Counties in North Dakota by annual precipitation

Richland County had the highest annual precipitation of 53 counties in 2017, at 19.87 inches. Divide County had the lowest, at 8.9 inches. The median was 12.82 inches and the figure for North Dakota was 12.99 inches. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest19.87Richland County
Lowest8.9Divide County
Median12.8253 counties
North Dakota12.99History

Map of counties, 2017

Adams County: 8.9 inchesBarnes County: 15.8 inchesBenson County: 13.85 inchesBillings County: 9.39 inchesBottineau County: 11.81 inchesBowman County: 10.6 inchesBurke County: 10.85 inchesBurleigh County: 12.29 inchesCass County: 15.66 inchesCavalier County: 15.09 inchesDickey County: 15.79 inchesDivide County: 8.9 inchesDunn County: 11.93 inchesEddy County: 14.65 inchesEmmons County: 12.91 inchesFoster County: 14.76 inchesGolden Valley County: 9.46 inchesGrand Forks County: 17.71 inchesGrant County: 11.94 inchesGriggs County: 15.44 inchesHettinger County: 10.28 inchesKidder County: 14.29 inchesLaMoure County: 14.65 inchesLogan County: 14.67 inchesMcHenry County: 10.57 inchesMcIntosh County: 15.26 inchesMcKenzie County: 11.44 inchesMcLean County: 11.28 inchesMercer County: 10.8 inchesMorton County: 11.49 inchesMountrail County: 11.08 inchesNelson County: 16.26 inchesOliver County: 10.39 inchesPembina County: 14.44 inchesPierce County: 11.93 inchesRamsey County: 15.3 inchesRansom County: 17.3 inchesRenville County: 10.64 inchesRichland County: 19.87 inchesRolette County: 12.09 inchesSargent County: 19.02 inchesSheridan County: 11.51 inchesSioux County: 13.19 inchesSlope County: 10.07 inchesStark County: 9.98 inchesSteele County: 16.97 inchesStutsman County: 14.38 inchesTowner County: 12.82 inchesTraill County: 17.22 inchesWalsh County: 16.83 inchesWard County: 10.02 inchesWells County: 14.22 inchesWilliams County: 10.82 inches
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inches, 2017. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2017

Richland County: 19.87 inchesRichland County19.87Sargent County: 19.02 inchesSargent County19.02Grand Forks County: 17.71 inchesGrand Forks County17.71Ransom County: 17.3 inchesRansom County17.3Traill County: 17.22 inchesTraill County17.22Steele County: 16.97 inchesSteele County16.97Walsh County: 16.83 inchesWalsh County16.83Nelson County: 16.26 inchesNelson County16.26Barnes County: 15.8 inchesBarnes County15.8Dickey County: 15.79 inchesDickey County15.79Cass County: 15.66 inchesCass County15.66Griggs County: 15.44 inchesGriggs County15.44Ramsey County: 15.3 inchesRamsey County15.3McIntosh County: 15.26 inchesMcIntosh County15.26Cavalier County: 15.09 inchesCavalier County15.09Foster County: 14.76 inchesFoster County14.76Logan County: 14.67 inchesLogan County14.67Eddy County: 14.65 inchesEddy County14.65LaMoure County: 14.65 inchesLaMoure County14.65Pembina County: 14.44 inchesPembina County14.44Stutsman County: 14.38 inchesStutsman County14.38Kidder County: 14.29 inchesKidder County14.29Wells County: 14.22 inchesWells County14.22Benson County: 13.85 inchesBenson County13.85Sioux County: 13.19 inchesSioux County13.19Emmons County: 12.91 inchesEmmons County12.91Towner County: 12.82 inchesTowner County12.82Burleigh County: 12.29 inchesBurleigh County12.29Rolette County: 12.09 inchesRolette County12.09Grant County: 11.94 inchesGrant County11.94Dunn County: 11.93 inchesDunn County11.93Pierce County: 11.93 inchesPierce County11.93Bottineau County: 11.81 inchesBottineau County11.81Sheridan County: 11.51 inchesSheridan County11.51Morton County: 11.49 inchesMorton County11.49McKenzie County: 11.44 inchesMcKenzie County11.44McLean County: 11.28 inchesMcLean County11.28Mountrail County: 11.08 inchesMountrail County11.08Burke County: 10.85 inchesBurke County10.85Williams County: 10.82 inchesWilliams County10.82Mercer County: 10.8 inchesMercer County10.8Renville County: 10.64 inchesRenville County10.64Bowman County: 10.6 inchesBowman County10.6McHenry County: 10.57 inchesMcHenry County10.57Oliver County: 10.39 inchesOliver County10.39Hettinger County: 10.28 inchesHettinger County10.28Slope County: 10.07 inchesSlope County10.07Ward County: 10.02 inchesWard County10.02Stark County: 9.98 inchesStark County9.98Golden Valley County: 9.46 inchesGolden Valley County9.46Billings County: 9.39 inchesBillings County9.39Adams County: 8.9 inchesAdams County8.9Divide County: 8.9 inchesDivide County8.9Richland County: 19.87 inchesRichland County19.87Sargent County: 19.02 inchesSargent County19.02Grand Forks County: 17.71 inchesGrand Forks County17.71Ransom County: 17.3 inchesRansom County17.3Traill County: 17.22 inchesTraill County17.22Steele County: 16.97 inchesSteele County16.97Walsh County: 16.83 inchesWalsh County16.83Nelson County: 16.26 inchesNelson County16.26Barnes County: 15.8 inchesBarnes County15.8Dickey County: 15.79 inchesDickey County15.79Cass County: 15.66 inchesCass County15.66Griggs County: 15.44 inchesGriggs County15.44Ramsey County: 15.3 inchesRamsey County15.3McIntosh County: 15.26 inchesMcIntosh County15.26Cavalier County: 15.09 inchesCavalier County15.09Foster County: 14.76 inchesFoster County14.76Logan County: 14.67 inchesLogan County14.67Eddy County: 14.65 inchesEddy County14.65LaMoure County: 14.65 inchesLaMoure County14.65Pembina County: 14.44 inchesPembina County14.44Stutsman County: 14.38 inchesStutsman County14.38Kidder County: 14.29 inchesKidder County14.29Wells County: 14.22 inchesWells County14.22Benson County: 13.85 inchesBenson County13.85Sioux County: 13.19 inchesSioux County13.19Emmons County: 12.91 inchesEmmons County12.91Towner County: 12.82 inchesTowner County12.82Burleigh County: 12.29 inchesBurleigh County12.29Rolette County: 12.09 inchesRolette County12.09Grant County: 11.94 inchesGrant County11.94Dunn County: 11.93 inchesDunn County11.93Pierce County: 11.93 inchesPierce County11.93Bottineau County: 11.81 inchesBottineau County11.81Sheridan County: 11.51 inchesSheridan County11.51Morton County: 11.49 inchesMorton County11.49McKenzie County: 11.44 inchesMcKenzie County11.44McLean County: 11.28 inchesMcLean County11.28Mountrail County: 11.08 inchesMountrail County11.08Burke County: 10.85 inchesBurke County10.85Williams County: 10.82 inchesWilliams County10.82Mercer County: 10.8 inchesMercer County10.8Renville County: 10.64 inchesRenville County10.64Bowman County: 10.6 inchesBowman County10.6McHenry County: 10.57 inchesMcHenry County10.57Oliver County: 10.39 inchesOliver County10.39Hettinger County: 10.28 inchesHettinger County10.28Slope County: 10.07 inchesSlope County10.07Ward County: 10.02 inchesWard County10.02Stark County: 9.98 inchesStark County9.98Golden Valley County: 9.46 inchesGolden Valley County9.46Billings County: 9.39 inchesBillings County9.39Adams County: 8.9 inchesAdams County8.9Divide County: 8.9 inchesDivide County8.9
inches. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017
inches
Change on 2016
1Richland County19.87-18.8%
2Sargent County19.02-21%
3Grand Forks County17.71-36.8%
4Ransom County17.3-31.5%
5Traill County17.22-36.7%
6Steele County16.97-35.7%
7Walsh County16.83-43.5%
8Nelson County16.26-40%
9Barnes County15.8-40.4%
10Dickey County15.79-44.8%
11Cass County15.66-35.4%
12Griggs County15.44-40.2%
13Ramsey County15.3-40%
14McIntosh County15.26-37.2%
15Cavalier County15.09-44.7%
16Foster County14.76-33.5%
17Logan County14.67-44.8%
18Eddy County14.65-32.2%
18LaMoure County14.65-47.6%
20Pembina County14.44-52.3%
21Stutsman County14.38-44.6%
22Kidder County14.29-40.4%
23Wells County14.22-26.3%
24Benson County13.85-33.9%
25Sioux County13.19-32.5%
26Emmons County12.91-39%
27Towner County12.82-43.9%
28Burleigh County12.29-42.3%
29Rolette County12.09-47.2%
30Grant County11.94-36.3%
31Dunn County11.93-41.5%
31Pierce County11.93-41%
33Bottineau County11.81-46.4%
34Sheridan County11.51-44.1%
35Morton County11.49-40.3%
36McKenzie County11.44-39.9%
37McLean County11.28-41.7%
38Mountrail County11.08-46%
39Burke County10.85-51.6%
40Williams County10.82-37.4%
41Mercer County10.8-43.1%
42Renville County10.64-51.9%
43Bowman County10.6-27.4%
44McHenry County10.57-47.8%
45Oliver County10.39-46.3%
46Hettinger County10.28-32.3%
47Slope County10.07-33.2%
48Ward County10.02-49.8%
49Stark County9.98-36.1%
50Golden Valley County9.46-49.2%
51Billings County9.39-44.7%
52Adams County8.9-32%
52Divide County8.9-51.6%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total precipitation from January to December, in inches: rain plus the water content of snow and other frozen precipitation. NOAA computes it from its climate divisional dataset (nClimDiv): station readings interpolated onto a 5 km grid and averaged over the area.

Values are area averages, not the reading at one weather station. NOAA revises the last two years every month.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. (2026). NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties (Counties in North Dakota by annual precipitation, 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping

MLA 9

NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties, Counties in North Dakota by annual precipitation, 2017. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 6 Oct. 2026, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-dakota-counties?period=2017. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 2026. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Counties in North Dakota by annual precipitation, 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-dakota-counties?period=2017.

Harvard

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (2026) NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties, Counties in North Dakota by annual precipitation, 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-dakota-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{noaa_counties_in_north_dakota_2017,
  author = {{NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information}},
  title = {{NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties: Counties in North Dakota by annual precipitation, 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-dakota-counties?period=2017. Publisher attribution: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
TI  - NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties: Counties in North Dakota by annual precipitation, 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/06
PB  - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-dakota-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-dakota-counties?period=2017.
N1  - Publisher attribution: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in North Dakota by annual precipitation using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest annual precipitation?

Richland County, with 19.87 inches in 2017, according to NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Which county has the lowest annual precipitation?

Divide County, with 8.9 inches in 2017.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Annual precipitation: other rankings

Counties in North Dakota: more rankings