Northern Plains Flying Weather
ND · SD · MN · WI · 2006–2025 · 116 eligible airports
Severely continental regime with among the largest annual temperature swings in the lower 48. Winter brings blizzards, ground blizzards driven by strong northwest winds over open terrain, Alberta clipper systems, freezing fog, and prolonged deep cold that makes airframe icing and cold-weather operations the primary hazards. Summer features severe afternoon and evening convection — supercells, large hail, and derechos — especially across the eastern Dakotas and Minnesota, and surface winds are persistently strong and gusty over the open plains in every season. VFR conditions dominate outside active weather; best flying is late summer through early fall, worst is December through March.
- Daylight VFR
- 77.3%
- VFR days/yr
- 250
- Mean wind
- 7.0 kt
- Most VFR month
- July
- Fewest VFR month
- December
- VFR Score
- 40
Regional standouts
Best VFRKRAPRapid City Regional Airport87.5%Most IFRKLNLKings Land O' Lakes Airport17.5%CalmestKCDDScotts Seaplane BaseWind Score 94WindiestKOTGWorthington Municipal Airport10.3 ktFoggiestKHIBRange Regional Airport206 days/yrBest visibilityKRAPRapid City Regional Airport90.4%Most crosswindsKMWMWindom Municipal Airport5.6%
VFR conditions by month
Regional average across eligible airports
| Month | VFR % |
|---|---|
| Jan | 62.2% |
| Feb | 71.7% |
| Mar | 73.0% |
| Apr | 77.3% |
| May | 82.3% |
| Jun | 86.1% |
| Jul | 89.1% |
| Aug | 84.2% |
| Sep | 82.2% |
| Oct | 76.9% |
| Nov | 70.6% |
| Dec | 57.5% |
Average wind by month
Regional average sustained wind
| Month | Mean wind (kt) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 7.4 kt |
| Feb | 7.4 kt |
| Mar | 7.8 kt |
| Apr | 8.5 kt |
| May | 7.6 kt |
| Jun | 6.6 kt |
| Jul | 5.6 kt |
| Aug | 5.4 kt |
| Sep | 6.2 kt |
| Oct | 7.3 kt |
| Nov | 7.5 kt |
| Dec | 7.2 kt |
Every airport in Northern Plains, ranked
Sort by any column. Best VFR Score first.
| KLNLKings Land O' Lakes Airport | Land O' Lakes | 62.3 | 17.5 | 208 | 4 kt | 17 |
| KEGVEagle River Union Airport | Eagle River | 62.8 | 16.5 | 209 | 5 kt | 19 |
| KARVLakeland Airport Noble F Lee Memorial Field | Woodruff | 67.3 | 13.8 | 216 | 5 kt | 24 |
| KRHIRhinelander Oneida County Airport | Rhinelander | 67.0 | 14.7 | 215 | 6 kt | 24 |
| KCKCGrand Marais Cook County Airport | Grand Marais | 69.2 | 15.8 | 217 | 5 kt | 26 |
| KDLHDuluth International Airport | Duluth | 70.8 | 15.3 | 233 | 8 kt | 26 |
| KEVMEveleth–Virginia Municipal Airport | Eveleth | 68.0 | 13.7 | 218 | 5 kt | 27 |
| KFKAFillmore County Airport | Preston | 73.3 | 12.5 | 238 | 7 kt | 28 |
| KHIBRange Regional Airport | Hibbing | 68.2 | 13.9 | 223 | 5 kt | 28 |
| KBJIBemidji Regional Airport | Bemidji | 71.2 | 12.4 | 228 | 6 kt | 29 |
| KRSTRochester International Airport | Rochester | 74.0 | 12.7 | 239 | 9 kt | 29 |
| KPBHPrice County Airport | Phillips | 69.0 | 12.4 | 228 | 5 kt | 29 |
| KUBECumberland Municipal Airport | Cumberland | 71.1 | 12.3 | 232 | 6 kt | 29 |
| KGPZGrand Rapids Itasca Co-Gordon Newstrom field | Grand Rapids | 70.2 | 12.4 | 227 | 6 kt | 30 |
| KBRDBrainerd Lakes Regional Airport | Brainerd | 72.5 | 10.9 | 235 | 6 kt | 31 |
| KDTLDetroit Lakes Airport | Detroit Lakes | 73.2 | 13.7 | 234 | 7 kt | 32 |
| KTKVTomahawk Regional Airport | Tomahawk | 66.8 | 14.0 | 225 | 3 kt | 32 |
| KPKDPark Rapids Municipal Airport Konshok Field | Park Rapids | 72.8 | 11.5 | 234 | 7 kt | 32 |
| KELOEly Municipal Airport | Ely | 71.3 | 10.1 | 228 | 5 kt | 32 |
| KAELAlbert Lea Municipal Airport | Albert Lea | 73.4 | 11.9 | 243 | 6 kt | 33 |
| KINLFalls International Airport | International Falls | 72.7 | 10.5 | 229 | 6 kt | 33 |
| KCOQCloquet Carlton County Airport | Cloquet | 72.0 | 13.1 | 239 | 6 kt | 33 |
| KRPDRice Lake Regional Airport - Carl's Field | Rice Lake | 71.6 | 10.7 | 238 | 5 kt | 33 |
| KHYRSawyer County Airport | Hayward | 70.9 | 11.5 | 231 | 4 kt | 34 |
| KACQWaseca Municipal Airport | Waseca | 75.0 | 10.3 | 244 | 7 kt | 35 |
| KAXNChandler Field | Alexandria | 75.1 | 12.0 | 239 | 8 kt | 35 |
| KAUMAustin Municipal Airport | Austin | 74.7 | 10.8 | 247 | 6 kt | 35 |
| KTOBDodge Center Airport | Dodge Center | 75.1 | 11.6 | 248 | 8 kt | 35 |
| KASXJohn F Kennedy Memorial Airport | Ashland | 72.6 | 10.3 | 236 | 6 kt | 36 |
| KPEXPaynesville Municipal Airport | Paynesville | 75.2 | 10.0 | 242 | 6 kt | 36 |
| KMJQJackson Municipal Airport | Jackson | 75.6 | 12.8 | 252 | 8 kt | 37 |
| KRCXRusk County Airport | Ladysmith | 74.0 | 9.1 | 243 | 5 kt | 37 |
| KBDEBaudette International Airport | Baudette | 74.2 | 9.2 | 236 | 6 kt | 37 |
| KRRTWarroad International Memorial Airport | Warroad | 75.7 | 8.5 | 240 | 6 kt | 37 |
| KDYTSky Harbor Airport | Duluth | 75.7 | 9.0 | 246 | 7 kt | 38 |
| KFOZBigfork Municipal Airport | Bigfork | 71.0 | 12.7 | 237 | 4 kt | 38 |
| KOTGWorthington Municipal Airport | Worthington | 76.7 | 11.9 | 249 | 9 kt | 38 |
| KGDBGranite Falls Municipal Airport / Lenzen-Roe Memorial Field | Granite Falls | 78.1 | 8.7 | 250 | 7 kt | 38 |
| KXVGLongville Municipal Airport | Longville | 71.9 | 11.1 | 243 | 4 kt | 38 |
| KMZHMoose Lake Carlton County Airport | Moose Lake | 71.5 | 12.3 | 245 | 4 kt | 38 |
| KADCWadena Municipal Airport | Wadena | 74.8 | 10.2 | 249 | 6 kt | 38 |
| KTVFThief River Falls Regional Airport | Thief River Falls | 76.4 | 9.7 | 241 | 8 kt | 39 |
| KOLGSolon Springs Municipal Airport | Solon Springs | 69.8 | 12.6 | 234 | 4 kt | 39 |
| KOVLOlivia Regional Airport | Olivia | 77.5 | 9.6 | 249 | 7 kt | 39 |
| KATYWatertown Regional Airport | Watertown | 76.9 | 11.9 | 253 | 8 kt | 39 |
| KOWAOwatonna Degner Regional Airport | Owatonna | 77.2 | 9.2 | 253 | 7 kt | 39 |
| KMKTMankato Regional Airport | Mankato | 77.4 | 9.0 | 244 | 8 kt | 39 |
| KPWCPine River Regional Airport | Pine River | 73.8 | 9.8 | 244 | 5 kt | 40 |
| KTWMRichard B Helgeson Airport | Two Harbors | 74.9 | 10.3 | 241 | 5 kt | 40 |
| KGFKGrand Forks International Airport | Grand Forks | 78.1 | 8.5 | 251 | 8 kt | 40 |
| KFCMFlying Cloud Airport | Minneapolis | 77.6 | 7.9 | 256 | 7 kt | 40 |
| KRWFRedwood Falls Municipal Airport | Redwood Falls | 77.9 | 9.2 | 253 | 8 kt | 40 |
| KHZXIsedor Iverson Airport | Mc Gregor | 73.1 | 11.0 | 242 | 5 kt | 40 |
| KAITAitkin Municipal Airport Steve Kurtz Field | Aitkin | 72.6 | 11.1 | 249 | 4 kt | 40 |
| KSUWRichard I Bong Memorial Airport | Superior | 72.6 | 11.5 | 248 | 5 kt | 40 |
| KGYLGlencoe Municipal Airport | Glencoe | 77.2 | 8.6 | 250 | 6 kt | 41 |
| KMWMWindom Municipal Airport | Windom | 77.7 | 12.0 | 258 | 8 kt | 41 |
| KFRMFairmont Municipal Airport | Fairmont | 77.6 | 10.2 | 252 | 9 kt | 41 |
| KCDDScotts Seaplane Base | Crane Lake | 72.9 | 9.1 | 235 | 3 kt | 41 |
| KFFMFergus Falls Municipal Airport - Einar Mickelson Field | Fergus Falls | 77.6 | 9.1 | 250 | 8 kt | 41 |
| KMOXMorris Municipal Airport Charlie Schmidt Field | Morris | 77.6 | 10.1 | 257 | 8 kt | 41 |
| KDVLDevils Lake Regional Airport | Devils Lake | 77.5 | 9.5 | 249 | 9 kt | 41 |
| KBDHWillmar Municipal Airport John L Rice Field (2006) | Willmar | 77.3 | 9.7 | 256 | 7 kt | 41 |
| KSYNStanton Airfield | Dennison | 76.9 | 7.8 | 254 | 6 kt | 41 |
| KSTCSaint Cloud Regional Airport | Saint Cloud | 76.6 | 9.1 | 252 | 6 kt | 41 |
| KJMSJamestown Regional Airport | Jamestown | 77.8 | 10.4 | 255 | 9 kt | 42 |
| KVWUWaskish Municipal Airport | Waskish | 76.1 | 8.3 | 248 | 5 kt | 42 |
| KMMLSouthwest Minnesota Regional Airport - Marshall/Ryan Field | Marshall | 78.5 | 9.4 | 253 | 9 kt | 42 |
| KFARHector International Airport | Fargo | 78.8 | 8.2 | 252 | 9 kt | 42 |
| KMSPMinneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field | Minneapolis | 79.1 | 6.4 | 264 | 7 kt | 42 |
| KSAZStaples Municipal Airport | Staples | 76.0 | 9.1 | 250 | 5 kt | 42 |
| KHCOHallock Municipal Airport | Hallock | 78.3 | 8.3 | 252 | 8 kt | 42 |
| KGHWGlenwood Municipal Airport | Glenwood | 78.0 | 11.1 | 262 | 8 kt | 42 |
| KLXLLittle Falls-Morrison County-Lindbergh field | Little Falls | 74.1 | 10.5 | 247 | 4 kt | 42 |
| KHCDHutchinson Municipal Butler Field | Hutchinson | 77.4 | 9.3 | 253 | 6 kt | 42 |
| KLYVQuentin Aanenson Airfield - Luverne Municipal Airport | Luverne | 77.5 | 9.6 | 259 | 7 kt | 42 |
| KCFEBuffalo Municipal Airport | Buffalo | 77.1 | 8.3 | 256 | 6 kt | 43 |
| KBBBBenson Municipal Airport | Benson | 77.3 | 9.3 | 254 | 7 kt | 43 |
| KJKJMoorhead Municipal Airport | Moorhead | 78.9 | 8.3 | 255 | 7 kt | 43 |
| KRZNBurnett County Airport | Siren | 75.7 | 8.5 | 252 | 5 kt | 44 |
| KSTPSaint Paul Downtown Holman Field | Saint Paul | 78.6 | 5.8 | 260 | 7 kt | 44 |
| KANEAnoka County-Blaine (Janes Field) Airport | Minneapolis | 78.6 | 7.3 | 234 | 7 kt | 44 |
| KMICCrystal Airport | Minneapolis | 78.3 | 7.3 | 260 | 7 kt | 44 |
| KMVEMontevideo Chippewa County Airport | Montevideo | 79.3 | 7.8 | 261 | 7 kt | 44 |
| KHZEMercer County Regional Airport | Hazen | 78.2 | 7.7 | 254 | 7 kt | 44 |
| KMOTMinot International Airport | Minot | 79.6 | 8.8 | 262 | 9 kt | 44 |
| KCNBMyers Field Airport | Canby | 78.5 | 9.2 | 263 | 7 kt | 44 |
| KRGKRed Wing Regional Airport | Red Wing | 77.3 | 6.8 | 262 | 5 kt | 45 |
| KFSDSioux Falls Regional Airport | Sioux Falls | 79.7 | 8.7 | 265 | 8 kt | 45 |
| KCKNCrookston Municipal Kirkwood Field | Crookston | 79.8 | 8.1 | 258 | 8 kt | 45 |
| KLVNAirlake Airport | Minneapolis | 77.8 | 7.6 | 261 | 5 kt | 45 |
| KVVVOrtonville Municipal Airport/Martinson Field | Ortonville | 79.3 | 8.3 | 263 | 7 kt | 45 |
| KOEOL O Simenstad Municipal Airport | Osceola | 76.4 | 8.2 | 256 | 6 kt | 45 |
| KPNMPrinceton Municipal Airport | Princeton | 77.1 | 8.7 | 256 | 5 kt | 46 |
| KDIKDickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport | Dickinson | 80.6 | 9.9 | 268 | 9 kt | 46 |
| KONAWinona Municipal Airport Max Conrad Field | Winona | 76.9 | 6.0 | 258 | 4 kt | 46 |
| KMGGMaple Lake Municipal Airport | Maple Lake | 78.0 | 8.7 | 260 | 5 kt | 46 |
| KROSRush City Regional Airport | Rush City | 77.8 | 7.7 | 256 | 5 kt | 47 |
| KLJFLitchfield Municipal Airport | Litchfield | 79.2 | 8.4 | 263 | 5 kt | 47 |
| KAQPAppleton Municipal Airport | Appleton | 79.9 | 7.9 | 264 | 7 kt | 48 |
| KULMNew Ulm Municipal Airport | New Ulm | 80.7 | 7.6 | 271 | 7 kt | 48 |
| KSGSSouth St Paul Municipal Airport/Richard E Fleming Field | South St Paul | 79.5 | 6.4 | 263 | 5 kt | 48 |
| KABRAberdeen Regional Airport | Aberdeen | 81.3 | 7.7 | 268 | 8 kt | 49 |
| KHONHuron Regional Airport | Huron | 82.1 | 7.1 | 266 | 8 kt | 49 |
| KBISBismarck Municipal Airport | Bismarck | 81.0 | 6.8 | 269 | 7 kt | 49 |
| KYKNChan Gurney Municipal Airport | Yankton | 81.1 | 7.6 | 270 | 8 kt | 50 |
| KCBGCambridge Municipal Airport | Cambridge | 79.0 | 7.6 | 267 | 4 kt | 50 |
| KMHEMitchell Municipal Airport | Mitchell | 82.4 | 7.3 | 273 | 8 kt | 50 |
| KDXXLac Qui Parle County Airport | Louisburg | 80.7 | 7.6 | 275 | 7 kt | 50 |
| KHEIHettinger Municipal Airport | Hettinger | 81.8 | 9.5 | 275 | 8 kt | 52 |
| KPIRPierre Regional Airport | Pierre | 84.0 | 7.0 | 279 | 9 kt | 53 |
| KMBGMobridge Municipal Airport | Mobridge | 83.0 | 6.7 | 276 | 8 kt | 53 |
| KSPFBlack Hills Airport-Clyde Ice Field | Spearfish | 85.1 | 7.0 | 287 | 7 kt | 58 |
| KIENPine Ridge Airport | Pine Ridge | 86.7 | 5.6 | 295 | 6 kt | 63 |
| KCUTCuster County Airport | Custer | 86.3 | 7.7 | 289 | 5 kt | 63 |
| KRAPRapid City Regional Airport | Rapid City | 87.3 | 6.5 | 301 | 7 kt | 64 |
The pattern in Northern Plains
Across 2006–2025, the 116 eligible airports in Northern Plains reported VFR conditions during about 77.3% of valid daytime observations, with an estimated 250 VFR flying days per year and a mean surface wind of 7.0 kt. KRAP (Rapid City Regional Airport) had the most VFR weather at 87.5%. KLNL saw the most instrument conditions, at 17.5% IFR/LIFR. The lowest-ranked eligible field by VFR Score was KLNL (Kings Land O' Lakes Airport).
Neighboring regions
How Northern Plains is defined
ND, SD, and MN entire. WI: only the 15 northwestern counties — Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland, Iron, Vilas, Oneida, Lincoln, Price, Taylor, Rusk, Sawyer, Washburn, Burnett, Polk, Barron; all other WI counties belong to great-lakes.
Educational use only. Historical weather rankings from ATIS Alerts are educational summaries of past observations — not a forecast, flight-planning tool, or safety rating. They do not replace current METARs, TAFs, NOTAMs, ATIS, or a weather briefing, and favorable history does not make any airport safe. Always check current conditions and use your own judgment before flight.