North Dakota is made up of three regions, which rise like steps as you head west: the Red River valley (800 to 1,000ft/250 to 300m above sea level), the Drift Prairie (1,300 to 1,600ft/400 to 500m), and the Missouri Plateau (1,800 to 2,500ft/550 to 760m). The Red River Valley runs along the eastern border of the state. This area was once covered by the waters of a glacial lake, and contains the lowest point in the state, at 750ft (229m) above sea level. The Drift Prairie makes up the rest of eastern North Dakota. The western half of the state is made up of the Missouri Plateau, which is part of the Great Plains and contains the highest point in the state – White Butte (3,500ft/1,060m). Separating the Missouri Plateau from the Drift Prairie is the Missouri Escarpment, which rises 400ft (122m) above the prairie and runs diagonally from northwest to southeast.
North Dakota has two major rivers: the Red River of the North, which flow northward into Canada; and the Missouri River, which enters from the northwest part of the state and flows east, where it is joined by the Yellowstone River, before flowing into South Dakota.
Devils Lake, in northeastern North Dakota, is the largest natural body of water in the state. Water levels in the lake have risen increased rainfall and decreased evaporation, causing flooding and destroying farmland in its surrounding area. Efforts have been made to lower the water level of Devils Lake by connecting it to the Sheyenne River. The Missouri Plateau is dotted with potholes, lakes, and sloughs. West of the Missouri River the landscape has been shaped by water and wind erosion. All along the Little Missouri River (a branch of the Missouri) are spectacular cliffs, buttes, and valleys that form the North Dakota Badlands, in the far western part of the state.
North Dakota’s climate is known for its extreme temperatures, which can soar to above 120°F (about 49°C) in summer and plunge to -60s °F (about -51°C) in winter. The western part of the state has less rainfall and milder winters. Average temperatures in January range from near 0 °F (about -18°C) in the northeast to the low 20s F (about -6°C) in the southwest. In July the average temperatures range from the lower 80s°F (about 28°C) in the northeast to the upper 80s°F (about 31°C) in the southwest. The record low temperature was -60°F (-51°C), set at Parshall on 15 February 1936; the record high was 121°F (49°C), recorded at Steele on 6 July 1936. In Bismarck, the average rainfall is around 17in (43cm), and average snowfall is around 44in (112cm).
