Rapid City, SD weather in February
Rapid City is cold in February, with some rain and some snow: highs average 38°F and nights drop to about 14°F. Expect about 7 wet days. Snowfall averages about 9.1 in.
- Normal high
- 38°F
- Normal low
- 14°F
- Wet days
- 7
- 0.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 9.1 in
- snow on the ground 10 days
How February changes from start to finish
| February 1 | February 28 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 36°F | 42°F |
| Normal low | 13°F | 17°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 22% | 22% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:10 am / 5:02 pm | 6:31 am / 5:39 pm |
| Daylight | 9.9 h | 11.1 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Mountain Time).
A typical February day
- 6 am22°Fdew point 15°F
- 9 am27°Fdew point 17°F
- Noon34°Fdew point 18°F
- 3 pm35°Fdew point 18°F
- 6 pm29°Fdew point 18°F
- 9 pm25°Fdew point 17°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Ellsworth AFB (8 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 42% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 48%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 of 28
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 28
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 28
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow7 of 28
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 28
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below27 of 28
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more10 of 28
Average days per February, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in February
Normal precipitation is 0.5 in; a dry February brings about 0.2 in and a wet one about 0.8 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 9.1 in, with about 3 days of an inch or more.
How February varies from year to year
- Warmest February, 1991-20201999: average high 51°F
- Coolest February2019: average high 18°F
- Wettest February1998: 1.2 in
- Driest February1999: 0.02 in
- Highest reading75°F (February 24, 1995)
- Lowest reading-31°F (February 2, 1996)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
February compared with January and March
| January | February | March | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 36°F | 38°F | 48°F |
| Normal low | 13°F | 14°F | 23°F |
| Wet days | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Daylight | 9.3 h | 10.5 h | 11.9 h |
Highs change by +2°F from January and +10°F into March.
Nearby alternatives in February
- Cooler: Medora, ND196 mi · high 32°F · 5 wet days
How Rapid City ranks in February
- Normal high302nd warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 4 in South Dakota
- Wet days85th driest of 378
- Comfortable days221st most of 340
What to pack for Rapid City in February
- A warm jacket – lows near 14°F, highs near 38°F
- Waterproof boots – about 9.1 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 27 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
February has 1091 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 14% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Rapid City in February?
The normal high is 38°F and the normal low is 14°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest February reading was -31°F (February 2, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Rapid City in February?
About 7 days in February have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.5 in. The wettest February in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (1.2 in); the driest was in 1999 (0.02 in).
Does it snow in Rapid City in February?
Yes. Normal snowfall in February is 9.1 in, and snow covers the ground on about 10 days.
Is February a good time to visit Rapid City?
February ranks 10th of 12 months on our comfort score for Rapid City (38 out of 100). It has about 1 comfortable day. The best months are May and June.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature and rain: Rapid City Rgnl Airport (USW00024090), 9.2 mi ESE of the city center, 3,160 ft (83 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall, snow depth and frost dates: Rapid City WFO (USC00396948), 1.1 mi ESE of the city center, 3,379 ft (136 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour and cloud cover: Ellsworth AFB (USW00024006), 8.1 mi NE of the city center, 3,215 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Rapid City Regional Airport (726620-24090), 9.1 mi ESE of the city center, 3,162 ft (81 ft lower than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.