift by a minute or two from year to year.
Is Bismarck getting warmer?
The last 10 years averaged 1.9°F warmer than the 20th century. See the climate stripes for Bismarck.Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Bismarck?
July is the warmest month, with an average high of 85°F and an average low of 58°F (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).
What is the coldest month in Bismarck?
January is the coldest, with average lows of 2°F and highs of 23°F.
What is the rainiest month in Bismarck?
June gets the most precipitation, 3.4 inches on average. January is the driest at 0.5 inches.
Does it snow in Bismarck?
Yes. Bismarck averages 51 inches of snow a year.
When is the best time to visit Bismarck?
For comfortable weather, May to September. Those months average highs between 62 and 86°F with lows of 42°F or more and modest rain.
Thinking of moving to Bismarck?
See what homes, rent and everyday prices cost, who lives there and how it compares with nearby cities on the full Bismarck profile.
Compare the weather: Bismarck vs Fargo, Bismarck vs Rapid City, Bismarck vs Sioux Falls, Bismarck vs Sioux City.