Bismarck, ND weather in April
April in Bismarck: cool, with some rain and some snow. Highs 56°F, lows 30°F, about 8 wet days and about 4.6 in of snow. A good month for most outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 56°F
- Normal low
- 30°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 1.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 4.6 in
- snow on the ground 3 days
How April changes from start to finish
| April 1 | April 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 50°F | 62°F |
| Normal low | 25°F | 36°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 25% | 31% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:22 am / 8:11 pm | 6:29 am / 8:51 pm |
| Daylight | 12.8 h | 14.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Central Time).
A typical April day
- 6 am34°Fdew point 28°F
- 9 am42°Fdew point 30°F
- Noon50°Fdew point 30°F
- 3 pm54°Fdew point 29°F
- 6 pm52°Fdew point 29°F
- 9 pm43°Fdew point 30°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Bismarck (3 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 53% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 41%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F8 of 30
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 30
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 30
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow8 of 30
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in4 of 30
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below18 of 30
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more3 of 30
Average days per April, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in April
Normal precipitation is 1.3 in; a dry April brings about 0.7 in and a wet one about 1.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 4.6 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How April varies from year to year
- Warmest April, 1991-20202006: average high 65°F
- Coolest April2013: average high 45°F
- Wettest April2016: 4.2 in
- Driest April1992: 0.2 in
- Highest reading93°F (April 30, 1992)
- Lowest reading-1°F (April 5, 1996)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
April compared with March and May
| March | April | May | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 41°F | 56°F | 68°F |
| Normal low | 19°F | 30°F | 42°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| Comfortable days | 2 | 8 | 16 |
| Daylight | 11.9 h | 13.6 h | 15.1 h |
Highs change by +15°F from March and +12°F into May.
Nearby alternatives in April
- Cooler: Keystone, SD238 mi · high 51°F · 10 wet days
How Bismarck ranks in April
- Normal high323rd warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 4 in North Dakota
- Wet days178th driest of 378
- Comfortable days237th most of 340
What to pack for Bismarck in April
- A warm jacket – lows near 30°F, highs near 56°F
- Layers – afternoons near 56°F but nights near 30°F
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain or snow on about 8 days
- Waterproof boots – about 4.6 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 18 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
April has 655 heating degree days and 1 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 7% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Bismarck in April?
The normal high is 56°F and the normal low is 30°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest April reading was -1°F (April 5, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Bismarck in April?
About 8 days in April have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.3 in. The wettest April in 1991-2020 was in 2016 (4.2 in); the driest was in 1992 (0.2 in).
Does it snow in Bismarck in April?
Yes. Normal snowfall in April is 4.6 in, and snow covers the ground on about 3 days.
Is April a good time to visit Bismarck?
April ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for Bismarck (61 out of 100). It has about 8 comfortable days. The best month is May.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain, snowfall, snow depth, frost dates, humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Bismarck (USW00024011), 2.8 mi SSE of the city center, 1,658 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Bismarck Municipal Airport (727640-24011), 2.2 mi SE of the city center, 1,651 ft . Hourly observations, 1991-2020.