Running Water, SD climate
Running Water has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 37 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Running Water feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Running Water 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 | 32° | 11° | 0.5" | 6.5" | 5 | 17 | 14° – 36° |
| February | 37° | 15° | 0.8" | 7.4" | 5 | 13 | 13° – 35° |
| March | 49° | 26° | 1.4" | 5.3" | 7 | 6 | 28° – 52° |
| April | 61° | 36° | 3.0" | 4.1" | 9 | 2 | 40° – 55° |
| May | 72° | 48° | 4.0" | 0.2" | 11 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| June | 83° | 59° | 3.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 75° |
| July | 88° | 63° | 3.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 68° – 84° |
| August | 85° | 61° | 3.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| September | 78° | 52° | 2.7" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| October | 64° | 38° | 2.3" | 0.8" | 7 | 1 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 48° | 25° | 1.0" | 5.0" | 5 | 3 | 27° – 45° |
| December | 35° | 15° | 0.7" | 7.3" | 5 | 15 | 13° – 30° |
| Year | 61° | 37° | 26.1" | 36.6" | 88 | 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 Running Water
Running Water gets 26 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 88 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 56 days of the year.
About 170 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 25 and the first one by October 13. That leaves about 170 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 61% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Running Water
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Running Water, 85% of that work is heating and 15% 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 Running Water 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 Running Water averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.1°). The shift is smaller than in 79% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Running Water’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 28° to 52°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Running Water’s climate
What is the coldest month in Running Water?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 11°.
What is the hottest month in Running Water?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 63°. About 37 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Running Water get?
About 37 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Running Water?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 13, and the last spring frost by April 25.
What is the rainiest month in Running Water?
May, with 4.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 26 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Running Water itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Tyndall, SD (16 mi, snow) and Niobrara, NE (4 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.