Photo: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0Hardly any U.S. towns see harsher January nights than Plaza
The warmest part of a July day comes in at 81° on average. Winter and summer sit 80° apart. Its yearly precipitation falls short of 92% of U.S. towns. Garden chairs stay out from June to September, the months with highs of 71–81°.
A year in Plaza at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Plaza’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Plaza’s place in North Dakota beside it.
What a year in Plaza feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 17 inches of rain a year
June is the wettest month and January the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with Plaza’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 4a.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 1.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 45% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Plaza from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Plaza and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Plaza 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 Plaza averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.2°).
A smaller shift than in 55% 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 Plaza compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Plaza’s place among North Dakota’s.
Plaza weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Plaza’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20° | 2° | 0.4" | −2° – 27° |
| February | 25° | 5° | 0.4" | −4° – 28° |
| March | 37° | 17° | 0.6" | 15° – 41° |
| April | 53° | 28° | 1.1" | 30° – 49° |
| May | 66° | 40° | 2.5" | 47° – 60° |
| June | 75° | 50° | 3.4" | 58° – 67° |
| July | 81° | 55° | 2.8" | 61° – 73° |
| August | 81° | 53° | 1.9" | 61° – 72° |
| September | 71° | 44° | 1.7" | 52° – 63° |
| October | 54° | 31° | 1.1" | 34° – 48° |
| November | 37° | 18° | 0.6" | 15° – 39° |
| December | 24° | 7° | 0.5" | 4° – 26° |
| Year | 52° | 29° | 16.9" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from -4° to 28°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Plaza’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 Plaza’s center.
- 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 Plaza’s climate
What is the weather like in Plaza?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 2°. Colder January nights than all but 78 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 85% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Plaza in winter?
January nights average 2°. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged −2°.
How hot does it get in Plaza?
July, with a typical high of 81°. 90° days are rare.
What growing zone is Plaza in?
Zone 4a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −28°.
What is the best time of year to visit Plaza?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Plaza getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 55% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Plaza.
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.