Climate Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 44°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Salem, SD Climate
Average temperature, precipitation, and a comfort score, drawn from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 44°F
- Avg annual temp
- 54/100
- Comfort score
- 26.9"
- Annual precip
- 145d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Salem
Salem, South Dakota averages 44°F a year and scores 54/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 27% of U.S. cities.
- 44°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 54/100
- comfort score, milder than 27% of U.S. cities
- 26.9"
- precipitation, annual total
- 145 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
44°F (7°C)
Avg High
56°F
Avg Low
33°F
Annual Precip
26.9"
Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
44°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
26.9"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Salem) 54.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Salem area.
How Salem compares to every U.S. city
Salem'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 Salem
MethodologyZooming out from Salem'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 | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24°F (-5°C) | 5°F (-15°C) | 14°F (-10°C) | 0.6" | 31.0 | 0.0 |
| February | 29°F (-2°C) | 9°F (-13°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 0.7" | 27.6 | 0.0 |
| March | 43°F (6°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 1.4" | 26.3 | 0.0 |
| April | 57°F (14°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 3.3" | 14.7 | 0.1 |
| May | 70°F (21°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 3.8" | 2.5 | 1.0 |
| June | 79°F (26°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 67°F (20°C) | 3.9" | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| July | 83°F (29°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 3.0" | 0.0 | 5.5 |
| August | 81°F (27°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 3.4" | 0.0 | 2.6 |
| September | 74°F (23°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 3.0" | 0.5 | 1.2 |
| October | 59°F (15°C) | 35°F (1°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 2.2" | 11.0 | 0.1 |
| November | 42°F (6°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 1.1" | 24.2 | 0.0 |
| December | 28°F (-2°C) | 10°F (-12°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 0.7" | 30.8 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 0.6"
6.6 days with precipitation
February 0.7"
6.7 days with precipitation
March 1.4"
7.2 days with precipitation
April 3.3"
8.9 days with precipitation
May 3.8"
11.1 days with precipitation
June 3.9"
11.1 days with precipitation
July 3.0"
7.2 days with precipitation
August 3.4"
7.9 days with precipitation
September 3.0"
7.0 days with precipitation
October 2.2"
7.5 days with precipitation
November 1.1"
4.6 days with precipitation
December 0.7"
7.2 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 29
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 7
50% probability date
Growing Season
145 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
8,053
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
588
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Salem's climate means for you
Salem runs 44°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 145 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 7 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 8,053 heating and 588 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: Salem, SD
An annual average temperature of 44°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 56°F to a mean daily low of 33°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Salem, South Dakota. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USC00395360 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Salem averages 26.9 inches of precipitation a year, predominantly as rainfall, and that matters as much to daily life here as temperature does. The frost-free season averages 145 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 7 and the first fall freeze near September 29. As for energy demand, 8,053 heating degree days and 588 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Salem 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 Salem, SD? ▼
The average annual temperature in Salem, South Dakota is 44°F. The warmest month averages 83°F (29°C) and the coldest averages 5°F (-15°C).
How much rain does Salem get? ▼
Salem receives 26.9 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Salem? ▼
Salem 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 Salem? ▼
Salem has approximately 145 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 7 and the first fall freeze around September 29.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Salem? ▼
Salem has 8,053 heating degree days and 588 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 Salem climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00395360 near Salem.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00395360. 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.