Bear Ridge, SD Climate

Climate Insight: Bear Ridge, SD

Based on station USC00390554 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Bear Ridge, South Dakota averages 47°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 61°F to a mean daily low of 33°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.

Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Bear Ridge receives roughly 24.2 inches of precipitation each year, with 114.2 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 133 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 17 and the first fall freeze near September 27. For energy use, 7,179 heating degree days and 551 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.

On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Bear Ridge scores 54/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above turn that into a planning tool: expect the mildest highs and lows in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat at the peak of summer, and January-driven cold at the depth of winter. Every number here is a thirty-year average, not a forecast, so any given year can and does run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.