October 2026

The sun sets behind Fargo NW NDAWN

In This Issue

Winterization Flurry
NDSCO Update
October Statistics
Cross-Quarter Days
Around the Mesonet

Updates From the Field

Winterization Flurry

The NDAWN Team have been busy, busy bees this October getting the stations ready for the upcoming winter, driving a combined 7500 miles this past month. Most of the preparation work goes into the all-season precipitation gauges - adding an ethylene glycol mixture to help prevent freeze-up of the weighing bucket over the winter, which could damage the scale. 85% are completed, and the last 15% are expected to be done within the first two weeks of November.

Another task was adding an additional test all-season gauge to our Fargo Test Site, to compare different dual-altershields amongst themselves. (Don't worry, it was safer than the picture makes it seem.)

NDAWN field staff installing a dual-altershield

Two New Stations in Minnesota

Our partners at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture installed two new stations in Central Minnesota in October:

Brownton 2NW, McLeod County
Watkins 2S, Meeker County

Both stations have an all-season precipitation gauge, ultrasonic snow depth sensor, soil moisture, deep soil temperatures, and a camera.

first views from the new MAWN station Brownton

soil pit at the new MAWN station Brownton

first views from the new MAWN station Watkins

soil pit at the new MAWN station Watkins

ND State Climate Office Update

Growing Season Summary

The 2026 Growing Season covered the five-month period from May through September. In North Dakota, it was defined by a warmer-than-average summer, especially in July, with much of the state recording below-average precipitation. This combination drove significant drought expansion, stressed crops and pastures, and reduced yields. Although late-season moisture finally arrived, it came too late to benefit most production.

Bismarck and Grand Forks each recorded one of their longest and warmest growing seasons on record, while Fargo recorded one of its warmest and driest.

Growing Season 2026 Climate Summary cover page

October 2026 Monthly

After a wet September, there were some concerns about conditions being too wet for the upcoming harvest. Those concerns ended quickly as October remained dry and warm. Much of the state recorded well below average rain during the month, with the northwestern part of the state being a noticeable exception. The dry conditions brought along with it above average temperatures and a lot of sunshine.

October will likely be remembered for the mild and sunny conditions across much of the region, meaning Harvest 2026 went about as smooth as you can expect on the Northern Plains.

Temperature Summary

Maximum Temperature

94.2°F ✦ Campbell 3SE (Wilkin County, MN)

↕

72.0°F ✦ Peace Garden (Rolette County, ND)

Map of NDAWN Mesonet October Maximum Temperature

Minimum Temperature

14.2°F ✦ Clyde 4SW (Cavalier County, ND)

↕

33.4°F ✦ St. Peter 1W (Nicollet County, MN)

Map of NDAWN Mesonet October Minimum Temperature

Average Temperature

57.7°F ✦ St. Peter 1W (Nicollet County, MN)

↕

43.6°F ✦ Palermo 8N (Mountrail County, ND), Rolla 2S (Rolette County, ND), Tioga 7NW (Williams County, ND)

Map of NDAWN Mesonet October Average Temperature

Departure from Average Temperature

+10.8°F ✦ St. Peter 1W (Nicollet County, MN)

↕

+0.5°F ✦ Maxbass 6SW (Bottineau County, ND)

Map of NDAWN Mesonet October Departure from Average Temperature

Mesonetwide, NDAWN averaged an air temperature of 48.7°F which is 4.6°F above average.

Precipitation Summary

Total Precipitation

2.60" ✦ Holloway 3W (Swift County, MN)

↕

0.17" ✦ Mandan 4S (Morton County, ND)

Map of NDAWN Mesonet October Total Precipitation

Percent of Normal Precipitation

157% ✦ Pioneer (Williams County, ND)

↕

12% ✦ Mandan 4S (Morton County, ND), Robinson 3NNW (Kidder County, ND)

Map of NDAWN Mesonet October Percent of Normal Precipitation

Departure from Normal Precipitation

+0.53" ✦ Pioneer (Williams County, ND)

↕

-2.24" ✦ Hubbard 1SE (Hubbard County, MN)

Map of NDAWN Mesonet October Departure from Normal Precipitation

Mesonetwide, NDAWN averaged 0.90" total precipitation which is 51% or -0.86" of normal.

Wind Summary

Peak Gust at 10ft

51.9 mph ✦ Bowman 4W (Bowman County, ND)

Map of NDAWN Mesonet October Peak Wind Gust at 10ft

Peak Gust at 33ft

58.9 mph ✦ Dooley 3S (Sheridan County, MT)

Map of NDAWN Mesonet October Peak Wind Gust at 33ft

Mesonetwide, NDAWN averaged a daily wind speed of 7.3 mph.

NDAWN Monthly, Seasonal, and Annual Climate Statistics

Monthly Fun Fact

October ends with Halloween, a date rooted in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. October 31 falls roughly halfway between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. There are four such midpoints during the year, known as cross-quarter days. They each carry their own traditional celebration. The other three are:

February 2 (now Groundhog Day)
May 1 (May Day)
August 1 (Lammas Day)

All cross-quarter days mark the midpoint between an equinox and a solstice. Careful observers will notice that these traditional dates do not fall on the exact astronomical midpoints, but they did align more closely with them before the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in 1582.

Around the Mesonet with Station Cameras

View Station Photos

Contact NDAWN

Daryl Ritchison

Director of NDAWN

North Dakota State Climatologist

701.231.8209

daryl.ritchison@ndsu.edu

Julia Poblotzki

Mesonet Minute Editor

NDAWN Logistics & Lead Field Technician

701.630.1795

julia.poblotzki@ndsu.edu

Mesonet Minute Archive

Current Conditions, Photos, and Soil Data

NDAWN Inversion App

Android | iOS

Ag Tools and Downloadable Station Data

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