Rapid City, SD weather in January
Expect cold, mostly dry weather with some snow in Rapid City in January, with highs near 36°F and lows near 13°F. Rain or snow falls on about 6 days. Snowfall averages about 5.3 in. It is one of the coldest months in Rapid City.
- Normal high
- 36°F
- Normal low
- 13°F
- Wet days
- 6
- 0.3 in total
- Snowfall
- 5.3 in
- snow on the ground 9 days
How January changes from start to finish
| January 1 | January 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 36°F | 36°F |
| Normal low | 13°F | 13°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 17% | 21% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 7:27 am / 4:25 pm | 7:11 am / 5:01 pm |
| Daylight | 8.9 h | 9.8 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 January day
- 6 am21°Fdew point 13°F
- 9 am25°Fdew point 15°F
- Noon32°Fdew point 17°F
- 3 pm33°Fdew point 17°F
- 6 pm26°Fdew point 16°F
- 9 pm23°Fdew point 15°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Ellsworth AFB (8 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 46% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 44%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F1 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow6 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in1 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below30 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more9 of 31
Average days per January, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in January
Normal precipitation is 0.3 in; a dry January brings about 0.2 in and a wet one about 0.4 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 5.3 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How January varies from year to year
- Warmest January, 1991-20202006: average high 50°F
- Coolest January1996: average high 26°F
- Wettest January1996: 0.8 in
- Driest January2004: 0.03 in
- Highest reading73°F (January 27, 2015)
- Lowest reading-21°F (January 31, 1996)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
January compared with December and February
| December | January | February | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 37°F | 36°F | 38°F |
| Normal low | 14°F | 13°F | 14°F |
| Wet days | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Daylight | 8.9 h | 9.3 h | 10.5 h |
Highs change by -1°F from December and +2°F into February.
Nearby alternatives in January
- Cooler: Medora, ND196 mi · high 28°F · 6 wet days
How Rapid City ranks in January
- Normal high292nd warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 4 in South Dakota
- Wet days55th driest of 378
- Comfortable days220th most of 339
What to pack for Rapid City in January
- A warm jacket – lows near 13°F, highs near 36°F
- Waterproof boots – about 5.3 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 30 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
January has 1260 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 16% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Rapid City in January?
The normal high is 36°F and the normal low is 13°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest January reading was -21°F (most recently on January 31, 1996).
Does it rain a lot in Rapid City in January?
About 6 days in January have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.3 in. The wettest January in 1991-2020 was in 1996 (0.9 in); the driest was in 2004 (0.03 in).
Does it snow in Rapid City in January?
Yes. Normal snowfall in January is 5.3 in, and snow covers the ground on about 9 days.
Is January a good time to visit Rapid City?
January ranks 11th of 12 months on our comfort score for Rapid City (35 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.