Rocky Ford, SD climate
Rocky Ford 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 40 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Rocky Ford feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Rocky Ford 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" | 6.6" | 4 | 13 | 14° – 36° |
| February | 38° | 14° | 0.6" | 8.0" | 5 | 12 | 9° – 38° |
| March | 49° | 23° | 1.0" | 6.0" | 4 | 6 | 24° – 50° |
| April | 60° | 33° | 2.2" | 5.6" | 9 | 2 | 39° – 52° |
| May | 70° | 44° | 3.3" | 0.4" | 10 | 0 | 51° – 63° |
| June | 81° | 55° | 3.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| July | 89° | 61° | 2.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66° – 82° |
| August | 88° | 58° | 2.0" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 67° – 78° |
| September | 79° | 48° | 1.4" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 57° – 69° |
| October | 63° | 35° | 1.6" | 1.6" | 6 | 1 | 40° – 55° |
| November | 48° | 23° | 0.6" | 5.1" | 4 | 7 | 24° – 44° |
| December | 36° | 14° | 0.5" | 6.7" | 4 | 14 | 15° – 33° |
| Year | 61° | 35° | 19.2" | 40.0" | 79 | 56 |
“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 Rocky Ford
Rocky Ford gets 19 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 79 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 56 days of the year.
About 151 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 6 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 Rocky Ford
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Rocky Ford, 88% of that work is heating and 12% 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.
Rocky Ford and its neighbors
Rocky Ford borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.7°. Red Fish has both the coldest January nights (11°) and the hottest July afternoons (89°). Rocky Ford’s January low is 11° and its July high 89°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Rocky Ford 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 Rocky Ford averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.7°). The shift is smaller than in 59% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Rocky Ford’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 10°.
Common questions about Rocky Ford’s climate
What is the coldest month in Rocky Ford?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 11°.
What is the hottest month in Rocky Ford?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 61°. About 45 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Rocky Ford get?
About 40 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Rocky Ford?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 4, and the last spring frost by May 6.
What is the rainiest month in Rocky Ford?
May, with 3.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 19 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Rocky Ford itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Cedar Butte, SD (16 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.