North Dakota winters have been described as “consistently very cold,” with January and February being the coldest months. This comes as no great surprise to North Dakotans, who tend to take a certain amount of state pride for thriving in such a severe environment. Daytime temperatures tend to hover between the teens and mid-20s. Nighttime temperatures to dip into the -10 to -20-degree range, sometimes falling to -40.
The year of 1936 started with extreme cold and got worse. The year was defined by an extraordinary cold spell, even for North Dakota. On this date in 1936, Parshall, North Dakota reported a state and national record low of -60 degrees. The unusually cold weather spread from the Rocky Mountains to the Great Lakes, with nine states recording record cold, and North Dakota was caught right in the middle. While Parshall claimed the record low, no one in North Dakota escaped the misery. Temperatures of -42, -46, and -53 were common.
Nothing was easy in the extreme cold. The simplest daily chore became a major production. Going shopping required venturing out in the weather, which was dangerous. People who relied on their vehicles were out of luck. Cars wouldn’t start in the freezing temperatures. Not knowing how long the cold would last, families resorted to cutting down on meals to stretch their resources. Getting to a store in many cases proved useless as shelves were nearly empty.
Staying warm was another major problem. Houses were not well-insulated. Families congregated in one room, closing off other rooms to conserve heat. People wore layers of clothing, huddled together, and pulled out every comforter and quilt they owned.
The isolation was stressful, and many families had no outside contact for weeks. Schools were closed, railroads came to a halt, and mail went undelivered. The severe weather finally began to ease as February came to a close and March arrived. Fargo finally reached the balmy temperature of 32 degrees on March 1. Unfortunately, the warming weather resulted in avalanches in the Pacific Northwest. The melting of the heavy snows and thawing ground caused flooding on most of the rivers in the affected areas.
North Dakotans heaved a sigh of relief, not knowing that Mother Nature was not done yet. The state recorded a recorded high of 121 degrees on July 6, 1936.
Dakota Datebook written by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Bismarck Tribune. “Weather Report.” Bismarck ND. 2/15/1936. Page 3.
- Bismarck Tribune. “Bismarck Paralyzed by Bitter Cold.” Bismarck ND. 2/17/2026. Page 1.
- National Weather Service. “Lowest Temperature Ever in North Dakota.” https://www.weather.gov/bis/LowesteverinNDAccessed 1/17/2025.
- National Weather Service. “North Dakota Climate Extremes.” https://www.weather.gov/bis/climate_EXTAccessed 1/17/2026.
