2001 Rapid City, South Dakota (RAP)

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2001 RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA (RAP)

Rapid City, which is not far from the geographical center of North America, experiences the large temperature ranges, both daily and seasonal, that are typical of semi–arid continental climates.

The city is surrounded by contrasting landforms, with the forested Black Hills rising immediately west of the city, and rolling prairie extending out in the other directions. From 40 to 70 miles southeast lie the eroded Badlands. The Black Hills, many of which are more than 5,000 feet above sea level, with a number of peaks above 7,000 feet, exert a pronounced influence on the climate of this area. The rolling land to the east of the city is cut by the valleys of the Box Elder and Rapid Creeks, which flow generally east–southeastward. The station is located on the north slope of the irrigated Rapid Valley. An east–west ridge 200 to 300 feet higher than the airport separates the station from the Box Elder Creek Valley.

The principal agricultural products in the area are cattle and wheat, and ranchers and farmers are dependent on the current weather forecasts, which are at times of vital interest in the protection of livestock.

Although the annual precipitation is light at lower elevations, the distribution is beneficial to agriculture with the greatest amounts occurring during the growing season. The heaviest snows are expected in the spring, which helps to furnish moisture for the early maturing crops such as wheat, while heavy winter snows at the higher elevations provide irrigation water for the fertile valleys.

Summer days are normally warm with cool, comfortable nights. Nearly all of the summer precipitation occurs as thunderstorms. Hail is often associated with the more severe thunderstorms, with resultant damage to vegetation as well as other fragile material in the path of the storms. Autumn, which begins soon after the first of September, is characterized by mild, balmy days, and cool, invigorating mornings and evenings. Autumn weather usually extends into November and often into December.

Temperatures for the winter months of December, January, and February are among the warmest in South Dakota due to the protection of the Black Hills, the frequent occurrence of Chinook winds, and the fact that the winter tracks of arctic air masses usually pass east of Rapid City. Rapid City has become the retirement home for many farmers and ranchers from the western half of the state because of the cool summer nights and the relatively mild winters.

Snowfall is normally light with the greatest monthly average of about 8 inches occurring in March. Cold waves can be expected occasionally, and one or more blizzards may occur each winter.

Spring is characterized by unsettled conditions. Wide variations usually occur in temperatures, and snows may fall as late as May.

Based on the 1951–1980 period, the average first occurrence of 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the fall is September 29 and the average last occurrence in the spring is May 7.

NORMALS, MEANS, AND EXTREMES

RAPID CITY, SD (RAP)

LATITUDE:    LONGITUDE:    ELEVATION (FT):    TIME ZONE:    WBAN: 24090

44 02′ 44″ N  103 03′ 14″ W  GRND:  3150  BARO:  3153  MOUNTAIN (UTC + 7)

ELEMENTPORJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECYEAR
TEMPERATURE FNORMAL DAILY MAXIMUM3033.838.245.957.968.177.886.285.174.462.546.735.659.4
MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM5333.838.445.457.467.877.686.286.075.161.446.637.159.4
HIGHEST DAILY MAXIMUM597675829398106110106104948375110
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198719951993198919691988198919881978199319991965JUL 1989
MEAN OF EXTREME MAXS.5360.263.071.781.787.594.3100.6100.094.983.871.162.781.0
NORMAL DAILY MINIMUM3010.715.222.232.242.351.758.256.145.534.922.812.733.7
MEAN DAILY MINIMUM5310.515.221.832.043.052.058.357.046.234.922.814.034.0
LOWEST DAILY MINIMUM59-27-31-2111831393818-2-19-30-31
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE195019961996197519501951198719921985199119591990FEB 1996
MEAN OF EXTREME MINS.53-12.3-7.21.217.129.540.048.146.230.418.83.3-9.417.1
NORMAL DRY BULB3022.326.734.145.155.264.872.270.660.048.734.824.246.6
MEAN DRY BULB5322.126.733.644.855.465.072.371.560.848.234.725.646.7
MEAN WET BULB1620.823.530.538.548.957.161.359.950.438.028.721.539.9
MEAN DEW POINT1613.816.123.129.842.151.254.452.041.529.621.414.132.4
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
MAXIMUM 90300.00.00.00.10.53.711.411.23.30.20.00.030.4
MAXIMUM 323013.39.35.70.70.00.00.00.00.00.35.011.846.1
MINIMUM 323030.026.626.814.82.5*0.00.02.010.924.930.0168.5
MINIMUM 0308.14.21.30.00.00.00.00.00.00.01.05.019.6
H/CNORMAL HEATING DEG. DAYS3013241072958597311103183121150590612657301
NORMAL COOLING DEG. DAYS30000079724120561000611
RHNORMAL (PERCENT)3064656459616256535454626560
HOUR 05 LST3066717473767774717066706971
HOUR 11 LST3058585548505145414242525950
HOUR 17 LST3062595245474740363945586450
HOUR 23 LST3067707168717266626363686867
SPERCENT POSSIBLE SUNSHINE5457606362606573747066555563
W/OMEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
HEAVY FOG (VISBY 1/4 MI)601.72.22.81.91.21.20.60.60.60.82.12.017.7
THUNDERSTORMS600.00.00.11.25.610.411.48.33.20.40.00.040.6
CLOUDINESSMEAN:
SUNRISE-SUNSET (OKTAS)19.63.24.85.65.6
MIDNIGHT-MIDNIGHT (OKTAS)19.63.26.4
MEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
CLEAR17.03.01.010.0
PARTLY CLOUDY14.03.06.07.09.0
CLOUDY13.06.09.021.04.0
PRMEAN STATION PRESSURE(IN)2926.7126.7126.6726.6626.6726.6826.7326.7426.7526.7426.7026.7026.71
MEAN SEA-LEVEL PRES. (IN)1730.0730.0830.0129.9529.9229.9029.9329.9529.9830.0230.0530.1130.00
WINDSMEAN SPEED (MPH)3410.511.112.312.911.910.810.110.010.711.011.010.511.1
PREVAIL. DIR (TENS OF DEGS)2233333333333333333333333333
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE:
SPEED (MPH)651595461575453494755575261
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)33333332323224323333333332
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE200119982000199719992001200120001999199919981996APR 1997
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND:
SPEED (MPH)660706269686966585667676170
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)32313331323323323434333331
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE199719962000199719992001200120001999199919981996FEB 1996
PRECIPITATIONNORMAL (IN)300.390.521.031.892.683.062.041.671.231.100.560.4716.64
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)591.772.463.025.168.187.006.134.833.945.602.221.658.18
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE194419531945196719961968196919821946199819851975MAY 1996
MINIMUM MONTHLY (IN)590.010.020.120.020.330.640.380.100.03T0.030.01T
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE195219991981198719661973198819431975196019452001OCT 1960
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)591.261.002.193.193.404.012.512.602.132.491.091.044.01
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE194419531945199719651963194419821966198219441975JUN 1963
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
PRECIPITATION 0.01306.77.28.49.611.711.79.37.87.25.25.66.897.2
PRECIPITATION 1.00300.00.00.10.20.40.70.40.20.20.20.0*2.4
SNOWFALLNORMAL (IN)304.36.59.36.30.70.*0.00.00.21.65.25.839.9
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)5724.023.730.730.611.63.6TT2.010.233.617.933.6
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE194919531950197019501951199319941970199519851975NOV 1985
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)5716.310.014.916.013.43.6TT2.07.89.49.816.3
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE194419531973197019671951199319941970199519771975JAN 1944
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH (IN)49161416171320016151117
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE1993198719771970196719511965195419851985APR 1970
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
SNOWFALL 1.0301.32.32.71.80.20.00.00.00.10.51.71.912.5
PRECIPITATION (inches) 2001 RAPID CITY, SD (RAP)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19720.220.440.472.783.284.111.672.490.240.770.380.3417.19
19730.110.312.712.692.370.641.460.741.441.380.730.5415.12
19740.160.300.341.551.321.100.681.370.881.180.120.129.12
19751.050.352.451.371.235.631.570.870.030.690.571.6517.46
19760.280.470.332.702.744.811.051.310.280.210.610.4115.20
19770.830.252.631.572.491.762.981.792.861.060.820.3619.40
19780.190.840.402.193.122.014.081.420.180.260.630.2515.57
19790.490.330.470.311.173.604.112.320.070.900.150.0713.99
19800.200.510.861.131.584.751.782.380.482.280.570.6617.18
19810.140.090.120.322.811.894.471.740.161.810.230.3514.13
19820.390.371.350.696.502.891.814.832.693.820.270.3625.97
19830.340.180.841.002.183.011.942.390.331.741.070.4715.49
19840.100.180.693.101.574.721.571.000.740.670.510.3815.23
19850.460.061.550.321.241.581.031.861.570.982.220.7713.64
19860.490.920.884.741.434.560.911.323.141.641.400.0121.44
19870.041.711.140.023.391.370.832.370.680.260.300.3112.42
19880.170.340.520.603.251.090.381.980.560.760.810.4610.92
19890.020.340.961.461.401.040.821.703.091.490.430.8213.57
19900.220.371.170.774.871.421.941.872.440.610.440.3316.45
19910.320.770.632.994.403.271.970.580.591.000.730.0417.29
19920.290.161.920.712.472.173.250.470.420.680.390.5713.50
19930.680.610.823.052.163.394.311.181.460.900.700.5319.79
19940.450.660.371.201.470.670.640.920.272.840.660.3510.50
19950.090.550.792.574.034.502.870.460.822.420.420.1319.65
19960.850.101.061.638.181.240.521.851.550.07
19970.650.280.204.805.353.433.673.930.780.470.190.0823.83
19980.151.241.320.282.345.591.261.421.505.601.130.0621.89
19990.210.021.322.454.495.243.680.470.850.110.430.2119.48
20000.230.151.373.952.401.602.060.700.451.540.470.1115.03
20010.240.170.422.161.733.572.461.590.910.970.07T14.29
POR=102 YRS0.420.480.991.963.113.222.211.521.201.030.600.4917.23
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (F) 2001 RAPID CITY, SD (RAP)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
197217.324.036.543.655.264.765.669.159.443.831.018.644.1
197326.828.937.542.953.764.770.774.357.151.332.325.447.1
197421.932.537.647.253.866.677.367.757.651.736.428.948.3
197523.717.627.640.554.062.274.770.358.549.233.829.445.1
197623.934.634.446.955.464.372.872.663.345.431.726.847.7
197712.734.636.449.560.369.073.466.061.048.833.321.947.2
197811.015.335.445.255.165.171.169.766.250.529.217.144.2
19797.416.835.444.453.665.470.468.566.350.933.033.245.4
198021.027.131.548.957.467.174.968.661.648.939.330.348.1
198132.629.440.051.554.964.972.070.063.547.740.425.849.4
198211.923.933.042.153.359.770.770.258.747.232.728.644.3
198332.137.336.440.752.063.173.678.060.849.434.98.147.2
198428.036.134.343.853.662.872.274.857.247.237.521.447.4
198521.623.835.952.061.862.174.669.055.647.316.021.045.1
198629.821.543.044.254.967.670.969.655.048.730.630.547.2
198731.132.532.651.659.567.175.468.161.447.140.328.949.6
198821.726.935.647.160.075.676.172.560.449.736.428.449.2
198928.714.431.145.855.464.077.073.161.048.836.419.446.3
199032.428.936.445.053.266.671.773.865.948.240.517.848.4
199118.436.038.546.356.667.272.974.061.146.430.032.748.3
199233.636.340.947.157.462.664.365.962.649.332.419.047.6
199316.015.237.643.556.160.365.168.656.648.232.431.544.3
199422.419.840.546.060.268.570.773.365.549.735.530.348.5
199529.231.933.240.351.862.970.673.660.146.533.725.446.6
199614.927.326.243.350.665.570.873.259.824.317.9
199718.128.836.738.752.866.370.968.762.548.633.230.346.3
199824.334.928.046.256.258.772.772.367.147.836.926.847.7
199925.636.636.342.653.062.671.371.455.749.944.433.348.6
200026.233.238.743.156.062.573.674.463.449.827.016.747.1
200129.716.934.446.056.264.174.874.462.547.939.928.948.0
POR=102 YRS23.025.733.544.955.164.572.270.860.848.735.626.246.8

REFERENCE NOTES:

PAGE 1:

THE TEMPERATURE GRAPH SHOWS NORMAL MAXIMUM AND NORMAL MINIMUM DAILY TEMPERATURES (SOLID CURVES) AND THE ACTUAL DAILY HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES (VERTICAL BARS).

PAGE 2 AND 3:

H/C INDICATES HEATING AND COOLING DEGREE DAYS.

RH INDICATES RELATIVE HUMIDITY

W/O INDICATES WEATHER AND OBSTRUCTIONS

S INDICATES SUNSHINE.

PR INDICATES PRESSURE.

CLOUDINESS ON PAGE 3 IS THE SUM OF THE CEILOMETER AND SATELLITE DATA NOT TO EXCEED EIGHT EIGHTHS (OKTAS).

GENERAL:

T INDICATES TRACE PRECIPITATION, AN AMOUNT GREATER THAN ZERO BUT LESS THAN THE LOWEST REPORTABLE VALUE.

+ INDICATES THE VALUE ALSO OCCURS ON EARLIER DATES.

BLANK ENTRIES DENOTE MISSING OR UNREPORTED DATA.

NORMALS ARE 30–YEAR AVERAGES (1961–1990).

ASOS INDICATES AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEM.

PM INDICATES THE LAST DAY OF THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

POR (PERIOD OF RECORD) BEGINS WITH THE JANUARY DATA MONTH AND IS THE NUMBER OF YEARS USED TO COMPUTE THE MEAN. INDIVIDUAL MONTHS WITHIN THE POR MAY BE MISSING.

WHEN THE POR FOR A NORMAL IS LESS THAN 30 YEARS, THE NORMAL IS PROVISIONAL AND IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF YEARS INDICATED.

0.* OR * INDICATES THE VALUE OR MEAN–DAYS–WITH IS BETWEEN 0.00 AND 0.05.

CLOUDINESS FOR ASOS STATIONS DIFFERS FROM THE NON–ASOS OBSERVATION TAKEN BY A HUMAN OBSERVER. ASOS STATION CLOUDINESS IS BASED ON TIME–AVERAGED CEILOMETER DATA FOR CLOUDS AT OR BELOW 12,000 FEET AND ON SATELLITE DATA FOR CLOUDS ABOVE 12,000 FEET.

THE NUMBER OF DAYS WITH CLEAR, PARTLY CLOUDY, AND CLOUDY CONDITIONS FOR ASOS STATIONS IS THE SUM OF THE CEILOMETER AND SATELLITE DATA FOR THE SUNRISE TO SUNSET PERIOD.

GENERAL CONTINUED:

CLEAR INDICATES 0–2 OKTAS, PARTLY CLOUDY INDICATES 3–6 OKTAS, AND CLOUDY INDICATES 7 OR 8 OKTAS. WHEN AT LEAST ONE OF THE ELEMENTS (CEILOMETER OR SATELLITE) IS MISSING, THE DAILY CLOUDINESS IS NOT COMPUTED.

WIND DIRECTION IS RECORDED IN TENS OF DEGREES (2 DIGITS) CLOCKWISE FROM TRUE NORTH. "00" INDICATES CALM. "36" INDICATES TRUE NORTH.

RESULTANT WIND IS THE VECTOR AVERAGE OF THE SPEED AND DIRECTION.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IS THE SUM OF THE MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURE DIVIDED BY 2.

SNOWFALL DATA COMPRISE ALL FORMS OF FROZEN PRECIPITATION, INCLUDING HAIL.

A HEATING (COOLING) DEGREE DAY IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AVERAGE DAILY TEMPERATURE AND 65 F.

DRY BULB IS THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AMBIENT AIR.

DEW POINT IS THE TEMPERATURE TO WHICH THE AIR MUST BE COOLED TO ACHIEVE 100 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY.

WET BULB IS THE TEMPERATURE THE AIR WOULD HAVE IF THE MOISTURE CONTENT WAS INCREASED TO 100 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY.

ON JULY 1, 1996, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BEGAN USING THE "METAR" OBSERVATION CODE THAT WAS ALREADY EMPLOYED BY MOST OTHER NATIONS OF THE WORLD. THE MOST NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN THIS ANNUAL PUBLICATION WILL BE THE CHANGE IN UNITS FROM TENTHS TO EIGHTS (OKTAS) FOR REPORTING THE AMOUNT OF SKY COVER.

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 RAPID CITY, SD (RAP)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972–7374431936491010143611811008847659350837533
1973–7416024641697212231329905840530343876907
1974–7514224240784911121274131811517283431197586
1975–7631620649392910961269878940535295986758
1976–773613260699111771616846877459165176895
1977–78148163494944133016691383912588312917935
1978–7917401114431068148017811348910614362828256
1979–8032564433952982135910941032483251546732
1980–811181445107631070998993765402311656040
1981–822171085317301209164611469856823581707593
1982–83721226545962111910127728807234071136787
1983–8480208474896176211398329486263661017360
1984–85002685468201344134111488953931461447045
1985–868273275441466135810831211672617317357665
1986–87512296497102510591045907997408199466496
1987–881049147545736111113401103905533195176691
1988–8931816347085011271120141410475863031167217
1989–9036182495847141010041004880597363686859
1990–9110511251473014621440807815556269166736
1991–922618358110459979648287425392621076256
1992–9367831384939731418151513908416362691587981
1993–945626256522972103513121260749565171276951
1994–9591779468876106811049199837344001306787
1995–961152155689331221155110871200643447667947
1996–9760203121514531446100887278337330
1997–9823261275109471067125483711435582721986962
1998–993091522840117812147908856663661046659
1999–0022628446060997611969148086522811396347
2000–0110115246211341490108613399445652781277588
2001–901385237461111
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 RAPID CITY, SD (RAP)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
1972000021709817834000401
1973000078020229515000599
19740001314339013228000697
19750000941314188191200583
1976000048325124887300676
19770000251432708551000574
19780000999214193154000669
197900041599179141110200550
1980000625123315136481400667
1981000356724317074000562
1982000031818919041000441
1983000096228240788000848
19840000184123430942200646
198500010536431215851000648
19860000111241921640000491
1987000133311834115245000702
1988000246341355255332001034
19890001599538026570000834
199000024120226282147300784
199100031689256294761500749
19920009364151118721100338
19930000025661469700253
199400002814119328097000739
1995000007219228072100617
199600005861942625200
1997000047621114858700504
19980000815250232160000665
199900002402252129000488
200000001071282299108000770
200100041110732030069100812
SNOWFALL (inches) 2001 RAPID CITY, SD (RAP)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972–730.00.00.00.73.66.02.03.116.91.90.00.034.2
1973–740.00.00.01.49.75.62.04.01.74.70.00.029.1
1974–750.00.00.0T1.51.413.76.127.41.30.00.051.4
1975–760.00.00.04.68.417.92.06.54.33.50.00.047.2
1976–770.00.00.00.57.06.111.12.626.03.40.00.056.7
1977–780.00.00.00.810.67.43.115.03.02.6T0.042.5
1978–790.00.00.0T9.84.06.14.42.61.82.80.031.5
1979–800.00.00.0T1.80.33.010.18.65.40.00.029.2
1980–810.00.00.01.46.96.11.21.3TT0.00.016.9
1981–820.00.00.01.61.23.86.25.011.55.50.00.034.8
1982–830.00.00.01.41.24.02.90.36.54.34.30.024.9
1983–840.00.00.30.96.97.11.92.56.122.10.20.048.0
1984–850.00.01.30.72.04.93.80.716.20.40.0T30.0
1985–860.00.01.40.633.610.25.710.76.012.70.00.080.9
1986–870.00.00.0T12.60.10.521.510.90.30.00.045.9
1987–880.00.00.01.7T4.72.73.610.66.10.00.029.4
1988–890.00.00.00.02.29.00.47.310.76.40.00.036.0
1989–900.0T0.03.94.610.93.15.09.23.00.5T40.2
1990–910.0T0.01.51.06.26.38.23.611.14.9T42.8
1991–92T0.0T4.06.70.85.21.28.23.50.00.029.6
1992–93T0.00.00.95.012.413.69.01.012.20.00.054.1
1993–94T0.0T2.411.45.57.511.15.612.80.0T56.3
1994–950.0T0.00.06.84.60.96.39.210.1TT37.9
1995–960.00.0T10.23.11.419.44.416.210.30.9T65.9
1996–970.00.0T0.0T
1997–98TT0.03.1
1998–990.0T15.90.52.00.218.56.30.0T
1999–000.00.00.0T0.33.72.91.55.519.00.00.032.9
2000–010.00.01.40.02.93.02.7
2001–
POR=55 YRSTT0.11.75.24.95.06.28.96.40.80.139.3

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