Highland, SD climate
Highland has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 10°, and about 42 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade4° cooler than normal today. The forecast high is 64°, and a typical Oct 2 in Highland peaks around 68°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Highland feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Highland 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 | 30° | 10° | 0.5" | 5.8" | 5 | 19 | 11° – 35° |
| February | 35° | 13° | 0.7" | 7.7" | 6 | 13 | 9° – 34° |
| March | 46° | 24° | 1.1" | 6.5" | 7 | 9 | 24° – 49° |
| April | 58° | 34° | 2.6" | 6.8" | 9 | 3 | 37° – 52° |
| May | 70° | 45° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| June | 80° | 57° | 3.9" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| July | 87° | 62° | 2.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 65° – 81° |
| August | 85° | 60° | 2.9" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| September | 77° | 50° | 2.5" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 57° – 69° |
| October | 61° | 37° | 1.9" | 1.1" | 7 | 1 | 41° – 54° |
| November | 46° | 24° | 0.7" | 5.4" | 5 | 6 | 24° – 44° |
| December | 33° | 14° | 0.6" | 8.2" | 6 | 17 | 11° – 30° |
| Year | 59° | 36° | 23.6" | 41.5" | 91 | 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 Highland
Highland 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 91 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 68 days of the year.
About 159 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first one by October 8. That leaves about 159 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 72% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Highland
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Highland, 89% of that work is heating and 11% 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.
Highland and its neighbors
Highland borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.2°. Wilbur has the coldest January nights (9°) and Pleasant Grove the hottest July afternoons (87°). Highland’s January low is 10° and its July high 87°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Highland 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 Highland averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.7°). The shift is larger than in 62% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Highland’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 24° to 49°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Highland’s climate
What is the coldest month in Highland?
January, with a typical high of 30° and a low of 10°.
What is the hottest month in Highland?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 62°. About 30 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Highland get?
About 42 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Highland?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 8, and the last spring frost by April 30.
What is the rainiest month in Highland?
June, with 3.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 24 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Highland itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Academy 2ne, SD (11 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.