Clinton, ND climate
Clinton has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to -1°, and about 37 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Clinton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Clinton weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 18° | -1° | 0.5" | 6.6" | 2 | -3° – 25° |
| February | 23° | 3° | 0.4" | 5.7" | 2 | -7° – 28° |
| March | 36° | 15° | 0.7" | 7.0" | 3 | 12° – 38° |
| April | 53° | 28° | 1.1" | 3.4" | 3 | 29° – 47° |
| May | 66° | 39° | 2.2" | 0.9" | 6 | 48° – 59° |
| June | 74° | 49° | 3.3" | 0 | 10 | 57° – 67° |
| July | 80° | 54° | 2.3" | 0 | 7 | 60° – 73° |
| August | 80° | 52° | 1.6" | 0 | 5 | 60° – 72° |
| September | 70° | 42° | 1.4" | 0 | 3 | 50° – 62° |
| October | 53° | 29° | 1.0" | 2.2" | 3 | 32° – 47° |
| November | 35° | 16° | 0.5" | 4.3" | 2 | 12° – 37° |
| December | 23° | 5° | 0.6" | 6.4" | 3 | 2° – 25° |
| Year | 51° | 28° | 15.5" | 36.5" | 48 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Clinton
Clinton gets 16 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 48 days a year.
About 121 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 19 and the first one by September 17. That leaves about 121 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 97% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Clinton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Clinton, 97% of that work is heating and 3% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
Clinton and its neighbors
Clinton borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.4°. Lincoln Valley has the coldest January nights (-1°) and Westby the hottest July afternoons (81°). Clinton’s January low is -1° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Clinton compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Clinton averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.5°). The shift is larger than in 74% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Clinton’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from -7° to 28°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Clinton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Clinton?
January, with a typical high of 18° and a low of -1°.
What is the hottest month in Clinton?
August, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 52°. About 10 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Clinton get?
About 37 inches in a normal winter, most of it in March.
When is the first frost in Clinton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 17, and the last spring frost by May 19.
What is the rainiest month in Clinton?
June, with 3.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 16 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Clinton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Fortuna 1 W, ND (4 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.