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Climate in Sioux Falls, South Dakota: Monthly Weather Averages

By the AverageClimate Editorial Team · Last updated: October 2026

Sioux Falls sits at 1,430 feet above sea level, and its climate, as recorded at the Sioux Falls, SD station, runs to a yearly mean of 47.4°F. The warmest month is July, averaging 74.4°F with typical highs of 85.3°F; the coldest is January, averaging 17.9°F with lows around 8.5°F. Across a normal year the city receives 27.9 in of precipitation and 45.3 in of snow. The full month-by-month picture below comes from the official 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals — the 30-year averages the National Weather Service itself uses — so it describes the Sioux Falls climate you should actually plan around, whether you are timing a visit, weighing a move, or just settling an argument about which month is best.

Sioux Falls climate month by month

The table below is the complete 1991–2020 normals profile for Sioux Falls: average high, average low and mean temperature, rainfall, and snowfall for every month. Read down the Mean column to feel the year's rhythm — Sioux Falls's temperature range runs from 17.9°F in January to 74.4°F in July.

How to read the colors:below freezingcoldcoolmildwarmhot. Bands are colored by each cell's own temperature, so a whole year reads at a glance.

Sioux Falls through the seasons

Winter in Sioux Falls averages highs of 27.2–32.0°F and lows of 8.5–13.4°F, a seasonal mean of 20.9°F. The three months together bring 2.3 in of precipitation — about 8% of the city's yearly total — with December the wettest of the three at 0.83 in. Snowfall averages 25.3 in over the season, most of it in December (8.7 in). Average temperatures sit below freezing, so this is the heart of the heating season: expect snow-covered ground, icy mornings, and short, cold days as the local norm rather than the exception.

Spring in Sioux Falls averages highs of 45.0–70.8°F and lows of 24.3–47.5°F, a seasonal mean of 47.0°F. The three months together bring 8.5 in of precipitation — about 30% of the city's yearly total — with May the wettest of the three at 3.86 in. Snowfall averages 12.4 in over the season, most of it in March (7.2 in). The season is a transition: the average temperature climbs 24.4°F from March to May, and by late spring Sioux Falls is firmly into mild territory, with May rainfall of 3.86 in to plan around.

Summer in Sioux Falls averages highs of 80.9–85.3°F and lows of 58.8–63.4°F, a seasonal mean of 72.1°F. The three months together bring 10.8 in of precipitation — about 39% of the city's yearly total — with June the wettest of the three at 4.23 in. It is a warm, usable summer: afternoons are hot enough for swimming and lake or coast time, while evenings usually cool off comfortably.

Fall in Sioux Falls averages highs of 45.0–75.6°F and lows of 24.5–51.9°F, a seasonal mean of 49.4°F. The three months together bring 6.3 in of precipitation — about 23% of the city's yearly total — with September the wettest of the three at 2.73 in. Snowfall averages 7.6 in over the season, most of it in November (6.2 in). Temperatures ease off through the season — the monthly mean drops 29.0°F from September to November — and fall is when Sioux Falls's weather turns crisp and dry, with the first freezes arriving by November.

Best and worst months to visit Sioux Falls

Ranking every month by its normals — mild mean temperatures score best, heavy rain and snow count against — the most comfortable months to visit Sioux Falls are:

JuneJulyAugust

June leads the list: average highs of 80.9°F, lows of 58.8°F, and 4.23 in of rain, with snow a non-factor at 0.0 in. The other picks, July and August, offer the same balance in Sioux Falls's mild stretch of the year. At the other end, January is usually the month to avoid — deep-winter cold, with a mean temperature of 17.9°F and 0.60 in of precipitation plus 8.0 in of snow.

How Sioux Falls compares

Across the 114 cities in our dataset, the typical city averages 57.8°F for the year and 35.7 in of precipitation. Sioux Falls runs 10.4°F cooler than that typical city and drier by 7.8 in a year, ranking #98 of 114 for annual warmth and #78 of 114 for precipitation (wettest first). Its year-round temperature swing — warmest month minus coldest — is 56.5°F, which puts it in the strongly continental, four-real-seasons camp.

Planning notes for Sioux Falls

For anyone relocating: average overnight lows drop below freezing in 5 months (January, February, March, November, December), so heating, winter tires, and pipe protection are real seasonal concerns; highs reach the 80s on average in 3 months, but 90°F average highs never arrive; days and nights differ by 21.4°F on average — a big desert-style swing that rewards dressing in layers year-round; 5 months of the year average between 55°F and 80°F, the band most people find comfortable without heating or cooling. Those four facts, all straight from the normals table above, shape everything from a Sioux Falls wardrobe to its utility bills.

Sioux Falls climate FAQ

Source: 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) — ncei.noaa.gov. Station: Sioux Falls, SD (USW00014944), elevation 1,430 ft. Figures checked October 2026.