Nights turn raw in Lower Brule each January, colder than in 95% of U.S. towns
The warmest part of a July day comes in at 88° on average. It is a dry place: less rain and snow fall here than on 89% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.0° more than in 1901–2000, led by January. Tender plants can go out after about May 6; in half of years the first frost comes by October 5.
A year in Lower Brule at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Lower Brule’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Lower Brule’s place in South Dakota beside it.
What a year in Lower Brule 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 6 and the first by October 5. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Lake Sharpe Prj, SD, 6 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Lower Brule’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −21°. 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 19 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Lake Sharpe Prj, SD, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 21 inches a year; June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 71 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Lower Brule
90% 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 Lake Sharpe Prj, SD.
Living with Lower Brule’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 6 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 and September.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 62% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Lower Brule from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Lower Brule and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Lower Brule yet.
Climates most like Lower Brule’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Brule, SD | 9° | 88° | 21" | 19" |
| Lexington, NE | 14° | 88° | 23" | 20" |
| Sheridan, WY | 11° | 89° | 15" | 33" |
| Lockwood, MT | 15° | 88° | 15" | 35" |
| Raton, NM | 15° | 85° | 16" | 25" |
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 Lower Brule averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.5°).
A smaller shift than in 75% 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 Lower Brule compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Lower Brule’s place among South Dakota’s.
Lower Brule weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Lower Brule’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Lake Sharpe Prj, SD. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29° | 9° | 0.5" | 2.7" | 3 | 10° – 35° |
| February | 34° | 13° | 0.7" | 5.4" | 3 | 7° – 34° |
| March | 46° | 23° | 1.0" | 3.0" | 4 | 24° – 48° |
| April | 59° | 33° | 2.3" | 2.6" | 6 | 37° – 52° |
| May | 70° | 45° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 11 | 52° – 63° |
| June | 80° | 56° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 10 | 63° – 72° |
| July | 88° | 62° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 66° – 81° |
| August | 85° | 60° | 2.4" | 0.0" | 9 | 67° – 76° |
| September | 77° | 50° | 1.9" | 0.0" | 6 | 58° – 69° |
| October | 61° | 37° | 1.7" | 0.1" | 6 | 41° – 54° |
| November | 45° | 24° | 0.6" | 1.2" | 3 | 24° – 43° |
| December | 32° | 13° | 0.5" | 3.9" | 2 | 10° – 30° |
| Year | 59° | 35° | 21.4" | 18.9" | 71 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 7° to 34°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Lower Brule’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 Lower Brule’s center.
- Snow: Lake Sharpe Prj, SD.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Lake Sharpe Prj, SD, 6 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 Lower Brule’s climate
What is the weather like in Lower Brule?
A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 19 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 95% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 65% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Lower Brule in winter?
January nights average 9°. About 171 nights a year reach 32° or below and 26 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 10°.
How much snow does Lower Brule get?
About 19 inches in a normal winter at Lake Sharpe Prj, SD, most of it in February.
How hot does it get in Lower Brule?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 62°. About 31 days a year reach 90° and 4 reach 100° (Lake Sharpe Prj, SD).
When is the first and last frost in Lower Brule?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 6 and the first fall frost by October 5, about 152 frost-free days, at Lake Sharpe Prj, SD.
What growing zone is Lower Brule 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 Lower Brule?
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 Lower Brule getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 75% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Lower Brule.
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.