Climate Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 44°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Watertown, 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
- 24.6"
- Annual precip
- 154d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Watertown
Watertown, 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
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 54/100
- comfort score, milder than 27% of U.S. cities
- 24.6"
- precipitation, annual total
- 154 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
44°F (7°C)
Avg High
54°F
Avg Low
33°F
Annual Precip
24.6"
Comfort Score
54/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
44°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
24.6"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Watertown) 54.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Watertown area.
How Watertown compares to every U.S. city
Watertown'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 Watertown
MethodologyHow the U.S. land temperature anomaly tracks against the global mean since 1900. The current NOAA 1991-2020 normal for Watertown 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 | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23°F (-5°C) | 4°F (-16°C) | 13°F (-10°C) | 0.7" | 30.8 | 0.0 |
| February | 27°F (-3°C) | 7°F (-14°C) | 17°F (-8°C) | 0.7" | 27.6 | 0.0 |
| March | 40°F (4°C) | 20°F (-7°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 1.0" | 28.0 | 0.0 |
| April | 55°F (13°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 44°F (6°C) | 2.3" | 16.9 | 0.0 |
| May | 67°F (20°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 3.2" | 1.7 | 0.4 |
| June | 77°F (25°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 3.8" | 0.0 | 2.1 |
| July | 82°F (28°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 3.5" | 0.0 | 3.2 |
| August | 80°F (27°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 69°F (20°C) | 3.1" | 0.0 | 1.3 |
| September | 72°F (22°C) | 49°F (10°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 2.7" | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| October | 58°F (14°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 2.1" | 13.8 | 0.0 |
| November | 42°F (5°C) | 22°F (-5°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 0.8" | 25.1 | 0.0 |
| December | 28°F (-2°C) | 10°F (-12°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 0.7" | 30.9 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 0.7"
February 0.7"
March 1.0"
April 2.3"
May 3.2"
June 3.8"
July 3.5"
August 3.1"
September 2.7"
October 2.1"
November 0.8"
December 0.7"
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 4
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 3
50% probability date
Growing Season
154 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
8,220
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
504
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Watertown's climate means for you
Watertown runs 44°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 154 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 3 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 8,220 heating and 504 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: Watertown, SD
In Watertown, South Dakota, the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals put the annual average temperature at 44°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 54°F to a mean daily low of 33°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. As thirty-year averages computed from station USC00398931, these numbers smooth out year-to-year noise into a working baseline for a typical month.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Watertown receives roughly 24.6 inches of precipitation each year, predominantly as rainfall. The frost-free season averages 154 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 3 and the first fall freeze near October 4. For energy use, 8,220 heating degree days and 504 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Watertown scores 54/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above are the practical planning tool: mild highs and lows land in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat peaks in summer, and January-driven cold sets in over deep winter. These are thirty-year averages, not a forecast - any single year can run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Watertown, SD? ▼
The average annual temperature in Watertown, South Dakota is 44°F. The warmest month averages 82°F (28°C) and the coldest averages 4°F (-16°C).
How much rain does Watertown get? ▼
Watertown receives 24.6 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Watertown? ▼
Watertown 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 Watertown? ▼
Watertown has approximately 154 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 3 and the first fall freeze around October 4.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Watertown? ▼
Watertown has 8,220 heating degree days and 504 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 Watertown climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00398931 near Watertown.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00398931. 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.