What Hardiness Zone Is North Dakota?

USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map · 405 ZIP codes · Data updated 2026-10-28

Quick answer

North Dakota spans USDA hardiness zones 3b–4b on the 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The most common zone is 4a, covering 78% of North Dakota's ZIP codes, followed by zone 3b (13%). Zone 4a means the coldest night of an average winter reaches −30°F to −25°F (−34°C to −32°C). Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.

North Dakota hardiness zones by share of ZIP codes

Zone 3b13% · 54 ZIPs

Zone 4a78% · 316 ZIPs

Zone 4b9% · 35 ZIPs

What the zones mean for North Dakota gardeners

Coldest and warmest towns: among towns with NOAA weather stations, Fortuna 1 W (2,350 ft) is in zone 3b, while Lidgerwood (1,125 ft) is in zone 4b. That is a difference of about 10°F in the coldest night of a typical winter.
Same zone, different frost dates: within zone 4a, the median last spring frost ranges from May 2 at Hillsboro 3 N to May 23 at Taylor 7 NNW, 21 days apart. Your zone tells you which perennials survive winter; your frost dates tell you when to plant.

Typical frost dates in each North Dakota zone

Medians across NOAA weather stations in each zone. Colder zones usually have later spring frosts, but local terrain can shift the dates by weeks.

Zone	Last spring frost	First fall frost	Stations
3b	May 17	September 24	15
4a	May 12	September 28	74
4b	May 11	September 28	14

Hardiness zones for North Dakota cities

Zones at the National Weather Service stations, mostly city airports, with their median frost dates.


Fargo Hector Intl Airport	4a	−30°F to −25°F	900	May 10	Sep 30
Grand Forks Intl Airport	4a	−30°F to −25°F	842	May 16	Sep 27
Hettinger Municipal Airport	4b	−25°F to −20°F	2,705	May 24	Sep 18
Jamestown Municipal Airport	4b	−25°F to −20°F	1,494	May 11	Sep 28
Medora 7 E	4b	−25°F to −20°F	2,771	May 9	Sep 30
Minot Intl Airport	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,665	May 10	Oct 1
Pembina	3b	−35°F to −30°F	790	May 16	Sep 29

Hardiness zones for 103 towns in North Dakota

Each NOAA weather station is shown with the USDA zone of the nearest ZIP code (within 8 miles). Coldest night is the zone's range for the average annual extreme minimum temperature. Click a column to sort.

Filter by town


Almont	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,915	May 17	Sep 21
Amidon	4b	−25°F to −20°F	2,910	May 12	Sep 29
Ashley	4b	−25°F to −20°F	2,014	May 13	Sep 28
Belcourt Keya Radio	3b	−35°F to −30°F	1,960	May 19	Sep 24
Beulah 1 W	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,785	May 21	Sep 20
Bismarck 2.4 NNW	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,831	May 10	Sep 30
Bismarck WFO	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,651	May 14	Sep 30
Bottineau	3b	−35°F to −30°F	1,619	May 15	Sep 25
Bowman	4b	−25°F to −20°F	2,983	May 16	Sep 25
Breien	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,720	May 12	Sep 24
Butte 5SE	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,720	May 16	Sep 28
Carrington	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,586	May 10	Sep 28
Casselton Agronomy Farm	4a	−30°F to −25°F	935	May 9	Oct 1
Cavalier 7NW	4a	−30°F to −25°F	899	May 12	Sep 30
Center 4SE	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,990	May 11	Sep 29
Colgate	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,180	May 10	Sep 24
Cooperstown	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,380	May 17	Sep 23
Crosby	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,959	May 17	Sep 23
Devils Lake	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,440	May 12	Sep 30
Dickinson	4b	−25°F to −20°F	2,460	May 20	Sep 22
Dickinson Rch HQ	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,380	May 18	Sep 24
Dunn Center 1E	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,187	May 20	Sep 21
Edgeley 3WNW	4b	−25°F to −20°F	1,623	May 7	Oct 2
Edmore 4NW	3b	−35°F to −30°F	1,539	May 15	Sep 22
Edmunds Arrowwood Ref	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,460	May 11	Sep 28
Ellendale	4b	−25°F to −20°F	1,455	May 4	Oct 2
Enderlin 2W	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,164	May 3	Oct 5
Fairfield	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,750	May 12	Sep 28
Fargo 3S	4a	−30°F to −25°F	908	May 4	Oct 2
Fargo Hector Intl Airport	4a	−30°F to −25°F	900	May 10	Sep 30
Fessenden	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,620	May 13	Sep 28
Flasher	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,980	May 13	Sep 27
Forman 5 SSE	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,250	May 7	Oct 1
Fortuna 1 W	3b	−35°F to −30°F	2,350	May 19	Sep 17
Foxholm 7 N	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,675	May 11	Sep 29
Fullerton 1 ESE	4b	−25°F to −20°F	1,435	May 9	Sep 28
Gackle	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,951	May 6	Oct 4
Grafton	4a	−30°F to −25°F	827	May 4	Oct 7
Grand Forks Intl Airport	4a	−30°F to −25°F	842	May 16	Sep 27
Grand Forks University (nws)	4a	−30°F to −25°F	830	May 10	Oct 1
Granville	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,510	May 9	Oct 1
Grassy Butte 2ENE	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,670	May 18	Sep 23
Hansboro 4 NNE	3b	−35°F to −30°F	1,540	May 18	Sep 23
Harvey 4NE	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,611	May 12	Sep 26
Hazelton 4NW	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,982	May 12	Sep 27
Hebron	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,160	May 19	Sep 21
Hettinger Municipal Airport	4b	−25°F to −20°F	2,705	May 24	Sep 18
Hillsboro 3 N	4a	−30°F to −25°F	910	May 2	Oct 9
Jamestown Municipal Airport	4b	−25°F to −20°F	1,494	May 11	Sep 28
Jamestown State Hosp	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,467	May 8	Sep 29
Keene 3S	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,470	May 20	Sep 20
Kenmare 1 WSW	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,810	May 15	Sep 23
La Moure	4b	−25°F to −20°F	1,334	May 10	Sep 28
Langdon Experiment Farm	3b	−35°F to −30°F	1,615	May 17	Sep 26
Larimore 4SW	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,152	May 11	Sep 28
Leeds	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,530	May 15	Sep 27
Lidgerwood	4b	−25°F to −20°F	1,125	May 2	Oct 6
Linton	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,690	May 12	Sep 29
Lisbon	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,149	May 12	Sep 27
Mandan Experiment Station	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,750	May 13	Sep 27
Max	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,110	May 10	Sep 28
Mayville	4a	−30°F to −25°F	983	May 13	Sep 27
Mc Clusky	4b	−25°F to −20°F	1,927	May 8	Oct 1
Mc Henry 3W	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,555	May 12	Sep 28
Mc Leod 3 E	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,075	May 6	Sep 29
Medora	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,268	May 19	Sep 20
Medora 7 E	4b	−25°F to −20°F	2,771	May 9	Sep 30
Minnewaukan	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,470	May 12	Sep 29
Minot Experiment Station	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,769	May 13	Sep 27
Minot Intl Airport	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,665	May 10	Oct 1
Moffit 3 SE	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,800	May 11	Sep 29
Mohall	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,641	May 17	Sep 23
Mott	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,426	May 16	Sep 25
Napoleon	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,980	May 13	Sep 28
New England	4b	−25°F to −20°F	2,600	May 16	Sep 24
New Salem 5NW	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,150	May 18	Sep 24
Oakes	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,324	May 8	Sep 28
Pembina	3b	−35°F to −30°F	790	May 16	Sep 29
Petersburg 2 N	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,532	May 11	Sep 28
Powers Lake 1N	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,205	May 18	Sep 17
Richardton Abbey	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,470	May 9	Oct 1
Riverdale	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,962	May 12	Oct 3
Rolette 3SE	3b	−35°F to −30°F	1,620	May 22	Sep 20
Rolla 1NE	3b	−35°F to −30°F	1,833	May 20	Sep 26
Stanley 3 NNW	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,280	May 17	Sep 23
Steele 4N	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,853	May 15	Sep 25
Streeter 5 NW	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,961	May 13	Sep 30
Taylor 7 NNW	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,220	May 23	Sep 20
Tioga 1E	3b	−35°F to −30°F	2,245	May 11	Sep 26
Towner 2 NE	3b	−35°F to −30°F	1,480	May 17	Sep 22
Turtle Lake	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,893	May 14	Sep 26
Underwood	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,045	May 10	Sep 29
Upham 3 N	3b	−35°F to −30°F	1,425	May 15	Sep 25
Valley City 3 NNW	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,210	May 13	Sep 26
Velva	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,510	May 22	Sep 22
Washburn	4a	−30°F to −25°F	1,755	May 12	Sep 30
Watford City	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,170	May 9	Sep 27
Westhope	3b	−35°F to −30°F	1,502	May 14	Sep 25
Wildrose 3NW	3b	−35°F to −30°F	2,227	May 18	Sep 20
Williston Experiment Farm	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,105	May 13	Sep 26
Willow City	3b	−35°F to −30°F	1,473	May 21	Sep 20
Wilton	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,188	May 11	Sep 30
Wishek	4a	−30°F to −25°F	2,037	May 13	Sep 27

Frequently asked questions

What hardiness zone is North Dakota?

North Dakota is in USDA hardiness zones 3b–4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 4a is the most common, covering 78% of North Dakota's ZIP codes, and zone 3b covers 13%. Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.

What does zone 4a mean?

Zone 4a means the average annual extreme minimum temperature, the coldest night of a typical winter, is −30°F to −25°F (−34°C to −32°C). Perennials, shrubs and trees rated for zone 4a or colder should survive winter there.

What is the coldest hardiness zone in North Dakota?

Zone 3b is the coldest zone mapped in North Dakota, found around Fortuna 1 W, and zone 4b is the warmest, found around Lidgerwood.

Did North Dakota's hardiness zones change in 2023?

The USDA released a new Plant Hardiness Zone Map in November 2023, based on 1991–2020 temperatures instead of 1976–2005. About half of the United States shifted half a zone warmer. Check your ZIP code here, because plant tags and older books may still list your 2012 zone.

When should I plant in zone 4a?

Hardiness zones don't set planting dates; frost dates do. Inside zone 4a in North Dakota, the median last spring frost varies from May 2 to May 23. Look up your local frost dates and plant tender crops such as tomatoes after the 10%-risk last-frost date.

Zone and frost dates: use both

Your hardiness zone answers one question: will this plant survive the winter here? Choose perennials, shrubs, trees and bulbs rated for your zone or a colder one. For vegetables and annuals, what matters is the length of the frost-free season. See North Dakota frost dates by town, or get a planting calendar for your ZIP code with start-indoors, transplant and sowing dates for 30 crops.

Sources and method

Zones are from the USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP-code files published by the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, based on 1991–2020 minimum temperatures. ZIP codes are assigned to states by USPS prefix. Town zones use the ZIP code nearest each NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals station. This is an independent tool, not an official USDA site. Full methodology.