Data / Rankings / Annual precipitation / Counties in North Dakota

Counties in North Dakota by annual precipitation

Dickey County had the highest annual precipitation of 53 counties in 2020, at 21.73 inches. Williams County had the lowest, at 7.85 inches. The median was 11.65 inches and the figure for North Dakota was 12.92 inches. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest21.73Dickey County
Lowest7.85Williams County
Median11.6553 counties
North Dakota12.92History

Map of counties, 2020

Adams County: 10.69 inchesBarnes County: 18.01 inchesBenson County: 11.04 inchesBillings County: 10.61 inchesBottineau County: 12.03 inchesBowman County: 11.05 inchesBurke County: 10.53 inchesBurleigh County: 10.44 inchesCass County: 19.92 inchesCavalier County: 14.93 inchesDickey County: 21.73 inchesDivide County: 9.08 inchesDunn County: 12.07 inchesEddy County: 12.29 inchesEmmons County: 11.69 inchesFoster County: 12.66 inchesGolden Valley County: 11.73 inchesGrand Forks County: 18.57 inchesGrant County: 10.67 inchesGriggs County: 15.45 inchesHettinger County: 11.38 inchesKidder County: 11.58 inchesLaMoure County: 19.36 inchesLogan County: 13.16 inchesMcHenry County: 10.96 inchesMcIntosh County: 15.43 inchesMcKenzie County: 9.02 inchesMcLean County: 10.66 inchesMercer County: 11.29 inchesMorton County: 9.98 inchesMountrail County: 9.88 inchesNelson County: 17.31 inchesOliver County: 10.4 inchesPembina County: 17.04 inchesPierce County: 10.37 inchesRamsey County: 15.18 inchesRansom County: 20.81 inchesRenville County: 11.33 inchesRichland County: 20.12 inchesRolette County: 10.7 inchesSargent County: 19.75 inchesSheridan County: 11.02 inchesSioux County: 11.73 inchesSlope County: 11.08 inchesStark County: 10.73 inchesSteele County: 16.42 inchesStutsman County: 13.51 inchesTowner County: 11.65 inchesTraill County: 18.13 inchesWalsh County: 18.02 inchesWard County: 10.8 inchesWells County: 9.92 inchesWilliams County: 7.85 inches
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inches, 2020. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2020

Dickey County: 21.73 inchesDickey County21.73Ransom County: 20.81 inchesRansom County20.81Richland County: 20.12 inchesRichland County20.12Cass County: 19.92 inchesCass County19.92Sargent County: 19.75 inchesSargent County19.75LaMoure County: 19.36 inchesLaMoure County19.36Grand Forks County: 18.57 inchesGrand Forks County18.57Traill County: 18.13 inchesTraill County18.13Walsh County: 18.02 inchesWalsh County18.02Barnes County: 18.01 inchesBarnes County18.01Nelson County: 17.31 inchesNelson County17.31Pembina County: 17.04 inchesPembina County17.04Steele County: 16.42 inchesSteele County16.42Griggs County: 15.45 inchesGriggs County15.45McIntosh County: 15.43 inchesMcIntosh County15.43Ramsey County: 15.18 inchesRamsey County15.18Cavalier County: 14.93 inchesCavalier County14.93Stutsman County: 13.51 inchesStutsman County13.51Logan County: 13.16 inchesLogan County13.16Foster County: 12.66 inchesFoster County12.66Eddy County: 12.29 inchesEddy County12.29Dunn County: 12.07 inchesDunn County12.07Bottineau County: 12.03 inchesBottineau County12.03Golden Valley County: 11.73 inchesGolden Valley County11.73Sioux County: 11.73 inchesSioux County11.73Emmons County: 11.69 inchesEmmons County11.69Towner County: 11.65 inchesTowner County11.65Kidder County: 11.58 inchesKidder County11.58Hettinger County: 11.38 inchesHettinger County11.38Renville County: 11.33 inchesRenville County11.33Mercer County: 11.29 inchesMercer County11.29Slope County: 11.08 inchesSlope County11.08Bowman County: 11.05 inchesBowman County11.05Benson County: 11.04 inchesBenson County11.04Sheridan County: 11.02 inchesSheridan County11.02McHenry County: 10.96 inchesMcHenry County10.96Ward County: 10.8 inchesWard County10.8Stark County: 10.73 inchesStark County10.73Rolette County: 10.7 inchesRolette County10.7Adams County: 10.69 inchesAdams County10.69Grant County: 10.67 inchesGrant County10.67McLean County: 10.66 inchesMcLean County10.66Billings County: 10.61 inchesBillings County10.61Burke County: 10.53 inchesBurke County10.53Burleigh County: 10.44 inchesBurleigh County10.44Oliver County: 10.4 inchesOliver County10.4Pierce County: 10.37 inchesPierce County10.37Morton County: 9.98 inchesMorton County9.98Wells County: 9.92 inchesWells County9.92Mountrail County: 9.88 inchesMountrail County9.88Divide County: 9.08 inchesDivide County9.08McKenzie County: 9.02 inchesMcKenzie County9.02Williams County: 7.85 inchesWilliams County7.85Dickey County: 21.73 inchesDickey County21.73Ransom County: 20.81 inchesRansom County20.81Richland County: 20.12 inchesRichland County20.12Cass County: 19.92 inchesCass County19.92Sargent County: 19.75 inchesSargent County19.75LaMoure County: 19.36 inchesLaMoure County19.36Grand Forks County: 18.57 inchesGrand Forks County18.57Traill County: 18.13 inchesTraill County18.13Walsh County: 18.02 inchesWalsh County18.02Barnes County: 18.01 inchesBarnes County18.01Nelson County: 17.31 inchesNelson County17.31Pembina County: 17.04 inchesPembina County17.04Steele County: 16.42 inchesSteele County16.42Griggs County: 15.45 inchesGriggs County15.45McIntosh County: 15.43 inchesMcIntosh County15.43Ramsey County: 15.18 inchesRamsey County15.18Cavalier County: 14.93 inchesCavalier County14.93Stutsman County: 13.51 inchesStutsman County13.51Logan County: 13.16 inchesLogan County13.16Foster County: 12.66 inchesFoster County12.66Eddy County: 12.29 inchesEddy County12.29Dunn County: 12.07 inchesDunn County12.07Bottineau County: 12.03 inchesBottineau County12.03Golden Valley County: 11.73 inchesGolden Valley County11.73Sioux County: 11.73 inchesSioux County11.73Emmons County: 11.69 inchesEmmons County11.69Towner County: 11.65 inchesTowner County11.65Kidder County: 11.58 inchesKidder County11.58Hettinger County: 11.38 inchesHettinger County11.38Renville County: 11.33 inchesRenville County11.33Mercer County: 11.29 inchesMercer County11.29Slope County: 11.08 inchesSlope County11.08Bowman County: 11.05 inchesBowman County11.05Benson County: 11.04 inchesBenson County11.04Sheridan County: 11.02 inchesSheridan County11.02McHenry County: 10.96 inchesMcHenry County10.96Ward County: 10.8 inchesWard County10.8Stark County: 10.73 inchesStark County10.73Rolette County: 10.7 inchesRolette County10.7Adams County: 10.69 inchesAdams County10.69Grant County: 10.67 inchesGrant County10.67McLean County: 10.66 inchesMcLean County10.66Billings County: 10.61 inchesBillings County10.61Burke County: 10.53 inchesBurke County10.53Burleigh County: 10.44 inchesBurleigh County10.44Oliver County: 10.4 inchesOliver County10.4Pierce County: 10.37 inchesPierce County10.37Morton County: 9.98 inchesMorton County9.98Wells County: 9.92 inchesWells County9.92Mountrail County: 9.88 inchesMountrail County9.88Divide County: 9.08 inchesDivide County9.08McKenzie County: 9.02 inchesMcKenzie County9.02Williams County: 7.85 inchesWilliams County7.85
inches. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020
inches		Change on 2019
1Dickey County21.73-28.3%
2Ransom County20.81-29.6%
3Richland County20.12-34.2%
4Cass County19.92-33.2%
5Sargent County19.75-38%
6LaMoure County19.36-36.7%
7Grand Forks County18.57-36.4%
8Traill County18.13-42.4%
9Walsh County18.02-27.7%
10Barnes County18.01-37.5%
11Nelson County17.31-36.7%
12Pembina County17.04-24.3%
13Steele County16.42-45.6%
14Griggs County15.45-46.4%
15McIntosh County15.43-49.7%
16Ramsey County15.18-34.5%
17Cavalier County14.93-30.8%
18Stutsman County13.51-50.8%
19Logan County13.16-56.5%
20Foster County12.66-51.8%
21Eddy County12.29-52.3%
22Dunn County12.07-46.1%
23Bottineau County12.03-41.4%
24Golden Valley County11.73-49.8%
24Sioux County11.73-56.8%
26Emmons County11.69-57.8%
27Towner County11.65-36.2%
28Kidder County11.58-59.1%
29Hettinger County11.38-51.9%
30Renville County11.33-46%
31Mercer County11.29-47%
32Slope County11.08-50.6%
33Bowman County11.05-49.7%
34Benson County11.04-48.4%
35Sheridan County11.02-57.3%
36McHenry County10.96-48.3%
37Ward County10.8-49.4%
38Stark County10.73-52.3%
39Rolette County10.7-41.6%
40Adams County10.69-49.5%
41Grant County10.67-57.6%
42McLean County10.66-50.5%
43Billings County10.61-51.9%
44Burke County10.53-51.7%
45Burleigh County10.44-59.1%
46Oliver County10.4-50.6%
47Pierce County10.37-46.6%
48Morton County9.98-59%
49Wells County9.92-59%
50Mountrail County9.88-56.5%
51Divide County9.08-55.5%
52McKenzie County9.02-56.1%
53Williams County7.85-60.2%

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, 2020) [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, 2020. 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=2020. 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, 2020. 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=2020.

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, 2020 [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=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{noaa_counties_in_north_dakota_2020,
  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, 2020}},
  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=2020. 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, 2020
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=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-dakota-counties?period=2020.
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?

Dickey County, with 21.73 inches in 2020, according to NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Which county has the lowest annual precipitation?

Williams County, with 7.85 inches in 2020.

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