Few U.S. towns have colder winter nights than La Plant
July afternoons average 86°. The year swings widely: the coldest month’s nights and the warmest month’s afternoons are 79° apart. By precipitation alone, it ranks drier than 90% of U.S. towns. Plan time outside for May, June and September, when highs sit at 68–79°.
A year in La Plant at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about La Plant’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with La Plant’s place in South Dakota beside it.
What a year in La Plant feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 19 inches of rain a year
June is the wettest month and January the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with La Plant’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 4b.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June and September.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 84% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in La Plant from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →La Plant and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around La Plant yet.
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in La Plant averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.4°).
A smaller shift than in 85% 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 Plant compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with La Plant’s place among South Dakota’s.
La Plant weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at La Plant’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27° | 7° | 0.4" | 5° – 31° |
| February | 31° | 11° | 0.6" | 3° – 33° |
| March | 44° | 21° | 0.8" | 21° – 46° |
| April | 57° | 32° | 1.7" | 37° – 51° |
| May | 68° | 43° | 3.1" | 51° – 62° |
| June | 79° | 54° | 3.3" | 61° – 71° |
| July | 86° | 60° | 2.8" | 64° – 81° |
| August | 85° | 58° | 2.1" | 65° – 76° |
| September | 75° | 48° | 1.6" | 56° – 67° |
| October | 59° | 35° | 1.7" | 38° – 52° |
| November | 43° | 22° | 0.5" | 20° – 42° |
| December | 30° | 12° | 0.5" | 8° – 29° |
| Year | 57° | 34° | 19.0" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 3° to 33°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Where La Plant’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 Plant’s center.
- 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 Plant’s climate
What is the weather like in La Plant?
A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 7°. Colder January nights than 96% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 56% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in La Plant in winter?
January nights average 7°. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 5°.
How hot does it get in La Plant?
July, with a typical high of 86°. 90° days are rare.
What growing zone is La Plant in?
Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −21°.
What is the best time of year to visit La Plant?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is La Plant getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 85% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in La Plant.
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.