Nelson Township has some of the coldest winter nights among U.S. towns
The warmest part of a July day comes in at 82° on average. Precipitation peaks in June and eases off in January. Its yearly precipitation falls short of 89% of U.S. towns. The outdoor season runs from May to September, with highs of 68–82°.
A year in Nelson Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Nelson Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Nelson Township’s place in North Dakota beside it.
What a year in Nelson Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 136 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 13 and the first by September 26. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Valley City 3 Nnw, ND, 12 miles from the town’s center, 170 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Nelson 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 22 inches of rain a year
June is the wettest month and January the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Nelson 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 April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Valley City 3 Nnw, ND.
Living with Nelson Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
136 frost-free days in zone 4a. The last frost comes by May 13 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. 16 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 43% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Nelson Township from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Nelson Township and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Nelson Township in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
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 Nelson Township averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.6°).
A bigger shift than in 54% 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 Nelson Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Nelson Township’s place among North Dakota’s.
Nelson Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Nelson Township’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19° | 0° | 0.5" | −4° – 24° |
| February | 24° | 4° | 0.6" | −1° – 27° |
| March | 37° | 17° | 0.9" | 16° – 41° |
| April | 54° | 30° | 1.4" | 32° – 49° |
| May | 68° | 43° | 3.1" | 50° – 62° |
| June | 77° | 54° | 3.7" | 60° – 70° |
| July | 82° | 58° | 3.3" | 63° – 75° |
| August | 80° | 55° | 2.6" | 62° – 72° |
| September | 72° | 46° | 2.4" | 53° – 63° |
| October | 55° | 33° | 2.0" | 36° – 49° |
| November | 38° | 19° | 0.7" | 16° – 40° |
| December | 24° | 7° | 0.7" | 2° – 24° |
| Year | 52° | 30° | 21.8" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from -4° to 24°. August is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Where Nelson 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 Nelson Township’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Valley City 3 Nnw, ND, 12 miles from the town’s center, 170 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 Nelson Township’s climate
What is the weather like in Nelson Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 0°. Colder January nights than all but 44 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 83% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Nelson Township in winter?
January nights average 0°. About 192 nights a year reach 32° or below and 51 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged −4°.
How hot does it get in Nelson Township?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 58°. About 10 days a year reach 90° (Valley City 3 Nnw, ND).
When is the first and last frost in Nelson Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 13 and the first fall frost by September 26, about 136 frost-free days, at Valley City 3 Nnw, ND.
What growing zone is Nelson 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 Nelson 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 Nelson Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 54% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Nelson 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.