Bismarck, ND weather in January
Expect very cold, snowy weather in Bismarck in January, with highs near 23°F and lows near 2°F. Rain or snow falls on about 8 days. Snowfall averages about 8.9 in. It is one of the coldest months in Bismarck. Dress for deep cold.
- Normal high
- 23°F
- Normal low
- 2°F
- Wet days
- 8
- 0.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 8.9 in
- snow on the ground 26 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 24°F | 24°F |
| Normal low | 4°F | 3°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 26% | 26% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 8:28 am / 5:05 pm | 8:08 am / 5:44 pm |
| Daylight | 8.6 h | 9.6 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 January day
- 6 am10°Fdew point 6°F
- 9 am10°Fdew point 5°F
- Noon16°Fdew point 9°F
- 3 pm20°Fdew point 11°F
- 6 pm16°Fdew point 10°F
- 9 pm13°Fdew point 8°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Bismarck (3 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 51% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 44%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F0 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow8 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below31 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more26 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 0.5 in; a dry January brings about 0.3 in and a wet one about 0.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 8.9 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20201992: average high 35°F
- Coolest January1994: average high 10°F
- Wettest January2011: 1.1 in
- Driest January1998: 0.09 in
- Highest reading63°F (January 8, 2002)
- Lowest reading-44°F (January 15, 2009)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
January compared with December and February
| December | January | February | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 28°F | 23°F | 28°F |
| Normal low | 8°F | 2°F | 7°F |
| Wet days | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Comfortable days | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daylight | 8.6 h | 9.0 h | 10.3 h |
Highs change by -5°F from December and +5°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Warmer: Rapid City, SD223 mi · high 36°F · 6 wet days
- Cooler: Fargo, ND189 mi · high 18°F · 9 wet days
How Bismarck ranks in January
- Normal high370th warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 4 in North Dakota
- Wet days136th driest of 378
- Comfortable days315th most of 339
What to pack for Bismarck in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 2°F, highs near 23°F
- Waterproof boots – snow on the ground on about 26 days
- A hat and gloves – about 31 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1618 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 18% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Bismarck in January?
The normal high is 23°F and the normal low is 2°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -44°F (January 15, 2009).
Does it rain a lot in Bismarck in January?
About 8 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.5 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 2011 (1.1 in); the driest was in 1998 (0.09 in).
Does it snow in Bismarck in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 8.9 in, and snow covers the ground on about 26 days.
Is January a good time to visit Bismarck?
January ranks 12th of 12 months on our comfort score for Bismarck (26 out of 100). It has almost no 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.