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South Dakota rankings · Climate

Towns with the least snow in South Dakota

Hot Springs gets the least snow of South Dakota’s 35 towns of 2,500+ with a snow record: about 32 inches in a normal winter at its NOAA station. Lead gets the most, about 184 inches; 0 of the 35 average under 30 inches.

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020, at each town’s nearest station with a snow record (named in each row). A described list: no letters. How grades work

#1

Hot Springs

Fall River County · 3,670 people
32in

13 days a year with an inch or more·Hot Springs station, 2 km

#2

Milbank

Grant County · 3,512 people
32in

9 days a year with an inch or more·Big Stone City 2 NW station, 14 km

#3

Brookings

Brookings County · 25,355 people
36in

13 days a year with an inch or more·Brookings 2 NE station, 3 km

All 35 towns

Snow in a normal winter, least first. Towns that share a station share its figure and rank (T = tied; 16 towns here share a station).

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

#TownSnow a yearDays with 1″+NOAA station
1Hot SpringsFall River County · 3,670 people32 in13Hot Springs2.0 km
2MilbankGrant County · 3,512 people32 in9Big Stone City 2 NW13.8 km
3BrookingsBrookings County · 25,355 people36 in13Brookings 2 NE2.8 km
T4Big Sioux TownshipUnion County · 5,152 people36 in11Sioux City Gateway AP18.2 km
T4Dakota Dunesunincorporated, Union County · 3,936 people36 in11Sioux City Gateway AP14.0 km
T4North Sioux CityUnion County · 3,036 people36 in11Sioux City Gateway AP18.7 km
T7Blackhawkunincorporated, Meade County · 2,934 people36 in14Rapid City 4nw5.2 km
T7CantonLincoln County · 3,001 people36 in13Canton0.9 km
T7Colonial Pine Hillsunincorporated, Pennington County · 2,609 people36 in14Rapid City 4nw12.1 km
T7Rapid CityPennington County · 80,589 people36 in14Rapid City 4nw7.6 km
T7SummersetMeade County · 3,030 people36 in14Rapid City 4nw9.3 km
12VermillionClay County · 11,720 people36 in12Newcastle14.8 km
13MobridgeWalworth County · 3,192 people36 in12Mobridge 2nnw2.9 km
14MadisonLake County · 6,065 people37 in13Madison 2se2.2 km
15PierreHughes County · 13,848 people37 in12Pierre Rgnl AP2.8 km
16YanktonYankton County · 15,816 people38 in13Yankton 2 E2.7 km
T17Dell RapidsMinnehaha County · 3,852 people40 in12Colton17.7 km
T17HartfordMinnehaha County · 3,635 people40 in12Colton18.2 km
19MitchellDavison County · 15,756 people41 in12Mitchell4.7 km
20WatertownCodington County · 23,736 people41 in13Watertown Rgnl AP0.7 km
21Belle FourcheButte County · 5,791 people42 in12Belle Fourche1.1 km
22AberdeenBrown County · 27,961 people43 in12Aberdeen4.4 km
23HuronBeadle County · 14,607 people44 in13Huron Rgnl AP4.1 km
24LennoxLincoln County · 2,657 people45 in12Sioux Falls29.7 km
25SturgisMeade County · 6,922 people48 in12Ft Meade1.8 km
T26Box ElderPennington County · 13,936 people48 in15Rapid City Rgnl AP7.9 km
T26Rapid Valleyunincorporated, Pennington County · 6,975 people48 in15Rapid City Rgnl AP6.1 km
T28BrandonMinnehaha County · 11,306 people49 in14Sioux Falls 3.4 ESE9.9 km
T28HarrisburgLincoln County · 10,405 people49 in14Sioux Falls 3.4 ESE10.9 km
T28Sioux FallsMinnehaha County · 213,748 people49 in14Sioux Falls 3.4 ESE5.6 km
T28Split Rock TownshipMinnehaha County · 3,086 people49 in14Sioux Falls 3.4 ESE7.2 km
T28TeaLincoln County · 8,019 people49 in14Sioux Falls 3.4 ESE15.0 km
33WinnerTripp County · 2,969 people49 in15Winner1.6 km
34SpearfishLawrence County · 14,154 people70 in18Spearfish4.5 km
35LeadLawrence County · 3,064 people184 in40Lead1.9 km

A station’s normal can differ from the town’s own when the station sits higher or lower; each town’s Climate page names its station and checks it.

Quick answers

Questions people ask

What part of South Dakota gets the least amount of snow?

Among towns of 2,500+, the least snow falls in Hot Springs (Fall River County, about 32 in), Milbank (Grant County, about 32 in), Brookings (Brookings County, about 36 in), on NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals at each town’s station.

Which South Dakota town gets the most snow?

Lead (Lawrence County), about 184 inches in a normal winter at the Lead station. See the snowiest towns.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents (35 in South Dakota) whose nearest station has a snow normal of an inch or more; 0 have no station with a snow record. Smaller towns show their snow on their own Climate 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

Least snow in other states