New Salem, ND climate
New Salem has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 3°, and about 45 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in New Salem feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
New Salem 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 | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23° | 3° | 0.4" | 6.8" | 6 | 28 | 1° – 28° |
| February | 27° | 7° | 0.4" | 6.5" | 6 | 21 | -2° – 31° |
| March | 40° | 18° | 0.7" | 7.6" | 7 | 15 | 17° – 43° |
| April | 54° | 29° | 1.4" | 5.0" | 8 | 4 | 34° – 49° |
| May | 67° | 40° | 2.6" | 0.8" | 11 | 0 | 49° – 59° |
| June | 76° | 51° | 3.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| July | 83° | 56° | 2.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 62° – 76° |
| August | 82° | 54° | 2.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| September | 72° | 44° | 1.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 53° – 63° |
| October | 56° | 31° | 1.4" | 3.2" | 8 | 2 | 35° – 49° |
| November | 39° | 19° | 0.6" | 5.7" | 6 | 9 | 16° – 40° |
| December | 27° | 8° | 0.5" | 8.9" | 7 | 20 | 6° – 27° |
| Year | 54° | 30° | 18.0" | 44.5" | 96 | 100 |
“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 New Salem
New Salem gets 18 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 96 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 100 days of the year.
About 127 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 18 and the first one by September 24. That leaves about 127 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 96% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in New Salem
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In New Salem, 96% of that work is heating and 4% 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.
How New Salem 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 New Salem averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.1°). The shift is larger than in 50% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at New Salem’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 -2° to 31°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about New Salem’s climate
What is the coldest month in New Salem?
January, with a typical high of 23° and a low of 3°.
What is the hottest month in New Salem?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 56°. About 16 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does New Salem get?
About 45 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in New Salem?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 24, and the last spring frost by May 18.
What is the rainiest month in New Salem?
June, with 3.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 18 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for New Salem itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at New Salem 5nw, ND (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.