Watson, ND climate
Watson has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 1°, and about 41 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Watson feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Watson 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 | 19° | 1° | 0.6" | 9.0" | 5 | -4° – 24° |
| February | 24° | 4° | 0.6" | 7.6" | 5 | 0° – 27° |
| March | 37° | 18° | 1.0" | 7.0" | 4 | 17° – 42° |
| April | 55° | 32° | 1.5" | 3.0" | 5 | 33° – 51° |
| May | 69° | 44° | 3.0" | 0 | 9 | 51° – 63° |
| June | 78° | 55° | 4.0" | 0 | 10 | 61° – 71° |
| July | 82° | 59° | 3.3" | 0 | 8 | 64° – 77° |
| August | 81° | 56° | 2.8" | 0 | 7 | 63° – 73° |
| September | 72° | 48° | 2.5" | 0.1" | 6 | 54° – 65° |
| October | 56° | 35° | 2.1" | 0.8" | 6 | 37° – 51° |
| November | 38° | 21° | 0.7" | 4.2" | 4 | 17° – 41° |
| December | 25° | 7° | 0.7" | 9.0" | 5 | 1° – 25° |
| Year | 53° | 32° | 22.7" | 40.7" | 73 |
“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 Watson
Watson gets 23 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 73 days a year.
About 143 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 9 and the first one by October 1. That leaves about 143 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 87% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Watson
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Watson, 95% of that work is heating and 5% 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.
Watson and its neighbors
Watson borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.6°. Walburg has the coldest January nights (0°) and Leonard the hottest July afternoons (83°). Watson’s January low is 1° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Watson 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 Watson averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 62% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Watson’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 -4° to 24°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Watson’s climate
What is the coldest month in Watson?
January, with a typical high of 19° and a low of 1°.
What is the hottest month in Watson?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 59°. About 10 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Watson get?
About 41 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Watson?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 9.
What is the rainiest month in Watson?
June, with 4.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 23 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Watson itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Chaffee 5 Ne, ND (10 mi, snow) and Casselton Agronomy Farm, ND (15 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.