Van Meter, ND climate
Van Meter has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 2°, and about 37 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Van Meter feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Van Meter 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 | 20° | 2° | 0.5" | 7.2" | 4 | -3° – 25° |
| February | 25° | 6° | 0.6" | 6.0" | 5 | 0° – 27° |
| March | 39° | 19° | 1.0" | 6.9" | 4 | 19° – 42° |
| April | 54° | 31° | 1.8" | 3.7" | 7 | 32° – 50° |
| May | 68° | 44° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 51° – 63° |
| June | 77° | 55° | 3.9" | 0 | 11 | 60° – 71° |
| July | 82° | 59° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 63° – 75° |
| August | 81° | 56° | 2.6" | 0 | 7 | 63° – 73° |
| September | 72° | 47° | 2.3" | 0 | 7 | 53° – 64° |
| October | 57° | 34° | 2.0" | 1.6" | 6 | 37° – 50° |
| November | 39° | 20° | 0.7" | 4.2" | 4 | 17° – 40° |
| December | 26° | 8° | 0.6" | 7.3" | 4 | 3° – 25° |
| Year | 53° | 32° | 22.7" | 36.9" | 77 |
“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 Van Meter
Van Meter gets 23 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 77 days a year.
About 149 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 4 and the first one by October 2. That leaves about 149 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 82% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Van Meter
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Van Meter, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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.
Van Meter and its neighbors
Van Meter borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.4°. Kentner has the coldest January nights (2°) and Ada the hottest July afternoons (82°). Van Meter’s January low is 2° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Van Meter 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 Van Meter averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.3°). The shift is smaller than in 67% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Van Meter’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from -3° to 25°. August is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Van Meter’s climate
What is the coldest month in Van Meter?
January, with a typical high of 20° and a low of 2°.
What is the hottest month in Van Meter?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 59°. About 15 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Van Meter get?
About 37 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Van Meter?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 2, and the last spring frost by May 4.
What is the rainiest month in Van Meter?
June, with 3.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 23 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Van Meter itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Fullerton 1 Ese, ND (12 mi, snow) and Ellendale, ND (4 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.