Lincoln, SD climate
Lincoln has cold winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 23 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lincoln feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lincoln 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 | 24° | 4° | 0.5" | 3.5" | 5 | 1° – 29° |
| February | 29° | 9° | 0.6" | 4.4" | 5 | 3° – 30° |
| March | 42° | 21° | 1.0" | 3.6" | 5 | 21° – 46° |
| April | 57° | 33° | 2.1" | 1.8" | 7 | 36° – 52° |
| May | 69° | 45° | 3.2" | 0 | 10 | 53° – 64° |
| June | 79° | 56° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 63° – 72° |
| July | 85° | 61° | 3.2" | 0 | 8 | 64° – 79° |
| August | 83° | 58° | 2.4" | 0 | 9 | 65° – 75° |
| September | 75° | 49° | 2.3" | 0 | 8 | 55° – 67° |
| October | 59° | 35° | 2.1" | 1.5" | 7 | 39° – 51° |
| November | 42° | 21° | 0.7" | 2.1" | 4 | 20° – 42° |
| December | 29° | 10° | 0.6" | 6.4" | 6 | 6° – 27° |
| Year | 56° | 33° | 22.4" | 23.3" | 86 |
“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 Lincoln
Lincoln gets 22 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 86 days a year.
About 145 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 8 and the first one by October 1. That leaves about 145 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 85% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Lincoln
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lincoln, 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.
Lincoln and its neighbors
Lincoln borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.6°. Harrison has the coldest January nights (4°) and Cornwall the hottest July afternoons (85°). Lincoln’s January low is 4° and its July high 85°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Lincoln 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 Lincoln averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.8°). The shift is smaller than in 75% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Lincoln’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 1° to 29°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Lincoln’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lincoln?
January, with a typical high of 24° and a low of 4°.
What is the hottest month in Lincoln?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 61°. About 17 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lincoln get?
About 23 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Lincoln?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 8.
What is the rainiest month in Lincoln?
June, with 3.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 22 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lincoln itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Doland, SD (12 mi, snow) and Redfield, SD (14 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.