Philip, SD climate
Philip has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 38 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Philip feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Philip 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 | 34° | 11° | 0.4" | 5.4" | 5 | 17 | 13° – 36° |
| February | 38° | 14° | 0.5" | 6.3" | 5 | 11 | 9° – 38° |
| March | 49° | 24° | 0.9" | 6.3" | 6 | 7 | 24° – 49° |
| April | 59° | 33° | 1.9" | 6.8" | 9 | 3 | 39° – 52° |
| May | 70° | 43° | 3.1" | 0.4" | 10 | 0 | 50° – 62° |
| June | 81° | 54° | 3.1" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| July | 89° | 61° | 2.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66° – 81° |
| August | 88° | 58° | 1.7" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 67° – 78° |
| September | 79° | 48° | 1.2" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 57° – 69° |
| October | 62° | 35° | 1.5" | 2.2" | 7 | 1 | 40° – 54° |
| November | 47° | 22° | 0.5" | 4.8" | 5 | 6 | 23° – 44° |
| December | 36° | 14° | 0.4" | 6.0" | 4 | 14 | 13° – 33° |
| Year | 61° | 35° | 17.5" | 38.2" | 82 | 60 |
“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 Philip
Philip gets 17 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 82 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 60 days of the year.
About 141 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 11 and the first one by September 30. That leaves about 141 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 88% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Philip
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Philip, 90% of that work is heating and 10% 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 Philip 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 Philip averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.0°). The shift is smaller than in 54% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Philip’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 9° to 38°. June is the most reliable, staying within 11°.
Common questions about Philip’s climate
What is the coldest month in Philip?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 11°.
What is the hottest month in Philip?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 61°. About 45 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Philip get?
About 38 inches in a normal winter, most of it in April.
When is the first frost in Philip?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 30, and the last spring frost by May 11.
What is the rainiest month in Philip?
May, with 3.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 17 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Philip itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Cottonwood 2 E, SD (11 mi, snow) and Philip Airport, SD (3 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.