Sunset Colony, SD climate
Sunset Colony has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 2°, and about 45 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Sunset Colony feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Sunset Colony 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 | 20° | 2° | 0.6" | 8.3" | 5 | -3° – 25° |
| February | 25° | 6° | 0.6" | 9.8" | 5 | -2° – 28° |
| March | 39° | 19° | 0.9" | 6.1" | 5 | 18° – 43° |
| April | 54° | 32° | 1.8" | 5.1" | 7 | 32° – 51° |
| May | 68° | 44° | 3.1" | 0 | 10 | 50° – 62° |
| June | 78° | 55° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 61° – 70° |
| July | 82° | 60° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 63° – 76° |
| August | 81° | 57° | 2.5" | 0 | 8 | 64° – 73° |
| September | 72° | 47° | 2.4" | 0 | 7 | 54° – 64° |
| October | 57° | 35° | 2.2" | 1.2" | 7 | 38° – 51° |
| November | 39° | 21° | 0.7" | 5.1" | 5 | 18° – 41° |
| December | 26° | 9° | 0.6" | 9.8" | 5 | 4° – 25° |
| Year | 53° | 32° | 23.1" | 45.4" | 82 |
“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 Sunset Colony
Sunset Colony 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 82 days a year.
About 135 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 13 and the first one by September 26. That leaves about 135 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 92% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Sunset Colony
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Sunset Colony, 95% of that work is heating and 5% 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 Sunset Colony 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 Sunset Colony averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.3°). The shift is smaller than in 63% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Sunset Colony’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 28°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Sunset Colony’s climate
What is the coldest month in Sunset Colony?
January, with a typical high of 20° and a low of 2°.
What is the hottest month in Sunset Colony?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 60°. About 16 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Sunset Colony get?
About 45 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Sunset Colony?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 26, and the last spring frost by May 13.
What is the rainiest month in Sunset Colony?
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 Sunset Colony itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Britton, SD (7 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.