Bismarck weather in April

In April, Bismarck sees average daytime highs of 53°F and overnight lows near 32°F, with 1.8 in of precipitation across 7.5 wet days and about 13.3 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 47°F in the first days to 59°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in April, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of April to 14 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, April is Bismarck's 8th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bismarck's year-round climate.

Daytime high
53°
7th warmest
Overnight low
32°
6th coldest
Precipitation
1.8 in
7.5 wet days
Daylight
13 h 18 min
6:03 AM – 7:24 PM
Cloud cover
64%
8th clearest
Wind
10 mph
5th windiest
Solar energy
5.28 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.1
out of 10

Bismarck is capital city of the U.S. state of North Dakota and seat of Burleigh County.

Density
58,300/km²
people per km²
Founded
1872

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in April

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 47°F in the first days to 59°F by the end.

A typical April day in Bismarck reaches about 53°F in the afternoon and slips back to 32°F overnight — a 21°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 36°F and 68°F. Set against its neighbours, April runs about 15°F warmer than March and about 13°F cooler than May.

20°40°60°80°151015202530
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
14626
24726
34727
44727
54827
64828
74928
84928
95029
105029
115130
125130
135231
145231
155331
165332
175432
185433
195533
205533
215634
225634
235735
245735
255735
265836
275836
285937
295937
305937

How April really feels in Bismarck

Once humidity and wind are folded in, April averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 30 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
30
wind chill below the day's low

The story in April is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Bismarck weather by month

How April compares with the rest of the year at a glance. April is the 7th-warmest and 6th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan22° / 0.64.54.88.80.0
Feb26° / 0.74.44.6100.0
Mar38° / 20°1.05411.60.2
Apr53° / 32°1.87.52.913.33.1
May66° / 44°2.99.80.414.85.9
Jun75° / 55°3.811.1015.66.7
Jul81° / 60°3.09.8015.36.8
Aug81° / 57°2.37.40147.2
Sep71° / 48°1.86.5012.47.2
Oct55° / 35°1.86.51.510.64.0
Nov38° / 22°0.84.13.59.20.2
Dec26° / 10°0.74.44.98.40.0

Cloud cover in April

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time in April.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 15% of April, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 58%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14456
24357
34258
44258
54258
64258
74258
84258
94159
104159
114159
124159
134159
144159
154258
164258
174357
184357
194258
204258
214159
224258
234357
244357
254357
264357
274456
284456
294357
304357

Chance of precipitation in April

Any precipitationSnow

Bismarck gets around 1.8 in of rain and snow over 7.5 wet days in April. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 25% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days, and about 3 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202530
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12113
22113
32113
42113
52113
62113
72213
82213
92212
102212
112311
122311
132411
142410
152510
16259
17269
18268
19278
20277
21277
22286
23286
24286
25285
26285
27285
28295
29304
30304

Humidity in April

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of April feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, April lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202530
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
101000
111000
121000
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
30991

Wind in April

Winds average 10 mph in April.

Across April, daily wind ranges from about 10 mph on the calmest days to 10 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202530
Wind speed (mph)Feels
110light breeze
210light breeze
310light breeze
410light breeze
510light breeze
610light breeze
710light breeze
810light breeze
910light breeze
1010light breeze
1110light breeze
1210light breeze
1310light breeze
1410light breeze
1510light breeze
1610light breeze
1710light breeze
1810light breeze
1910light breeze
2010light breeze
2110light breeze
2210light breeze
2310light breeze
2410light breeze
2510light breeze
2610light breeze
2710light breeze
2810light breeze
2910light breeze
3010light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in April

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of April to 14 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 96 minutes over April. Sunrise moves from 6:33 AM to 5:38 AM, and sunset from 7:03 PM to 7:43 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202530
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.56:337:03
212.66:317:04
312.66:297:06
412.76:277:07
512.76:257:08
612.86:237:10
712.86:217:11
812.96:197:13
913.06:177:14
1013.06:157:15
1113.16:137:17
1213.16:117:18
1313.26:097:19
1413.26:077:21
1513.36:057:22
1613.36:037:24
1713.46:017:25
1813.55:597:26
1913.55:577:28
2013.65:567:29
2113.65:547:31
2213.75:527:32
2313.75:507:33
2413.85:487:35
2513.85:477:36
2613.95:457:37
2713.95:437:39
2814.05:417:40
2914.05:407:42
3014.15:387:43

Solar energy in April

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in April, about 5.28 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.43 kWh/m² to a high of 6.7 kWh/m² in July across the year — April's 5.28 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202530
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.9Bright
24.9Bright
34.9Bright
45.0Bright
55.0Bright
65.0Bright
75.1Bright
85.1Bright
95.1Bright
105.1Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.3Bright
165.3Bright
175.3Bright
185.3Bright
195.4Bright
205.4Bright
215.4Bright
225.5Bright
235.5Bright
245.5Bright
255.5Bright
265.6Bright
275.6Bright
285.6Bright
295.6Bright
305.7Bright
Planning a trip in April

Hazard calendar for Bismarck

In seasonPeak

In April, Bismarck sits inside its rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Bismarck's rainy season runs April–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is April a good time to visit Bismarck?

Our two travel scores rate April for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

3.1
Sightseeing
7th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

April is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Bismarck.

What to pack for Bismarck in April

From April's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In April, Bismarck sees daytime highs around 53°F and nights near 32°F. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: sun protection. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layersun protection

UV index in Bismarck in April

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in April peaks around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Bismarck peaks around June 22 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 22UV 8Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Low
Mar3Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May6High
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep5High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Bismarck?

Bismarck sits at 46.8°N, 100.8°W, 1,686 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Mandan, 5.0 mi away.

Topography around Bismarck

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Bismarck.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Bismarck has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 285 ft around an average of 1,713 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 505 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 915 ft.

The land around Bismarck is covered by artificial surfaces (54%) and trees (23%) within 2 miles, grassland (63%) and cropland (20%) within 10 miles, and grassland (62%) and cropland (34%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
285 ft
10 miles
505 ft
50 miles
915 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
April weather nearby: Mandan 5.0 mi · Dickinson 95 mi · Jamestown 98 mi · Minot 101 mi · Aberdeen 144 mi · Williston 162 mi · West Fargo 183 mi · Fargo 189 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Bismarck (46.8083°, -100.7837°, elevation 1,686 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).