Lake Preston, SD climate
Lake Preston has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 41 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lake Preston feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lake Preston 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 | 24° | 4° | 0.6" | 6.2" | 4 | 27 | 2° – 27° |
| February | 29° | 9° | 0.7" | 9.2" | 4 | 21 | 5° – 31° |
| March | 41° | 21° | 1.2" | 6.9" | 5 | 13 | 20° – 46° |
| April | 56° | 32° | 2.5" | 4.8" | 7 | 3 | 34° – 51° |
| May | 68° | 45° | 3.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 52° – 64° |
| June | 78° | 56° | 4.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| July | 83° | 60° | 3.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 63° – 79° |
| August | 80° | 58° | 3.2" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| September | 73° | 49° | 2.7" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| October | 58° | 35° | 2.2" | 1.6" | 6 | 1 | 38° – 51° |
| November | 42° | 21° | 1.0" | 5.4" | 4 | 6 | 20° – 41° |
| December | 28° | 10° | 0.7" | 7.3" | 4 | 20 | 5° – 26° |
| Year | 55° | 33° | 25.5" | 41.4" | 74 | 91 |
“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 Preston
Lake Preston gets 26 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 74 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 91 days of the year.
About 151 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 5 and the first one by October 4. That leaves about 151 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 80% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Lake Preston
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lake Preston, 94% of that work is heating and 6% 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.
How Lake Preston 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 Preston averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.1°). The shift is smaller than in 67% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Lake Preston’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 20° to 46°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Lake Preston’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lake Preston?
January, with a typical high of 24° and a low of 4°.
What is the hottest month in Lake Preston?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 60°. About 10 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lake Preston get?
About 41 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Lake Preston?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 4, and the last spring frost by May 5.
What is the rainiest month in Lake Preston?
June, with 4.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 26 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lake Preston itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at De Smet, SD (9 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.