Climate & Weather in Bismarck
Bismarck has a real, genuine four-season humid continental Northern Plains climate -- warm summers (July average high around 89°F) and severely cold, snowy winters (January average high around 20.8°F, approximately 49 inches of annual snowfall) -- with large seasonal temperature swings.
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Learn moreWarm, Sometimes Hot Summers
July, Bismarck's warmest month, is cited with an average high around 89°F, with a record high of 114-115°F recorded on July 6, 1936 -- a real, genuinely warm-to-hot summer season typical of the Northern Plains.
Severely Cold, Snowy, Windy Winters
January is cited with an average high around 20.8°F and an average low around 6.1°F -- real, genuinely severe continental winter conditions among the coldest of any U.S. state capital, with regular snowfall and real, current blizzard risk.
Annual Snowfall
Bismarck is cited with approximately 49 inches of average annual snowfall -- meaningfully above the U.S. national average, and a real, genuine consideration for movers unfamiliar with Northern Plains winters.
A Genuinely Severe-Weather-Prone Climate Distinct From Milder Tier A+ Markets
As detailed fully on the flood-hurricane-risk topic page, Bismarck's climate carries real, documented severe-weather risk (a genuine tornado history, real hail and wind exposure in summer) alongside its genuinely severe winter conditions -- a genuinely different, more severe-weather-prone climate profile than several milder-climate Tier A+ markets elsewhere in this project's dataset.
Key takeaways
- Bismarck's July average high runs around 89°F, with a record high of 114-115°F set on July 6, 1936.
- Bismarck's January average high runs around 20.8°F (average low around 6.1°F) -- real, genuinely severe continental winter conditions.
- Annual snowfall runs approximately 49 inches, meaningfully above the U.S. national average.
- Bismarck's climate carries real, documented severe-weather risk (tornado, hail, wind, severe winter conditions) distinct from milder-climate Tier A+ markets elsewhere in this project's dataset -- see the flood-hurricane-risk topic page for full detail.
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