Climate Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 43°F annual avg 2 stations
Milbank, SD Climate
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: average temperature, precipitation, and comfort score
- 43°F
- Avg annual temp
- 54/100
- Comfort score
- 25.4"
- Annual precip
- 150d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 2 weather stations (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Milbank
Milbank, South Dakota averages 43°F a year and scores 54/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 27% of U.S. cities.
- 43°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 54/100
- comfort score, milder than 27% of U.S. cities
- 25.4"
- annual precipitation
- 150 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
53°F
Avg Low
33°F
Annual Precip
25.4"
Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
43°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
25.4"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Milbank) 54.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Milbank area.
How Milbank compares to every U.S. city
Milbank's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
54 Top 73% higher than 27% 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 Milbank
MethodologySince 1900, U.S. land temperatures have tracked (and diverged from) the global mean - the chart below shows how. Milbank's current NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits within that longer spread, and the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean.
- 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 | 21°F (-6°C) | 4°F (-16°C) | 12°F (-11°C) | 0.7" | 30.9 | 0.0 |
| February | 26°F (-4°C) | 7°F (-14°C) | 16°F (-9°C) | 0.7" | 27.8 | 0.0 |
| March | 38°F (3°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 1.2" | 27.5 | 0.0 |
| April | 54°F (12°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 2.4" | 15.9 | 0.0 |
| May | 67°F (19°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 2.9" | 2.0 | 0.8 |
| June | 77°F (25°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 3.9" | 0.0 | 1.7 |
| July | 81°F (27°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 71°F (21°C) | 3.8" | 0.0 | 2.8 |
| August | 79°F (26°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 3.2" | 0.0 | 2.1 |
| September | 72°F (22°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 2.6" | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| October | 58°F (14°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 2.3" | 11.4 | 0.1 |
| November | 41°F (5°C) | 22°F (-6°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 0.9" | 24.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 27°F (-3°C) | 10°F (-12°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 0.8" | 30.8 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 0.7"
February 0.7"
March 1.2"
April 2.4"
May 2.9"
June 3.9"
July 3.8"
August 3.2"
September 2.6"
October 2.3"
November 0.9"
December 0.8"
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
8,452
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
483
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Milbank's climate means for you
Milbank runs 43°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 8,452 heating and 483 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: Milbank, SD
Milbank, South Dakota runs an annual average of 43°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 53°F to a mean daily low of 33°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Drawn from 2 weather stations, these thirty-year averages smooth out year-to-year swings into a baseline for what a typical month looks like here.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Milbank receives roughly 25.4 inches of precipitation each year, predominantly as rainfall. 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. For energy use, 8,452 heating degree days and 483 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Milbank scores 54/100 (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 Milbank, SD? ▼
The average annual temperature in Milbank, South Dakota is 43°F. The warmest month averages 81°F (27°C) and the coldest averages 4°F (-16°C).
How much rain does Milbank get? ▼
Milbank receives 25.4 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Milbank? ▼
Milbank has a climate comfort score of 54/100 (Moderate), milder than 27% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Milbank? ▼
Milbank 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 Milbank? ▼
Milbank has 8,452 heating degree days and 483 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 Milbank climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from 2 weather stations near Milbank.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00395531. 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.