Few U.S. towns have colder winter nights than La Belle Township
July afternoons average 81°. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in 90% of U.S. towns. The latest 30-year average runs 1.1° warmer than 1901–2000’s, with January up the most. Garden planting can start around May 2; autumn frost returns near October 9.
A year in La Belle Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about La Belle Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with La Belle Township’s place in South Dakota beside it.
What a year in La Belle Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 160 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first by October 9. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Roy Lake, SD, 12 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts La Belle Township’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −25°. 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 48 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Roy Lake, SD, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 25 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 84 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in La Belle Township
93% 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 Roy Lake, SD.
Living with La Belle Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
160 frost-free days in zone 4b. The last frost comes by May 2 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 9.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 1.7 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 37% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in La Belle Township from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →La Belle Township and its neighbors
Tewaukon Township has the coldest January nights next door (2°, 2° colder) and Tewaukon Township the hottest July afternoons (82°, 2° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like La Belle Township’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Belle Township, SD | 3° | 81° | 25" | 48" |
| Baxter, MN | 1° | 80° | 29" | 48" |
| Kingsford, MI | 5° | 80° | 29" | 61" |
| Minot, ND | 2° | 82° | 17" | 52" |
| Rice Lake, WI | 3° | 80° | 33" | 53" |
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 La Belle Township averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.1°).
A smaller shift than in 70% 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 La Belle Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with La Belle Township’s place among South Dakota’s.
La Belle Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at La Belle Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Roy Lake, SD. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19° | 3° | 0.7" | 6.6" | 5 | −2° – 25° |
| February | 24° | 6° | 0.7" | 9.2" | 5 | 0° – 27° |
| March | 37° | 19° | 1.0" | 7.0" | 5 | 17° – 42° |
| April | 53° | 32° | 2.0" | 7.2" | 7 | 32° – 50° |
| May | 66° | 44° | 3.1" | 0.2" | 11 | 50° – 62° |
| June | 76° | 55° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 11 | 60° – 69° |
| July | 81° | 60° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 62° – 76° |
| August | 79° | 57° | 2.6" | 0.0" | 8 | 63° – 72° |
| September | 71° | 49° | 2.7" | 0.0" | 8 | 53° – 64° |
| October | 55° | 36° | 2.4" | 2.5" | 7 | 37° – 51° |
| November | 38° | 22° | 0.9" | 4.3" | 4 | 18° – 41° |
| December | 24° | 10° | 0.8" | 11.1" | 6 | 3° – 25° |
| Year | 52° | 33° | 24.8" | 48.1" | 84 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 0° to 27°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where La Belle 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 La Belle Township’s center.
- Snow: Roy Lake, SD.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Roy Lake, SD, 12 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 La Belle Township’s climate
What is the weather like in La Belle Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 3°, and about 48 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than all but 118 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 90% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in La Belle Township in winter?
January nights average 3°. About 174 nights a year reach 32° or below and 43 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged −2°.
How much snow does La Belle Township get?
About 48 inches in a normal winter at Roy Lake, SD, most of it in December.
How hot does it get in La Belle Township?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 60°. About 4 days a year reach 90° (Roy Lake, SD).
When is the first and last frost in La Belle Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 2 and the first fall frost by October 9, about 160 frost-free days, at Roy Lake, SD.
What growing zone is La Belle Township in?
Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −25°.
What is the best time of year to visit La Belle 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 La Belle Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 70% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in La Belle 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.