Hardly any U.S. towns see harsher January nights than Darlington Township
The warmest part of a July day comes in at 83° on average. Its yearly precipitation falls short of 88% of U.S. towns. The latest 30-year average runs 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000’s, with December up the most. Tender plants can go out after about May 5; in half of years the first frost comes by October 5.
A year in Darlington Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Darlington Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Darlington Township’s place in South Dakota beside it.
What a year in Darlington Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 152 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 5 and the first by October 5. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Clark No2, SD, 9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Darlington Township’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −24°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 24 inches of rain a year
June is the wettest month and January the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Darlington Township
95% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Clark No2, SD.
Living with Darlington Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
152 frost-free days in zone 4b. The last frost comes by May 5 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 5.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 16 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 42% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Darlington Township from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Darlington Township and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Darlington Township in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Darlington Township averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.0°).
A smaller shift than in 63% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Darlington Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Darlington Township’s place among South Dakota’s.
Darlington Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Darlington Township’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22° | 4° | 0.6" | 1° – 27° |
| February | 27° | 8° | 0.7" | 4° – 30° |
| March | 40° | 21° | 1.0" | 20° – 44° |
| April | 55° | 33° | 2.2" | 34° – 51° |
| May | 68° | 45° | 3.2" | 52° – 63° |
| June | 78° | 55° | 4.0" | 61° – 70° |
| July | 83° | 60° | 3.4" | 63° – 79° |
| August | 81° | 58° | 2.8" | 64° – 74° |
| September | 73° | 49° | 2.5" | 54° – 67° |
| October | 58° | 35° | 2.2" | 39° – 51° |
| November | 41° | 22° | 0.8" | 20° – 42° |
| December | 27° | 10° | 0.7" | 5° – 26° |
| Year | 54° | 33° | 24.0" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 4° to 30°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Where Darlington Township’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Darlington Township’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Clark No2, SD, 9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Darlington Township’s climate
What is the weather like in Darlington Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 4°. Colder January nights than all but 156 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 73% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Darlington Township in winter?
January nights average 4°. About 178 nights a year reach 32° or below and 39 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 1°.
How hot does it get in Darlington Township?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 60°. About 6 days a year reach 90° (Clark No2, SD).
When is the first and last frost in Darlington Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 5 and the first fall frost by October 5, about 152 frost-free days, at Clark No2, SD.
What growing zone is Darlington Township in?
Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −24°.
What is the best time of year to visit Darlington Township?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Darlington Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 63% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Darlington Township.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.