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So... I've done tons of research about North Dakota in anticipation of making a move. I've also asked a few weather/climate related questions. But one thing I've failed to consider is how severe your weather is during the summer.
Where I live, most precipitation comes during the winter (snow). We get very little rain during the summer and it's generally in the form of thunderstorms now and then. Some can get ugly, but it's not all that common. I notice that your North Dakota precip pattern is more-or-less opposite from where I am. You get most of your precip in the summer and, although you get as much snow as we do, that's your dry season. So, since you get most precip in the summer, you get a lot of thunderstorms? Is that true? I assume that tornadoes in the north east area of the state are not all that common, but do you get a lot of severe weather during the summer up in the Park River area?
I must admit I'm a bit squeamish with lightning because I came within about 10 feet of being struck when I was a teenager. I don't mind a bit of lightning (preferably at a distance)... but am I going to be rushing around with my eyes toward the sky, in a cold sweat, all summer long as lightning storm after lightning storm rumbles through for months on end? Say it isn't so!
So... I've done tons of research about North Dakota in anticipation of making a move. I've also asked a few weather/climate related questions. But one thing I've failed to consider is how severe your weather is during the summer.
Where I live, most precipitation comes during the winter (snow). We get very little rain during the summer and it's generally in the form of thunderstorms now and then. Some can get ugly, but it's not all that common. I notice that your North Dakota precip pattern is more-or-less opposite from where I am. You get most of your precip in the summer and, although you get as much snow as we do, that's your dry season. So, since you get most precip in the summer, you get a lot of thunderstorms? Is that true? I assume that tornadoes in the north east area of the state are not all that common, but do you get a lot of severe weather during the summer up in the Park River area?
I must admit I'm a bit squeamish with lightning because I came within about 10 feet of being struck when I was a teenager. I don't mind a bit of lightning (preferably at a distance)... but am I going to be rushing around with my eyes toward the sky, in a cold sweat, all summer long as lightning storm after lightning storm rumbles through for months on end? Say it isn't so!
Chris
One thing about precipitation amounts is that water equivalent snowfall amounts are quite low due to the cold airmass in place over the winter time. You can get 6 inches of snowfall....but yet only have .15 liquid from it. This is unlike your area (New England ?? correct me if I am wrong) where your snowfalls are generally wetter.
That said....yes we typically would see more storms than your area. This year has set records for the number of tornadoes in our area....but yet again these type of storms affect such a very small portion of the area due to their nature. So yes....we do have more stormy weather in the summer and most of the precip in the year comes from rainfall in the summer and we do have storm events. Most severe weather events are mostly Memorial Day to Labor Day...but are not frequent every day events like in south Florida or more tropical climates..
One thing about precipitation amounts is that water equivalent snowfall amounts are quite low due to the cold airmass in place over the winter time. You can get 6 inches of snowfall....but yet only have .15 liquid from it. This is unlike your area (New England ?? correct me if I am wrong) where your snowfalls are generally wetter.
That said....yes we typically would see more storms than your area. This year has set records for the number of tornadoes in our area....but yet again these type of storms affect such a very small portion of the area due to their nature. So yes....we do have more stormy weather in the summer and most of the precip in the year comes from rainfall in the summer and we do have storm events. Most severe weather events are mostly Memorial Day to Labor Day...but are not frequent every day events like in south Florida or more tropical climates..
Dan
Actually I'm in Utah, so the snow is fairly dry and I'm assuming it's quite dry in your area too. Yours just stays on the ground longer (because your average temps are so much colder), even though the snow totals are very close between here and there.
It's good to hear the severe weather is not a constant thing in the summer like some areas of the south. Here in Utah it varies widely, but maybe three or four good thunderstorms a month on average in the summer months. Some years practically none, others can be almost daily for week-long cycles. Tornadoes are very rare, although there have been a couple over the years that were quite memorable.
I think the more frequent precip in the summer will take a bit of getting used to for me. It's so hot and dry here in the summer. Sounds like you guys are warm and a bit wetter.
Actually I'm in Utah, so the snow is fairly dry and I'm assuming it's quite dry in your area too. Yours just stays on the ground longer (because your average temps are so much colder), even though the snow totals are very close between here and there.
It's good to hear the severe weather is not a constant thing in the summer like some areas of the south. Here in Utah it varies widely, but maybe three or four good thunderstorms a month on average in the summer months. Some years practically none, others can be almost daily for week-long cycles. Tornadoes are very rare, although there have been a couple over the years that were quite memorable.
I think the more frequent precip in the summer will take a bit of getting used to for me. It's so hot and dry here in the summer. Sounds like you guys are warm and a bit wetter.
sorry about that Chris....I somehow thought out east. Well....from Utah it will be a moister climate for sure with more precip than you get there. Certainly not as hot (as talked about earlier)....but you will hear more thunder and see more lightning that in the drier climate where you live. Snow here can be a pretty wet snow in the early and late part of the season (i.e. Nov and again in March) but most of the time from Dec into Feb it is more of a dry fluffy snow that blows around easily. And yes our colder temps will mean almost always a blanket of snow from mid Nov to mid March with some seasons snow on the ground starting late Oct or early Nov and lasting into early-mid April.
This is how North Dakota weather is to me: cold and severely dry (I had scaly, dry skin ALL winter, invest in humidifier), then flood season comes when the snow melts, then lots and lots of storms and oh look it's winter again. Mostly, the weather here is rather unpredictable. Thunderstorms happen almost every other week, or at least they did this year and that started in April, I think. Then it got really hot and then it was in the 60s and now it's back again in the 90s and rainy. I've lived out West and I have to say it is completely different than anything over there. At least when lived in Arizona I knew it would be hot and dry during the day, cool at night and it would rain two or three times that year. Here, you can never really tell.
And yes our colder temps will mean almost always a blanket of snow from mid Nov to mid March with some seasons snow on the ground starting late Oct or early Nov and lasting into early-mid April.
The past couple of years it has actually snowed in May and June. I wore a jacket on 4th of July! But it beats sweltering in 120 degrees, I suppose.
This is how North Dakota weather is to me: cold and severely dry (I had scaly, dry skin ALL winter, invest in humidifier), then flood season comes when the snow melts, then lots and lots of storms and oh look it's winter again. Mostly, the weather here is rather unpredictable. Thunderstorms happen almost every other week, or at least they did this year and that started in April, I think. Then it got really hot and then it was in the 60s and now it's back again in the 90s and rainy. I've lived out West and I have to say it is completely different than anything over there. At least when lived in Arizona I knew it would be hot and dry during the day, cool at night and it would rain two or three times that year. Here, you can never really tell.
Changeable....that is weather in the northern Plains.... We do have to use lots of lotion on our small kids in the winter as their skin gets dry. It has been a pretty stormy year in eastern ND....a bit above average rainfall...though nothing like Iowa. Winter is my favorite season (if anyone has read my posts before who would have guessed?). It was in the upper 60s and 70s past couple of days....then it will hit the low 90s with lots of wind this Sunday (8/22) then back into the more normal 70s the following week. But that is what makes weather forecasting fun in the nation's mid section.
In the winter it is more will it clear out and get to -25 or -30F or stay cloudy and stay at -15F.....and willl the wind be enough to cause visibility problems in rural areas.
My in-laws live in the Minot area and they have seen the past 2-3 years really bring back water levels down along the Missouri after years of drought so a wetter period is fine for them. But boy they have been hit by two terrible winters making it very hard to get to their house in the rural boonies south of Minot.
As a weather person....we are often asked by the media will the fall or winter be below average or above average temps....and the answer is yes both...times of very cold and times of unusual warmth. So average weather in ND is kind of a misleading.
I've noticed this as I've sifted through climate/weather data for the area. It's a bit like that in Utah as well, but you guys are even more deviant from the averages. A land of extremes!
Just to throw in my two cents, I personally think we have terrific summer weather. In fact, the summers were actually a pleasant surprise to me, because all you hear about ND is how horrible the winters are. Some years are a lot more rainy and some are dryer. We do occasionally get some thunderstorms, but I can't think of very many times it's been close enough to cause any concern. The same with tornados -- we may go several years with none, and then have a year that sirens go off several times. We've been here 21 years now, and the only time I can remember a town being hit by a tornado (in our region) was Northwood about 3 years ago -- oh yeah, and Maple Lake this year; so I guess I personally don't feel like tornados are a huge threat, but nothing you want to ignore either. That's not to say they can't happen, but I don't spend a whole lot of time worrying about them. Our summers are short, but the days are long with lots of sunshine -- and you'll probably find there are times that you have to mow your lawn more than once a week because things grow really really well in our rich soil. Park River is really a nice little town and my experience there is the people are very friendly. I think you'll like it.
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