Climate Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 45°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Arlington, SD Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 45°F
- Avg annual temp
- 54/100
- Comfort score
- 26.2"
- Annual precip
- 152d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Arlington
Arlington, South Dakota averages 45°F a year and scores 54/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 27% of U.S. cities.
- 45°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 54/100
- comfort score, milder than 27% of U.S. cities
- 26.2"
- yearly precipitation total
- 152 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
45°F (7°C)
Avg High
55°F
Avg Low
34°F
Annual Precip
26.2"
Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
45°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
26.2"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Arlington) 54.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Arlington area.
How Arlington compares to every U.S. city
Arlington's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
54 Top 73% higher than 27% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Arlington
MethodologyZooming out from Arlington's own normal, the chart below shows how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has tracked the global mean since 1900 - the most recent decade sits warmer than the 30-year mean shown here.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24°F (-5°C) | 5°F (-15°C) | 15°F (-10°C) | 0.8" | 30.9 | 0.0 |
| February | 29°F (-2°C) | 10°F (-12°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 0.8" | 27.2 | 0.0 |
| March | 41°F (5°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 1.4" | 25.8 | 0.0 |
| April | 57°F (14°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 2.6" | 13.3 | 0.0 |
| May | 69°F (21°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 4.0" | 2.0 | 0.6 |
| June | 78°F (26°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 4.1" | 0.0 | 1.6 |
| July | 83°F (28°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 3.2" | 0.0 | 4.8 |
| August | 80°F (27°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 3.1" | 0.0 | 2.1 |
| September | 73°F (23°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 2.5" | 1.0 | 0.8 |
| October | 58°F (15°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 2.1" | 10.5 | 0.1 |
| November | 42°F (5°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 1.1" | 24.9 | 0.0 |
| December | 28°F (-2°C) | 11°F (-12°C) | 20°F (-7°C) | 0.6" | 30.6 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 0.8"
5.5 days with precipitation
February 0.8"
5.1 days with precipitation
March 1.4"
6.3 days with precipitation
April 2.6"
7.7 days with precipitation
May 4.0"
10.2 days with precipitation
June 4.1"
11.1 days with precipitation
July 3.2"
8.8 days with precipitation
August 3.1"
7.8 days with precipitation
September 2.5"
6.6 days with precipitation
October 2.1"
6.3 days with precipitation
November 1.1"
4.4 days with precipitation
December 0.6"
5.0 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 2
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 3
50% probability date
Growing Season
152 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
7,959
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
605
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Arlington's climate means for you
Arlington runs 45°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 152 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 3 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 7,959 heating and 605 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Arlington, SD
Based on station USC00390281 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Arlington, South Dakota averages 45°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 55°F to a mean daily low of 34°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Because these figures are thirty-year averages rather than any single year's readings, they describe the typical month, not a forecast for it.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in Arlington should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 26.2 inches, predominantly as rainfall. The frost-free season averages 152 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 3 and the first fall freeze near October 2. And on the energy front, 7,959 heating degree days and 605 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Arlington scores 54/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows in the monthly tables above, summer brings July-driven heat, and winter brings January-driven cold - use that rhythm for planning. These figures are thirty-year averages rather than forecasts, so a specific year may still run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than what's shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Arlington, SD? ▼
The average annual temperature in Arlington, South Dakota is 45°F. The warmest month averages 83°F (28°C) and the coldest averages 5°F (-15°C).
How much rain does Arlington get? ▼
Arlington receives 26.2 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Arlington? ▼
Arlington has a climate comfort score of 54/100 (Moderate), milder than 27% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Arlington? ▼
Arlington has approximately 152 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 3 and the first fall freeze around October 2.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Arlington? ▼
Arlington has 7,959 heating degree days and 605 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Arlington climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00390281 near Arlington.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00390281. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.