Few U.S. towns have colder winter nights than Crystal Lake Township
Sunny July days climb to about 80°. The seasons are far apart: from a winter night to a summer afternoon the average spans 80°. Its July afternoons stay fresher than in 91% of U.S. towns. Long walks are most pleasant from May to September, when afternoons reach 66–80°.
A year in Crystal Lake Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Crystal Lake Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Crystal Lake Township’s place in North Dakota beside it.
What a year in Crystal Lake Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 135 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 12 and the first by September 26. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Harvey 4ne, ND, 19 miles from the town’s center, 280 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Crystal Lake Township’s center in zone 4a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −26°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 34 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Fessenden, ND, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 19 inches a year; June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 52 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Crystal Lake Township
96% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Harvey 4ne, ND.
Living with Crystal Lake Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
135 frost-free days in zone 4a. The last frost comes by May 12 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 26.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 25 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 57% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Crystal Lake Township from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Crystal Lake Township and its neighbors
Delger Township has the coldest January nights next door (-1°, 1° colder). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Crystal Lake Township’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Lake Township, ND | 1° | 80° | 19" | 34" |
| Watertown, SD | 2° | 81° | 25" | 41" |
| Crookston, MN | −2° | 81° | 23" | 50" |
| Gunnison, CO | 0° | 82° | 12" | 50" |
| Sidney, MT | 4° | 85° | 15" | 30" |
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.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Crystal Lake Township averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.6°).
A bigger shift than in 58% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Crystal Lake Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Crystal Lake Township’s place among North Dakota’s.
Crystal Lake Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Crystal Lake Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Fessenden, ND. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 18° | 1° | 0.4" | 7.5" | 4 | −5° – 26° |
| February | 22° | 4° | 0.5" | 5.2" | 4 | −3° – 27° |
| March | 35° | 16° | 0.7" | 4.6" | 3 | 14° – 40° |
| April | 52° | 29° | 1.2" | 1.8" | 4 | 29° – 48° |
| May | 66° | 41° | 2.8" | 0.1" | 7 | 48° – 60° |
| June | 75° | 52° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 8 | 58° – 67° |
| July | 80° | 56° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 6 | 62° – 73° |
| August | 80° | 54° | 2.2" | 0.0" | 5 | 60° – 71° |
| September | 70° | 45° | 2.0" | 0.0" | 4 | 52° – 63° |
| October | 54° | 32° | 1.4" | 0.6" | 3 | 34° – 48° |
| November | 36° | 18° | 0.7" | 4.5" | 2 | 13° – 40° |
| December | 23° | 7° | 0.6" | 9.2" | 3 | 3° – 24° |
| Year | 51° | 29° | 18.9" | 33.5" | 52 |
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 26°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Crystal Lake Township’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Crystal Lake Township’s center.
- Snow: Fessenden, ND.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Harvey 4ne, ND, 19 miles from the town’s center, 280 ft lower; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Crystal Lake Township’s climate
What is the weather like in Crystal Lake Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 1°, and about 34 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than all but 55 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 91% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Crystal Lake Township in winter?
January nights average 1°. About 189 nights a year reach 32° or below and 46 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged −5°.
How much snow does Crystal Lake Township get?
About 34 inches in a normal winter at Fessenden, ND, most of it in December.
How hot does it get in Crystal Lake Township?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 56°. About 11 days a year reach 90° (Harvey 4ne, ND).
When is the first and last frost in Crystal Lake Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 12 and the first fall frost by September 26, about 135 frost-free days, at Harvey 4ne, ND.
What growing zone is Crystal Lake Township in?
Zone 4a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −26°.
What is the best time of year to visit Crystal Lake Township?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Crystal Lake Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 58% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Crystal Lake Township.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.