Climate Comfort Score
59/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 47°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Howard, SD Climate
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: average temperature, precipitation, and comfort score
- 47°F
- Avg annual temp
- 59/100
- Comfort score
- 26.4"
- Annual precip
- 150d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Howard
Howard, South Dakota averages 47°F a year and scores 59/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 39% of U.S. cities.
- 47°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 59/100
- comfort score, milder than 39% of U.S. cities
- 26.4"
- annual precipitation · 36" snow
- 150 days
- frost-free growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
47°F (8°C)
Avg High
60°F
Avg Low
33°F
Annual Precip
26.4"
Annual Snow
35.8"
Comfort Score
59/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
47°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
26.4"
Plus 35.8" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Howard) 59.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Howard area.
How Howard compares to every U.S. city
Howard'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
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 Howard
MethodologyZooming out from Howard'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 | 29°F (-2°C) | 5°F (-15°C) | 17°F (-8°C) | 0.6" | 5.8" | 30.8 | 0.0 |
| February | 34°F (1°C) | 9°F (-13°C) | 22°F (-6°C) | 0.7" | 6.4" | 27.5 | 0.0 |
| March | 47°F (8°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 1.4" | 6.6" | 25.7 | 0.0 |
| April | 61°F (16°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 2.7" | 5.2" | 14.2 | 0.1 |
| May | 73°F (23°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 3.9" | 0.0" | 2.2 | 0.6 |
| June | 82°F (28°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 3.7" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.4 |
| July | 87°F (31°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 3.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 6.2 |
| August | 85°F (29°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 2.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.4 |
| September | 77°F (25°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 3.0" | 0.0" | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| October | 63°F (17°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 2.4" | 1.0" | 11.5 | 0.0 |
| November | 47°F (8°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 1.0" | 3.2" | 25.4 | 0.0 |
| December | 33°F (1°C) | 10°F (-12°C) | 22°F (-6°C) | 0.7" | 7.6" | 30.6 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.6"
Snow: 5.8"
4.6 days with precipitation
February 0.7"
Snow: 6.4"
4.6 days with precipitation
March 1.4"
Snow: 6.6"
5.4 days with precipitation
April 2.7"
Snow: 5.2"
8.6 days with precipitation
May 3.9"
9.9 days with precipitation
June 3.7"
10.7 days with precipitation
July 3.5"
7.4 days with precipitation
August 2.9"
7.1 days with precipitation
September 3.0"
6.6 days with precipitation
October 2.4"
Snow: 1.0"
6.1 days with precipitation
November 1.0"
Snow: 3.2"
3.8 days with precipitation
December 0.7"
Snow: 7.6"
4.8 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 2
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 5
50% probability date
Growing Season
150 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
7,456
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
776
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Howard's climate means for you
Howard runs 47°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 150 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 5 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 7,456 heating and 776 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: Howard, SD
The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Howard, South Dakota as a location with an annual average temperature of 47°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 60°F to a mean daily low of 33°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from station USC00394037, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in Howard should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 26.4 inches, with 35.8 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 150 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 5 and the first fall freeze near October 2. And on the energy front, 7,456 heating degree days and 776 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Howard scores 59/100 (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 Howard, SD? ▼
The average annual temperature in Howard, South Dakota is 47°F. The warmest month averages 87°F (31°C) and the coldest averages 5°F (-15°C).
How much rain does Howard get? ▼
Howard receives 26.4 inches of precipitation annually, including 35.8 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Howard? ▼
Howard 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 Howard? ▼
Howard has approximately 150 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 5 and the first fall freeze around October 2.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Howard? ▼
Howard has 7,456 heating degree days and 776 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 Howard climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00394037 near Howard.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00394037. 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.