Hot Springs, SD Climate

Climate Insight: Hot Springs, SD

In Hot Springs, South Dakota, the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals put the annual average temperature at 49°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 63°F to a mean daily low of 34°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. As thirty-year averages computed from station USC00394007, these numbers smooth out year-to-year noise into a working baseline for a typical month.

Rainfall (and snow, where it falls) shapes day-to-day life here as much as temperature does. Hot Springs sees about 18.6 inches of precipitation a year, with 32.0 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 134 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 16 and the first fall freeze near September 27. On the energy side, 6,583 heating degree days and 644 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.

On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Hot Springs 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.