Crow Lake, SD climate
Crow Lake has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 45 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Crow Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Crow Lake 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 | 27° | 8° | 0.6" | 7.5" | 5 | 20 | 8° – 33° |
| February | 32° | 12° | 0.7" | 7.3" | 5 | 14 | 6° – 33° |
| March | 44° | 22° | 1.1" | 6.4" | 6 | 10 | 22° – 48° |
| April | 57° | 33° | 2.7" | 8.2" | 8 | 3 | 35° – 52° |
| May | 69° | 45° | 3.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 51° – 63° |
| June | 79° | 56° | 3.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| July | 85° | 61° | 3.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 65° – 80° |
| August | 83° | 59° | 2.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 65° – 75° |
| September | 75° | 50° | 2.5" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 56° – 68° |
| October | 60° | 36° | 1.9" | 1.7" | 7 | 1 | 40° – 53° |
| November | 44° | 23° | 0.7" | 5.3" | 4 | 5 | 23° – 43° |
| December | 31° | 13° | 0.6" | 8.1" | 5 | 16 | 9° – 29° |
| Year | 57° | 35° | 23.9" | 44.5" | 84 | 68 |
“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 Crow Lake
Crow Lake gets 24 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 84 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 68 days of the year.
About 157 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first one by October 8. That leaves about 157 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 74% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Crow Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Crow Lake, 92% of that work is heating and 8% 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.
Crow Lake and its neighbors
Crow Lake borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.0°. Logan has both the coldest January nights (8°) and the hottest July afternoons (86°). Crow Lake’s January low is 8° and its July high 85°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Crow Lake 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 Crow Lake averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.6°). The shift is smaller than in 53% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Crow Lake’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 6° to 33°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Crow Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Crow Lake?
January, with a typical high of 27° and a low of 8°.
What is the hottest month in Crow Lake?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 61°. About 23 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Crow Lake get?
About 45 inches in a normal winter, most of it in April.
When is the first frost in Crow Lake?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 8, and the last spring frost by May 2.
What is the rainiest month in Crow Lake?
June, with 3.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 24 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Crow Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Wessington Springs, SD (11 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.