Bismarck, ND weather in October
Bismarck is cool in October, with some rain: highs average 57°F and nights drop to about 33°F. Expect about 7 wet days. Snowfall averages about 2.5 in.
- Normal high
- 57°F
- Normal low
- 33°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 1.4 in total
- Snowfall
- 2.5 in
- snow on the ground 1 day
How October changes from start to finish
| October 1 | October 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 66°F | 48°F |
| Normal low | 40°F | 26°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 23% | 23% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:42 am / 7:23 pm | 8:24 am / 6:29 pm |
| Daylight | 11.7 h | 10.1 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 October day
- 6 am37°Fdew point 32°F
- 9 am42°Fdew point 34°F
- Noon52°Fdew point 35°F
- 3 pm55°Fdew point 34°F
- 6 pm50°Fdew point 34°F
- 9 pm43°Fdew point 33°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Bismarck (3 mi away); average wind 9 mph; clear or few clouds in 58% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 37%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F8 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 snow7 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in3 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below15 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more1 of 31
Average days per October, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in October
Normal precipitation is 1.4 in; a dry October brings about 0.7 in and a wet one about 2.1 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more. Normal snowfall is 2.5 in, with about 1 day of an inch or more.
How October varies from year to year
- Warmest October, 1991-20202003: average high 65°F
- Coolest October2002: average high 45°F
- Wettest October2013: 4.7 in
- Driest October1993: 0.02 in
- Highest reading94°F (October 1, 1992)
- Lowest reading-10°F (October 31, 1991)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
October compared with September and November
| September | October | November | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 73°F | 57°F | 41°F |
| Normal low | 46°F | 33°F | 19°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 15 | 8 | 1 |
| Daylight | 12.6 h | 10.9 h | 9.4 h |
Highs change by -16°F from September and -16°F into November.
How Bismarck ranks in October
- Normal high351st warmest of 378 cities; 2nd of 4 in North Dakota
- Wet days164th driest of 378
- Comfortable days253rd most of 340
What to pack for Bismarck in October
- A warm jacket – lows near 33°F, highs near 57°F
- A hat and gloves – about 15 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
October has 626 heating degree days and 2 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 7% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Bismarck in October?
The normal high is 57°F and the normal low is 33°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest October reading was -10°F (most recently on October 31, 1991).
Does it rain a lot in Bismarck in October?
About 7 days in October have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 1.4 in. The wettest October in 1991-2020 was in 2013 (4.7 in); the driest was in 1993 (0.02 in).
Does it snow in Bismarck in October?
Yes. Normal snowfall in October is 2.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 1 day.
Is October a good time to visit Bismarck?
October ranks 7th of 12 months on our comfort score for Bismarck (55 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.