Altamont, SD climate
Altamont has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 61 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Altamont feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Altamont weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21° | 4° | 0.7" | 10.8" | 7 | 28 | 0° – 26° |
| February | 26° | 8° | 0.7" | 10.3" | 6 | 22 | 3° – 28° |
| March | 38° | 20° | 1.4" | 9.6" | 7 | 18 | 18° – 43° |
| April | 53° | 32° | 2.7" | 7.0" | 9 | 5 | 32° – 51° |
| May | 66° | 44° | 3.4" | 0.2" | 12 | 0 | 50° – 63° |
| June | 76° | 55° | 4.1" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| July | 81° | 59° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 62° – 76° |
| August | 78° | 57° | 3.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| September | 71° | 48° | 2.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| October | 56° | 36° | 2.3" | 1.4" | 8 | 1 | 38° – 51° |
| November | 40° | 22° | 1.1" | 7.8" | 6 | 9 | 19° – 42° |
| December | 26° | 10° | 0.9" | 13.6" | 7 | 23 | 4° – 26° |
| Year | 53° | 33° | 26.8" | 60.7" | 102 | 106 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Altamont
Altamont gets 27 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 102 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 106 days of the year.
About 146 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 7 and the first one by October 1. That leaves about 146 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 84% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Altamont
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Altamont, 95% of that work is heating and 5% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Altamont compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Altamont averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.3°). The shift is smaller than in 61% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Altamont’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 0° to 26°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Altamont’s climate
What is the coldest month in Altamont?
January, with a typical high of 21° and a low of 4°.
What is the hottest month in Altamont?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 59°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Altamont get?
About 61 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Altamont?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 7.
What is the rainiest month in Altamont?
June, with 4.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 27 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Altamont itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Clear Lake, SD (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.