PlainClimate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 48°F annual avg Public-domain federal data

Harrington, SD Climate

Temperature, precipitation, and comfort score from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →

48°F
Avg annual temp
59/100
Comfort score
21.9"
Annual precip
143d
Growing season

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

The climate verdict for Harrington

Harrington, South Dakota averages 48°F a year and scores 59/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 39% of U.S. cities.

48°F
yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
59/100
comfort score, milder than 39% of U.S. cities
21.9"
annual precipitation · 47" snow
143 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

48°F (9°C)

Avg High

61°F

Avg Low

35°F

Annual Precip

21.9"

Annual Snow

47.2"

Comfort Score

59/100

Moderate

Climate Comfort Score

59/100

Moderate

Avg Annual Temperature

48°F

30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)

Annual Precipitation

21.9"

Plus 47.2" of snow

Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Harrington) 59.0%
National median (63)

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

How Harrington compares to every U.S. city

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

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

59 Top 61% higher than 39% 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%). Below this entry. 50–60: 1,433 US cities (21%). This entry sits in this band. 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 Harrington

Methodology

Since 1900, U.S. land temperatures have tracked (and diverged from) the global mean - the chart below shows how. Harrington's current NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits within that longer spread, and the most recent decade runs 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 35°F (2°C) 12°F (-11°C) 24°F (-5°C)
February 38°F (3°C) 14°F (-10°C) 26°F (-3°C)
March 50°F (10°C) 23°F (-5°C) 36°F (2°C)
April 59°F (15°C) 32°F (0°C) 45°F (7°C)
May 69°F (21°C) 43°F (6°C) 56°F (13°C)
June 79°F (26°C) 54°F (12°C) 67°F (19°C)
July 87°F (30°C) 60°F (15°C) 73°F (23°C)
August 86°F (30°C) 58°F (14°C) 72°F (22°C)
September 78°F (26°C) 49°F (9°C) 63°F (17°C)
October 62°F (17°C) 35°F (2°C) 48°F (9°C)
November 48°F (9°C) 22°F (-5°C) 35°F (2°C)
December 37°F (3°C) 13°F (-10°C) 25°F (-4°C)

Monthly Precipitation

Average monthly rainfall and snowfall

January 0.5"

Snow: 7.2"

4.7 days with precipitation

February 0.7"

Snow: 7.5"

5.5 days with precipitation

March 1.3"

Snow: 8.4"

6.3 days with precipitation

April 2.8"

Snow: 6.7"

8.7 days with precipitation

May 3.7"

Snow: 0.2"

8.8 days with precipitation

June 4.0"

10.2 days with precipitation

July 2.1"

8.3 days with precipitation

August 2.0"

6.5 days with precipitation

September 1.6"

Snow: 0.1"

5.4 days with precipitation

October 1.8"

Snow: 2.8"

5.7 days with precipitation

November 0.8"

Snow: 8.7"

5.0 days with precipitation

December 0.6"

Snow: 5.6"

3.5 days with precipitation

Frost Dates & Growing Season

First Fall Freeze

October 1

50% probability date

Last Spring Freeze

May 11

50% probability date

Growing Season

143 days

Heating & Cooling Degree Days

Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling

Heating Degree Days

7,029

Higher = more heating needed

Cooling Degree Days

708

Higher = more cooling needed

Warmest Month

July

Coldest Month

January

What Harrington's climate means for you

Harrington runs 48°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.

  • Gardeners get about 143 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 11 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
  • Energy bills track 7,029 heating and 708 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: Harrington, SD

Based on station USC00393574 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Harrington, South Dakota averages 48°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 61°F to a mean daily low of 35°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. Harrington receives roughly 21.9 inches of precipitation each year, with 47.2 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 143 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 11 and the first fall freeze near October 1. For energy use, 7,029 heating degree days and 708 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.

On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Harrington scores 59/100 (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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average temperature in Harrington, SD?
The average annual temperature in Harrington, South Dakota is 48°F. The warmest month averages 87°F (30°C) and the coldest averages 12°F (-11°C).
How much rain does Harrington get?
Harrington receives 21.9 inches of precipitation annually, including 47.2 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Harrington?
Harrington has a climate comfort score of 59/100 (Moderate), milder than 39% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Harrington?
Harrington has approximately 143 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 11 and the first fall freeze around October 1.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Harrington?
Harrington has 7,029 heating degree days and 708 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 Harrington climate data come from?
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00393574 near Harrington.

Data Sources

Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00393574. 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.