PlainClimate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 42°F annual avg Public-domain federal data

Eureka, SD Climate

Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: average temperature, precipitation, and comfort score

42°F
Avg annual temp
49/100
Comfort score
20.3"
Annual precip
138d
Growing season

30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).

The climate verdict for Eureka

Eureka, South Dakota averages 42°F a year and scores 49/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 18% of U.S. cities.

42°F
average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
49/100
comfort score, milder than 18% of U.S. cities
20.3"
annual precipitation · 44" snow
138 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 (5°C)

Avg High

53°F

Avg Low

31°F

Annual Precip

20.3"

Annual Snow

44.3"

Comfort Score

49/100

Moderate

Climate Comfort Score

49/100

Moderate

Avg Annual Temperature

42°F

30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)

Annual Precipitation

20.3"

Plus 44.3" of snow

Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Eureka) 49.0%
National median (63)

PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Eureka area.

How Eureka compares to every U.S. city

Eureka's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities

PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals

49 Top 82% higher than 18% of 6,915 US cities

0–10: 0 US cities (0%). Below this entry. 10–20: 0 US cities (0%). Below this entry. 20–30: 58 US cities (1%). Below this entry. 30–40: 439 US cities (6%). Below this entry. 40–50: 1,302 US cities (19%). This entry sits in this band. 50–60: 1,433 US cities (21%). Above this entry. 60–70: 1,357 US cities (20%). Above this entry. 70–80: 1,102 US cities (16%). Above this entry. 80–90: 778 US cities (11%). Above this entry. 90–100: 420 US cities (6%). Above this entry. This city 0 100 every U.S. city, bucketed by value

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 Eureka

Methodology

Eureka's NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits inside a longer story: U.S. land temperatures have been tracking (and drifting from) the global mean since 1900, and the chart below shows that spread, with the most recent decade running warmer than the 30-year mean.

Warming context, U.S. vs global, with Paris reference lines Anomaly chart from 1900 to 2024. Local series shows warming of 0.11 °C per decade versus a global rate of 0.11 °C per decade (ratio 1.00). Paris Agreement thresholds at 1.5 and 2.0 °C are dashed. -1.0°C -0.5°C +0.0°C +0.5°C +1.0°C +1.5°C +2.0°C +2.5°C Paris 1.5°C Paris 2.0°C 1900192019401960198020002020
  • 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
Sources: NOAA NCEI, NASA GISTEMP. Paris thresholds per IPCC AR6 WG1.

Monthly Temperatures

Average daily high and low temperatures by month

Month Avg High Avg Low Mean
January 21°F (-6°C) 2°F (-17°C) 11°F (-12°C)
February 25°F (-4°C) 6°F (-15°C) 15°F (-9°C)
March 38°F (3°C) 18°F (-8°C) 28°F (-2°C)
April 54°F (12°C) 30°F (-1°C) 42°F (5°C)
May 67°F (19°C) 42°F (6°C) 55°F (13°C)
June 76°F (24°C) 53°F (12°C) 65°F (18°C)
July 82°F (28°C) 58°F (14°C) 70°F (21°C)
August 81°F (27°C) 56°F (13°C) 68°F (20°C)
September 72°F (22°C) 46°F (8°C) 59°F (15°C)
October 56°F (13°C) 32°F (0°C) 44°F (7°C)
November 39°F (4°C) 19°F (-7°C) 29°F (-2°C)
December 25°F (-4°C) 8°F (-13°C) 17°F (-9°C)

Monthly Precipitation

Average monthly rainfall and snowfall

January 0.4"

Snow: 6.9"

4.8 days with precipitation

February 0.5"

Snow: 7.6"

5.0 days with precipitation

March 0.8"

Snow: 8.5"

5.6 days with precipitation

April 1.6"

Snow: 4.7"

6.8 days with precipitation

May 3.2"

9.1 days with precipitation

June 3.8"

10.7 days with precipitation

July 3.1"

8.6 days with precipitation

August 2.2"

7.1 days with precipitation

September 1.8"

6.3 days with precipitation

October 1.7"

Snow: 2.0"

6.2 days with precipitation

November 0.5"

Snow: 6.3"

4.2 days with precipitation

December 0.5"

Snow: 8.3"

4.5 days with precipitation

Frost Dates & Growing Season

First Fall Freeze

September 27

50% probability date

Last Spring Freeze

May 12

50% probability date

Growing Season

138 days

Heating & Cooling Degree Days

Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling

Heating Degree Days

8,874

Higher = more heating needed

Cooling Degree Days

447

Higher = more cooling needed

Warmest Month

July

Coldest Month

January

What Eureka's climate means for you

Eureka runs 42°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.

  • Gardeners get about 138 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 12 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
  • Energy bills track 8,874 heating and 447 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: Eureka, SD

The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Eureka, South Dakota as a location with an annual average temperature of 42°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 53°F to a mean daily low of 31°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from station USC00392797, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.

Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Eureka receives roughly 20.3 inches of precipitation each year, with 44.3 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 138 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 12 and the first fall freeze near September 27. For energy use, 8,874 heating degree days and 447 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.

On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Eureka scores 49/100 (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 Eureka, SD?
The average annual temperature in Eureka, South Dakota is 42°F. The warmest month averages 82°F (28°C) and the coldest averages 2°F (-17°C).
How much rain does Eureka get?
Eureka receives 20.3 inches of precipitation annually, including 44.3 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Eureka?
Eureka has a climate comfort score of 49/100 (Moderate), milder than 18% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Eureka?
Eureka has approximately 138 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 12 and the first fall freeze around September 27.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Eureka?
Eureka has 8,874 heating degree days and 447 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 Eureka climate data come from?
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00392797 near Eureka.

Data Sources

Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00392797. For informational purposes only.

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.