Colfax has cold winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 1°.
A year in Colfax at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Colfax’s climate
Read from where Colfax sits among North Dakota’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
Rain and snow in Colfax
June is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
No snow records from a nearby station.
Living with Colfax’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
145 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 6 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Sep 29.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 94% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 12 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 82°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 36 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Colfax averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.5°).
A bigger shift than in 70% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
About 145 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 6 and the first by September 29.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
What a year in Colfax feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Colfax and its neighbors
Eagle has the coldest January nights next door (1°) and Walcott the hottest July afternoons (82°). Tap a town to see its climate.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
How Colfax compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in North Dakota.
Colfax weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19° | 1° | 0.7" | -5° – 25° |
| February | 24° | 5° | 0.6" | 1° – 27° |
| March | 37° | 19° | 1.1" | 18° – 42° |
| April | 55° | 32° | 1.7" | 33° – 52° |
| May | 69° | 45° | 3.1" | 51° – 63° |
| June | 78° | 56° | 4.2" | 62° – 71° |
| July | 82° | 60° | 3.4" | 64° – 76° |
| August | 81° | 57° | 2.9" | 63° – 73° |
| September | 72° | 48° | 2.7" | 54° – 65° |
| October | 56° | 36° | 2.2" | 38° – 52° |
| November | 39° | 21° | 0.8" | 17° – 41° |
| December | 25° | 8° | 0.8" | 2° – 25° |
| Year | 53° | 32° | 24.2" |
Heating and cooling a home in Colfax
94% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from -5° to 25°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Colfax’s climate
What is the coldest month in Colfax?
January, with a typical high of 19° and a low of 1°.
What is the hottest month in Colfax?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 60°. About 12 days a year reach 90°.
When is the first frost in Colfax?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 29, and the last spring frost by May 6.
What is the rainiest month in Colfax?
June, with 4.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 24 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Colfax.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Colfax itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Mc Leod 3 E, ND (17 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.