Dakota, SD climate
Dakota has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 10°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade11° cooler than normal today. The forecast high is 58°, and a typical Oct 1 in Dakota peaks around 69°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Dakota feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Dakota 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32° | 10° | 0.4" | 5.0" | 4 | 12° – 35° |
| February | 36° | 13° | 0.5" | 5.1" | 4 | 6° – 37° |
| March | 47° | 23° | 0.9" | 8.8" | 5 | 21° – 48° |
| April | 59° | 32° | 1.9" | 8.1" | 7 | 38° – 52° |
| May | 69° | 43° | 3.4" | 0.9" | 9 | 49° – 61° |
| June | 80° | 53° | 3.0" | 0 | 10 | 61° – 72° |
| July | 88° | 59° | 2.4" | 0 | 7 | 65° – 80° |
| August | 87° | 58° | 1.6" | 0 | 5 | 66° – 78° |
| September | 77° | 47° | 1.2" | 0 | 4 | 56° – 69° |
| October | 61° | 34° | 1.6" | 3.4" | 5 | 39° – 53° |
| November | 46° | 22° | 0.5" | 4.1" | 3 | 23° – 44° |
| December | 35° | 13° | 0.5" | 7.1" | 3 | 11° – 33° |
| Year | 60° | 34° | 17.8" | 42.5" | 67 |
“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 Dakota
Dakota gets 18 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 67 days a year.
About 134 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 15 and the first one by September 27. That leaves about 134 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 93% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Dakota
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Dakota, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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.
Dakota and its neighbors
Dakota borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.9°. Union has the coldest January nights (10°) and Rainy Creek/Cheyenne the hottest July afternoons (88°). Dakota’s January low is 10° and its July high 88°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Dakota 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 Dakota averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.5°). The shift is smaller than in 73% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Dakota’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 37°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about Dakota’s climate
What is the coldest month in Dakota?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 10°.
What is the hottest month in Dakota?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 59°. About 37 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Dakota get?
About 43 inches in a normal winter, most of it in March.
When is the first frost in Dakota?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 27, and the last spring frost by May 15.
What is the rainiest month in Dakota?
May, with 3.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 18 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Dakota itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Plainview 6 Ssw, SD (2 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.