Climate Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 43°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
- 43°F
- Avg annual temp
- 44/100
- Comfort score
- 25.7"
- Annual precip
- 137d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Summit
Summit, South Dakota averages 43°F a year and scores 44/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 8% of U.S. cities.
- 43°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 44/100
- comfort score, milder than 8% of U.S. cities
- 25.7"
- annual precipitation · 59" snow
- 137 days
- frost-free days per growing season
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
54°F
Avg Low
32°F
Annual Precip
25.7"
Annual Snow
58.6"
Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
43°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
25.7"
Plus 58.6" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Summit) 44.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Summit area.
How Summit compares to every U.S. city
Summit's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
44 Top 92% higher than 8% 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 Summit
MethodologyHow the U.S. land temperature anomaly tracks against the global mean since 1900. The current NOAA 1991-2020 normal for Summit captures average conditions across the spread shown, the most recent decade is 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 | 21°F (-6°C) | 2°F (-17°C) | 11°F (-11°C) | 0.7" | 10.2" | 31.0 | 0.0 |
| February | 26°F (-4°C) | 6°F (-14°C) | 16°F (-9°C) | 0.7" | 12.4" | 27.5 | 0.0 |
| March | 39°F (4°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 1.0" | 8.8" | 27.2 | 0.0 |
| April | 55°F (13°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 2.3" | 7.8" | 17.7 | 0.0 |
| May | 68°F (20°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 3.2" | 0.1" | 4.2 | 0.2 |
| June | 77°F (25°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 65°F (19°C) | 4.0" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 0.8 |
| July | 82°F (28°C) | 58°F (15°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 4.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.2 |
| August | 80°F (27°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 3.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.4 |
| September | 73°F (23°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 2.8" | 0.0" | 1.6 | 0.6 |
| October | 58°F (14°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 2.5" | 2.0" | 13.2 | 0.0 |
| November | 40°F (4°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 0.9" | 5.4" | 26.4 | 0.0 |
| December | 26°F (-4°C) | 9°F (-13°C) | 17°F (-8°C) | 0.7" | 11.9" | 30.9 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.7"
Snow: 10.2"
6.3 days with precipitation
February 0.7"
Snow: 12.4"
5.8 days with precipitation
March 1.0"
Snow: 8.8"
5.9 days with precipitation
April 2.3"
Snow: 7.8"
7.5 days with precipitation
May 3.2"
Snow: 0.1"
10.7 days with precipitation
June 4.0"
11.2 days with precipitation
July 4.1"
9.1 days with precipitation
August 3.0"
8.5 days with precipitation
September 2.8"
8.2 days with precipitation
October 2.5"
Snow: 2.0"
7.8 days with precipitation
November 0.9"
Snow: 5.4"
5.1 days with precipitation
December 0.7"
Snow: 11.9"
6.7 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
September 28
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 14
50% probability date
Growing Season
137 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
8,604
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
482
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Summit's climate means for you
Summit runs 43°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 137 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 14 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 8,604 heating and 482 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: Summit, SD
Summit, South Dakota runs an annual average of 43°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 54°F to a mean daily low of 32°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Drawn from station USC00398116, these thirty-year averages smooth out year-to-year swings into a baseline for what a typical month looks like here.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in Summit should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 25.7 inches, with 58.6 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 137 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 14 and the first fall freeze near September 28. And on the energy front, 8,604 heating degree days and 482 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Summit scores 44/100 (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 Summit, SD? ▼
The average annual temperature in Summit, South Dakota is 43°F. The warmest month averages 82°F (28°C) and the coldest averages 2°F (-17°C).
How much rain does Summit get? ▼
Summit receives 25.7 inches of precipitation annually, including 58.6 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Summit? ▼
Summit has a climate comfort score of 44/100 (Moderate), milder than 8% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Summit? ▼
Summit has approximately 137 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 14 and the first fall freeze around September 28.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Summit? ▼
Summit has 8,604 heating degree days and 482 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 Summit climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00398116 near Summit.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00398116. 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.