Guest, Sign inJoin
Tripp County Veteran's MemorialWinner, #1 on this list · Tripp County Veteran's Memorial · Photo: Ammodramus · CC0
South Dakota rankings · Climate

Towns with the hottest summers in South Dakota

Winner has the hottest summers of South Dakota’s 37 towns of 2,500+: July afternoons average a high of 88° (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The typical town here averages 85°; none of the 37 average 90° or more.

The average July high. NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020, from NOAA’s 5 km grid at each town’s center; one town for each grid cell. A described list: no letters. How grades work

#1

Winner

Tripp County · 2,969 people
88°

July high·January low 12°·40 days of 90°+ a year

#2

Pierre

Hughes County · 13,848 people
88°

July high·January low 9°·38 days of 90°+ a year

#3

Belle Fourche

Butte County · 5,791 people
88°

July high·January low 13°·38 days of 90°+ a year

All 37 towns

July high, highest first. Towns with the same figure share a rank (T = tied; 16 towns here).

37 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownJuly highDays ≥90°January low
1WinnerTripp County · 2,969 people88°4012°average low
2PierreHughes County · 13,848 people88°389°average low
3Belle FourcheButte County · 5,791 people88°3813°average low
4ChamberlainBrule County · 2,453 people88°3410°average low
5Hot SpringsFall River County · 3,670 people87°4114°average low
6MitchellDavison County · 15,756 people86°268°average low
7Box ElderPennington County · 13,936 people86°3214°average low
8Rapid Valleyunincorporated, Pennington County · 6,975 people86°3214°average low
9MobridgeWalworth County · 3,192 people86°295°average low
T10Big Sioux TownshipUnion County · 5,152 people86°2510°average low
T10Dakota Dunesunincorporated, Union County · 3,936 people86°2510°average low
T10Rapid CityPennington County · 80,589 people86°2314°average low
T10YanktonYankton County · 15,816 people86°3310°average low
T14HuronBeadle County · 14,607 people86°226°average low
T14VermillionClay County · 11,720 people86°2910°average low
T16Elk PointUnion County · 2,080 people86°2910°average low
T16North Sioux CityUnion County · 3,036 people86°2510°average low
18SpearfishLawrence County · 14,154 people86°2615°average low
19SturgisMeade County · 6,922 people85°2814°average low
20CantonLincoln County · 3,001 people84°158°average low
T21BrandonMinnehaha County · 11,306 people84°157°average low
T21Colonial Pine Hillsunincorporated, Pennington County · 2,609 people84°2014°average low
23Split Rock TownshipMinnehaha County · 3,086 people84°157°average low
T24HarrisburgLincoln County · 10,405 people84°158°average low
T24Sioux FallsMinnehaha County · 213,748 people84°158°average low
T24SummersetMeade County · 3,030 people84°2014°average low
T24TeaLincoln County · 8,019 people84°158°average low
28AberdeenBrown County · 27,961 people84°153°average low
29HartfordMinnehaha County · 3,635 people84°158°average low
T30Blackhawkunincorporated, Meade County · 2,934 people83°2014°average low
T30Dell RapidsMinnehaha County · 3,852 people83°106°average low
32MilbankGrant County · 3,512 people83°83°average low
33MadisonLake County · 6,065 people82°126°average low
34BrookingsBrookings County · 25,355 people82°85°average low
35SissetonRoberts County · 2,413 people82°112°average low
36WatertownCodington County · 23,736 people81°92°average low
37LeadLawrence County · 3,064 people81°614°average low
Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which South Dakota town has the hottest summers?

Winner (Tripp County): July afternoons average a high of 88°. Pierre (88°) and Belle Fourche (88°) follow.

How are these towns ranked?

By the average July high (the warmest month’s afternoons), highest first, on NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals, read from its 5 km grid at each town’s center. Towns with the same figure share a rank (T); the figure and the state rank are the ones on each town’s Climate page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents, one for each of NOAA’s 5 km grid cells (37 in South Dakota): where towns share a cell, one of them stands for it, since the grid gives them the same figures. Every town’s own figures are on its Climate page. Every town is on the South Dakota page.

Go deeper

More South Dakota lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All South Dakota rankings →
Other states

Hottest summers in other states