Quote:
Originally Posted by caromurp
Hi, I've searched the forums but can't find anything specific about the climate in the south-central region. I know it's a bit warmer than the north-eastern areas, but that's about it. Does it have much snowmelt in winter, or is that more in the western part of the state? Any info is appreciated  |
I am a meterologist at NWS Grand Forks and can give you some info. As you likely know no two winters are the same, that said yes there is often quite the difference between Grand Forks in northeast ND and Bismarck. I also have in-laws that live in between Minot and Bismarck.
Since 2009, the winters in that Minot-Williston to Bismarck-Mobridge SD stretch have been snowier and a bit colder than usual. Snow has stayed on the ground a lot longer and there have been fewer warmups in the winter.
That said....typically Bismarck and the Missouri river area lie in between the much colder and wetter east and north central ND and the much more arid and generally warmer southwest part of the state.
Alberta Clipper systems tend to track southeast very close to the Missouri River often or just a tad east....when these storms do come southeast out of Canada....winds west of them will go west and often bring in modified chinook warmer airmass into the Bismarck area and temps can climb well into the 30s or even low 40s for a day or maybe two...before the deep freeze sets in. These warmer spells often allow for the snow to melt quite a bit before new snow falls, and thus in many winters will not get a continuous snowcover. In most years the continuous snow cover line will run from near Estevan Sk to veyr near Minot then to between Jamestown and Bismarck with east of that line very rare to have a big snow melt where west of this line you can have a quick warmup.
I would tend to characterize Bismarck as a more changeable weather climate due to occasional winter and also summer warmups. Bismarck can get quite humid in the summer but also can have a period of much drier less humid air and also corresponding hotter temps with 100 degrees or so much more common there than in eastern ND. Bismarck is windy just about like the whole state....
So in general, Bismarck can be more like Dickinson and be drier and warmer and in some years be more like Jamestown-Fargo which is colder and wetter.
You are along that fence.
It is no wonder us folks in Grand Forks call Bismarck part of the Banana belt in the winter....
Dan
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