South Valley, ND climate
South Valley has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to -4°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in South Valley feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
South Valley 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 | 16° | -4° | 0.5" | 8.0" | 4 | -7° – 24° |
| February | 21° | 0° | 0.5" | 6.4" | 4 | -6° – 25° |
| March | 33° | 13° | 0.6" | 6.5" | 3 | 11° – 37° |
| April | 51° | 27° | 0.9" | 2.9" | 5 | 26° – 48° |
| May | 66° | 40° | 2.5" | 0.9" | 10 | 47° – 59° |
| June | 74° | 51° | 3.8" | 0 | 12 | 58° – 67° |
| July | 80° | 55° | 2.9" | 0 | 10 | 60° – 72° |
| August | 79° | 52° | 2.3" | 0 | 8 | 59° – 71° |
| September | 69° | 43° | 1.6" | 0 | 8 | 50° – 63° |
| October | 53° | 30° | 1.4" | 3.3" | 6 | 33° – 47° |
| November | 35° | 15° | 0.6" | 7.4" | 3 | 12° – 38° |
| December | 21° | 3° | 0.6" | 8.0" | 4 | -2° – 23° |
| Year | 50° | 27° | 18.1" | 43.4" | 76 |
“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 South Valley
South Valley gets 18 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 76 days a year.
About 119 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 21 and the first one by September 20. That leaves about 119 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 97% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in South Valley
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In South Valley, 98% of that work is heating and 2% 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.
South Valley and its neighbors
South Valley borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.3°. Kohlmeier has the coldest January nights (-4°) and Wellington the hottest July afternoons (80°). South Valley’s January low is -4° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How South Valley 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 South Valley averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.3°). The shift is larger than in 71% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at South Valley’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 -6° to 25°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about South Valley’s climate
What is the coldest month in South Valley?
January, with a typical high of 16° and a low of -4°.
What is the hottest month in South Valley?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 55°. About 9 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does South Valley get?
About 43 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in South Valley?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 20, and the last spring frost by May 21.
What is the rainiest month in South Valley?
June, with 3.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 18 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for South Valley itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Rugby, ND (17 mi, snow) and Willow City, ND (10 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.