La Roche, SD climate
La Roche has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 42 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in La Roche feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
La Roche 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 | 31° | 12° | 0.5" | 5.8" | 5 | 19 | 13° – 37° |
| February | 36° | 15° | 0.6" | 7.7" | 6 | 13 | 11° – 35° |
| March | 47° | 25° | 1.1" | 6.5" | 7 | 9 | 25° – 50° |
| April | 59° | 35° | 2.7" | 6.8" | 9 | 3 | 38° – 53° |
| May | 70° | 46° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 54° – 65° |
| June | 80° | 57° | 3.9" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| July | 87° | 63° | 2.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66° – 82° |
| August | 85° | 61° | 2.9" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 67° – 77° |
| September | 77° | 52° | 2.4" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 58° – 70° |
| October | 62° | 38° | 1.9" | 1.1" | 7 | 1 | 42° – 55° |
| November | 46° | 25° | 0.8" | 5.4" | 5 | 6 | 25° – 45° |
| December | 34° | 15° | 0.5" | 8.2" | 6 | 17 | 13° – 31° |
| Year | 59° | 37° | 23.8" | 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 La Roche
La Roche 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 La Roche
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In La Roche, 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.
La Roche and its neighbors
La Roche borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.0°. Lake George has the coldest January nights (11°) and Landing Creek the hottest July afternoons (88°). La Roche’s January low is 12° and its July high 87°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How La Roche 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 La Roche averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.6°). The shift is larger than in 55% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at La Roche’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 25° to 50°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about La Roche’s climate
What is the coldest month in La Roche?
January, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 12°.
What is the hottest month in La Roche?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 63°. About 30 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does La Roche get?
About 42 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in La Roche?
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 La Roche?
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 La Roche itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Academy 2ne, SD (7 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.