Lake George, SD climate
Lake George has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 42 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lake George feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lake George 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° | 11° | 0.5" | 5.8" | 5 | 19 | 12° – 36° |
| February | 35° | 14° | 0.6" | 7.7" | 6 | 13 | 10° – 35° |
| March | 47° | 24° | 1.1" | 6.5" | 7 | 9 | 24° – 50° |
| April | 59° | 35° | 2.7" | 6.8" | 9 | 3 | 38° – 53° |
| May | 70° | 46° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 54° – 65° |
| June | 81° | 57° | 3.9" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| July | 87° | 62° | 2.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66° – 82° |
| August | 85° | 60° | 3.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| September | 77° | 51° | 2.5" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 57° – 70° |
| October | 62° | 37° | 1.9" | 1.1" | 7 | 1 | 42° – 54° |
| November | 46° | 24° | 0.8" | 5.4" | 5 | 6 | 25° – 45° |
| December | 34° | 15° | 0.6" | 8.2" | 6 | 17 | 12° – 31° |
| Year | 59° | 36° | 23.9" | 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 Lake George
Lake George 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 Lake George
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lake George, 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.
Lake George and its neighbors
Lake George borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.6°. Pleasant Grove has the coldest January nights (10°) and La Roche the hottest July afternoons (87°). Lake George’s January low is 11° and its July high 87°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Lake George 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 Lake George averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 55% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Lake George’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 50°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Lake George’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lake George?
January, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 11°.
What is the hottest month in Lake George?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 62°. About 30 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lake George get?
About 42 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Lake George?
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 Lake George?
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 Lake George itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Academy 2ne, SD (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.