Climate Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 42°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Clear Lake, SD Climate
Temperature, precipitation, and comfort score from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 42°F
- Avg annual temp
- 44/100
- Comfort score
- 27.5"
- Annual precip
- 147d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Clear Lake
Clear Lake, South Dakota averages 42°F a year and scores 44/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 8% of U.S. cities.
- 42°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 44/100
- comfort score, milder than 8% of U.S. cities
- 27.5"
- annual precipitation · 61" snow
- 147 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
42°F (6°C)
Avg High
52°F
Avg Low
32°F
Annual Precip
27.5"
Annual Snow
60.7"
Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
42°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
27.5"
Plus 60.7" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Clear Lake) 44.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Clear Lake area.
How Clear Lake compares to every U.S. city
Clear Lake's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
44 Top 92% higher than 8% 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 Clear Lake
MethodologyZooming out from Clear Lake'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 | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21°F (-6°C) | 2°F (-16°C) | 12°F (-11°C) | 0.7" | 10.8" | 30.9 | 0.0 |
| February | 26°F (-4°C) | 7°F (-14°C) | 16°F (-9°C) | 0.8" | 10.3" | 27.2 | 0.0 |
| March | 38°F (3°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 1.6" | 9.6" | 26.9 | 0.0 |
| April | 53°F (12°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 42°F (6°C) | 2.5" | 7.0" | 15.7 | 0.0 |
| May | 66°F (19°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 3.4" | 0.2" | 2.3 | 0.3 |
| June | 75°F (24°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 65°F (19°C) | 4.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.9 |
| July | 80°F (27°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 3.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| August | 78°F (26°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 3.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.7 |
| September | 70°F (21°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 60°F (15°C) | 3.0" | 0.0" | 0.8 | 0.3 |
| October | 56°F (13°C) | 35°F (1°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 2.4" | 1.4" | 11.4 | 0.0 |
| November | 40°F (4°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 31°F (-1°C) | 1.1" | 7.8" | 25.2 | 0.0 |
| December | 26°F (-3°C) | 9°F (-13°C) | 17°F (-8°C) | 0.9" | 13.6" | 30.7 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.7"
Snow: 10.8"
6.9 days with precipitation
February 0.8"
Snow: 10.3"
6.2 days with precipitation
March 1.6"
Snow: 9.6"
7.1 days with precipitation
April 2.5"
Snow: 7.0"
9.4 days with precipitation
May 3.4"
Snow: 0.2"
12.2 days with precipitation
June 4.5"
12.1 days with precipitation
July 3.3"
9.1 days with precipitation
August 3.4"
9.6 days with precipitation
September 3.0"
8.9 days with precipitation
October 2.4"
Snow: 1.4"
8.0 days with precipitation
November 1.1"
Snow: 7.8"
6.0 days with precipitation
December 0.9"
Snow: 13.6"
6.5 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 1
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 7
50% probability date
Growing Season
147 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
8,664
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
458
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Clear Lake's climate means for you
Clear Lake runs 42°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 147 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 7 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 8,664 heating and 458 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: Clear Lake, SD
An annual average temperature of 42°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 52°F to a mean daily low of 32°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Clear Lake, South Dakota. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USC00391777 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Clear Lake receives roughly 27.5 inches of precipitation each year, with 60.7 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 147 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 7 and the first fall freeze near October 1. For energy use, 8,664 heating degree days and 458 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Clear Lake scores 44/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. For planning purposes, look to the monthly tables above: shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows, summer brings July-driven heat, and deep winter brings January-driven cold. Treat every figure here as a thirty-year average rather than a forecast - individual years routinely run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Clear Lake, SD? ▼
The average annual temperature in Clear Lake, South Dakota is 42°F. The warmest month averages 80°F (27°C) and the coldest averages 2°F (-16°C).
How much rain does Clear Lake get? ▼
Clear Lake receives 27.5 inches of precipitation annually, including 60.7 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Clear Lake? ▼
Clear Lake has a climate comfort score of 44/100 (Moderate), milder than 8% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Clear Lake? ▼
Clear Lake has approximately 147 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 7 and the first fall freeze around October 1.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Clear Lake? ▼
Clear Lake has 8,664 heating degree days and 458 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 Clear Lake climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00391777 near Clear Lake.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00391777. 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.