Scotland, SD climate
Scotland has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 3°, and about 42 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Scotland feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Scotland 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 | 21° | 3° | 0.6" | 6.1" | 8 | -1° – 26° |
| February | 26° | 7° | 0.6" | 9.2" | 7 | 2° – 29° |
| March | 39° | 20° | 1.0" | 7.5" | 7 | 19° – 44° |
| April | 55° | 32° | 2.0" | 4.5" | 9 | 33° – 51° |
| May | 67° | 45° | 3.1" | 0 | 12 | 51° – 63° |
| June | 77° | 55° | 3.9" | 0 | 12 | 61° – 71° |
| July | 82° | 60° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 63° – 77° |
| August | 81° | 58° | 2.5" | 0 | 10 | 64° – 73° |
| September | 72° | 49° | 2.3" | 0 | 9 | 54° – 65° |
| October | 57° | 35° | 2.2" | 1.1" | 9 | 38° – 51° |
| November | 40° | 21° | 0.7" | 3.6" | 6 | 18° – 42° |
| December | 26° | 9° | 0.7" | 9.8" | 8 | 4° – 25° |
| Year | 54° | 33° | 22.9" | 41.8" | 105 |
“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 Scotland
Scotland gets 23 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 105 days a year.
About 150 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 150 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 81% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Scotland
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Scotland, 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.
Scotland and its neighbors
Scotland borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.3°. Andover has the coldest January nights (3°) and Bates the hottest July afternoons (83°). Scotland’s January low is 3° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Scotland 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 Scotland averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.3°). The shift is smaller than in 56% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Scotland’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 2° to 29°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Scotland’s climate
What is the coldest month in Scotland?
January, with a typical high of 21° and a low of 3°.
What is the hottest month in Scotland?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 60°. About 11 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Scotland get?
About 42 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Scotland?
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 Scotland?
June, with 3.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 23 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Scotland itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Bristol 7s, SD (9 mi, snow) and Andover #2, SD (10 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.