Climate Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 43°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Custer CO, SD Climate
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: average temperature, precipitation, and comfort score
- 43°F
- Avg annual temp
- 44/100
- Comfort score
- 19.8"
- Annual precip
- 124d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Custer CO
Custer CO, South Dakota averages 43°F a year and scores 44/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 8% of U.S. cities.
- 43°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 44/100
- comfort score, milder than 8% of U.S. cities
- 19.8"
- yearly precipitation total
- 124 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
43°F (6°C)
Avg High
54°F
Avg Low
32°F
Annual Precip
19.8"
Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
43°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
19.8"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Custer CO) 44.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Custer CO area.
How Custer CO compares to every U.S. city
Custer CO'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 Custer CO
MethodologyZooming out from Custer CO'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 | 35°F (2°C) | 15°F (-9°C) | 25°F (-4°C) | 0.4" | 30.4 | 0.0 |
| February | 35°F (2°C) | 15°F (-9°C) | 25°F (-4°C) | 0.6" | 27.0 | 0.0 |
| March | 44°F (6°C) | 22°F (-5°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 0.9" | 27.9 | 0.0 |
| April | 50°F (10°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 2.4" | 21.7 | 0.0 |
| May | 60°F (15°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 3.0" | 10.4 | 0.0 |
| June | 71°F (22°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 3.2" | 0.6 | 0.8 |
| July | 79°F (26°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 3.3" | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| August | 78°F (25°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 2.1" | 0.1 | 1.8 |
| September | 69°F (21°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 1.6" | 3.0 | 0.1 |
| October | 54°F (12°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 1.3" | 18.2 | 0.0 |
| November | 43°F (6°C) | 22°F (-5°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 0.5" | 25.5 | 0.0 |
| December | 35°F (2°C) | 16°F (-9°C) | 25°F (-4°C) | 0.5" | 30.0 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 0.4"
5.4 days with precipitation
February 0.6"
7.2 days with precipitation
March 0.9"
8.0 days with precipitation
April 2.4"
11.5 days with precipitation
May 3.0"
14.3 days with precipitation
June 3.2"
12.6 days with precipitation
July 3.3"
12.0 days with precipitation
August 2.1"
10.0 days with precipitation
September 1.6"
8.1 days with precipitation
October 1.3"
8.5 days with precipitation
November 0.5"
5.6 days with precipitation
December 0.5"
5.9 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 24
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 23
50% probability date
Growing Season
124 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
8,152
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
210
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 56% | 7.1 | N/A | N/A |
| February | 56% | 6.8 | N/A | N/A |
| March | 56% | 6.8 | N/A | N/A |
| April | 58% | 7.1 | N/A | N/A |
| May | 62% | 6.9 | N/A | N/A |
| June | 56% | 6.2 | N/A | N/A |
| July | 56% | 5.8 | N/A | N/A |
| August | 49% | 5.9 | N/A | N/A |
| September | 52% | 6.2 | N/A | N/A |
| October | 52% | 6.5 | N/A | N/A |
| November | 55% | 6.9 | N/A | N/A |
| December | 58% | 6.9 | N/A | N/A |
What Custer CO's climate means for you
Custer CO runs 43°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 124 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 23 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 8,152 heating and 210 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: Custer CO, SD
The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Custer CO, South Dakota as a location with an annual average temperature of 43°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 54°F to a mean daily low of 32°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from station USW00094032, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.
Rainfall (and snow, where it falls) shapes day-to-day life here as much as temperature does. Custer CO sees about 19.8 inches of precipitation a year, predominantly as rainfall. The frost-free season averages 124 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 23 and the first fall freeze near September 24. On the energy side, 8,152 heating degree days and 210 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Custer CO scores 44/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Use the monthly tables above to plan around specific windows, shoulder seasons for mild highs and lows, peak summer for July-driven heat, or deep winter for January-driven cold. All figures here are thirty-year averages: any single year may run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal, so treat them as planning guidance rather than forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Custer CO, SD? ▼
The average annual temperature in Custer CO, South Dakota is 43°F. The warmest month averages 79°F (26°C) and the coldest averages 15°F (-9°C).
How much rain does Custer CO get? ▼
Custer CO receives 19.8 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Custer CO? ▼
Custer CO 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 Custer CO? ▼
Custer CO has approximately 124 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 23 and the first fall freeze around September 24.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Custer CO? ▼
Custer CO has 8,152 heating degree days and 210 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 Custer CO climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00094032 near Custer CO.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00094032. 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.