Climate Comfort Score
49/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 47°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Rapid City Rgnl, SD Climate
Temperature, precipitation, and comfort score from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 47°F
- Avg annual temp
- 49/100
- Comfort score
- 17.4"
- Annual precip
- 142d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Rapid City Rgnl
Rapid City Rgnl, South Dakota averages 47°F a year and scores 49/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 18% of U.S. cities.
- 47°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 49/100
- comfort score, milder than 18% of U.S. cities
- 17.4"
- annual precipitation · 49" snow
- 142 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
47°F (8°C)
Avg High
60°F
Avg Low
34°F
Annual Precip
17.4"
Annual Snow
48.5"
Comfort Score
49/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
47°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
17.4"
Plus 48.5" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Rapid City Rgnl) 49.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Rapid City Rgnl area.
How Rapid City Rgnl compares to every U.S. city
Rapid City Rgnl'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
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 Rapid City Rgnl
MethodologyRapid City Rgnl'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.
- 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 | 36°F (2°C) | 13°F (-11°C) | 24°F (-4°C) | 0.3" | 5.3" | 30.3 | 0.0 |
| February | 38°F (3°C) | 14°F (-10°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 0.5" | 7.7" | 26.7 | 0.0 |
| March | 48°F (9°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 0.9" | 8.4" | 25.9 | 0.0 |
| April | 57°F (14°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 2.1" | 10.1" | 16.4 | 0.0 |
| May | 67°F (19°C) | 42°F (5°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 3.5" | 1.5" | 4.1 | 0.6 |
| June | 78°F (25°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 2.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.5 |
| July | 86°F (30°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 2.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 11.8 |
| August | 85°F (30°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 1.6" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 11.4 |
| September | 76°F (24°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 1.2" | 0.1" | 1.2 | 4.4 |
| October | 60°F (16°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 1.4" | 3.0" | 13.2 | 0.4 |
| November | 47°F (8°C) | 22°F (-6°C) | 35°F (1°C) | 0.5" | 5.7" | 26.3 | 0.0 |
| December | 37°F (3°C) | 14°F (-10°C) | 26°F (-4°C) | 0.3" | 6.7" | 30.3 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.3"
Snow: 5.3"
5.7 days with precipitation
February 0.5"
Snow: 7.7"
6.6 days with precipitation
March 0.9"
Snow: 8.4"
7.0 days with precipitation
April 2.1"
Snow: 10.1"
10.5 days with precipitation
May 3.5"
Snow: 1.5"
12.6 days with precipitation
June 2.9"
12.5 days with precipitation
July 2.3"
9.8 days with precipitation
August 1.6"
7.9 days with precipitation
September 1.2"
Snow: 0.1"
6.6 days with precipitation
October 1.4"
Snow: 3.0"
7.1 days with precipitation
November 0.5"
Snow: 5.7"
5.1 days with precipitation
December 0.3"
Snow: 6.7"
5.0 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 1
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 12
50% probability date
Growing Season
142 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
7,252
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
607
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 64% | 10.3 | 53% | 26% |
| February | 64% | 10.9 | 54% | 26% |
| March | 58% | 12.2 | 49% | 28% |
| April | 58% | 12.2 | 50% | 26% |
| May | 65% | 10.5 | 52% | 22% |
| June | 59% | 9.7 | 66% | 9% |
| July | 56% | 8.9 | 70% | 8% |
| August | 51% | 9.5 | 75% | 9% |
| September | 54% | 10.3 | 67% | 17% |
| October | 58% | 10.8 | 61% | 23% |
| November | 63% | 10.2 | 62% | 23% |
| December | 66% | 9.7 | 58% | 24% |
What Rapid City Rgnl's climate means for you
Rapid City Rgnl runs 47°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 142 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 12 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 7,252 heating and 607 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: Rapid City Rgnl, SD
The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Rapid City Rgnl, 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 34°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from station USW00024090, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.
Beyond temperature, Rapid City Rgnl averages 17.4 inches of precipitation annually, with 48.5 inches typically falling as snow - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 142 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 October 1. Turning to energy use, 7,252 heating degree days and 607 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Rapid City Rgnl 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 Rapid City Rgnl, SD? ▼
The average annual temperature in Rapid City Rgnl, South Dakota is 47°F. The warmest month averages 86°F (30°C) and the coldest averages 13°F (-11°C).
How much rain does Rapid City Rgnl get? ▼
Rapid City Rgnl receives 17.4 inches of precipitation annually, including 48.5 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Rapid City Rgnl? ▼
Rapid City Rgnl 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 Rapid City Rgnl? ▼
Rapid City Rgnl has approximately 142 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 12 and the first fall freeze around October 1.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Rapid City Rgnl? ▼
Rapid City Rgnl has 7,252 heating degree days and 607 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 Rapid City Rgnl climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00024090 near Rapid City Rgnl.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00024090. 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.