Rapid City, SD weather in November
Rapid City is chilly and mostly dry in November, with some snow: highs average 47°F and nights drop to about 22°F. Rain or snow falls on about 5 days. Snowfall averages about 6.5 in.
- Normal high
- 47°F
- Normal low
- 22°F
- Wet days
- 5
- 0.5 in total
- Snowfall
- 6.5 in
- snow on the ground 5 days
How November changes from start to finish
| November 1 | November 30 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 53°F | 41°F |
| Normal low | 27°F | 17°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 19% | 16% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 6:29 am / 4:43 pm | 7:06 am / 4:16 pm |
| Daylight | 10.2 h | 9.2 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 November day
- 6 am30°Fdew point 21°F
- 9 am37°Fdew point 23°F
- Noon44°Fdew point 23°F
- 3 pm44°Fdew point 23°F
- 6 pm36°Fdew point 23°F
- 9 pm33°Fdew point 22°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Ellsworth AFB (8 mi away); average wind 11 mph; clear or few clouds in 49% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 41%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F4 of 30
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 30
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 30
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow5 of 30
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 30
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below26 of 30
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more5 of 30
Average days per November, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain and snow in November
Normal precipitation is 0.5 in; a dry November brings about 0.2 in and a wet one about 0.6 in (25th and 75th percentiles). Days with half an inch or more are rare. Normal snowfall is 6.5 in, with about 2 days of an inch or more.
How November varies from year to year
- Warmest November, 1991-20201999: average high 60°F
- Coolest November1996: average high 32°F
- Wettest November1998: 1.1 in
- Driest November2004: 0.01 in
- Highest reading83°F (November 8, 1999)
- Lowest reading-14°F (November 13, 2014)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
November compared with October and December
| October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 60°F | 47°F | 37°F |
| Normal low | 34°F | 22°F | 14°F |
| Wet days | 7 | 5 | 5 |
| Comfortable days | 10 | 4 | 1 |
| Daylight | 11.0 h | 9.7 h | 8.9 h |
Highs change by -13°F from October and -10°F into December.
Nearby alternatives in November
- Cooler: Bismarck, ND223 mi · high 41°F · 7 wet days
How Rapid City ranks in November
- Normal high323rd warmest of 378 cities; 1st of 4 in South Dakota
- Wet days82nd driest of 378
- Comfortable days222nd most of 341
What to pack for Rapid City in November
- A warm jacket – lows near 22°F, highs near 47°F
- Layers – afternoons near 47°F but nights near 22°F
- Waterproof boots – about 6.5 in of snow in a typical year
- A hat and gloves – about 26 freezing nights
Heating and cooling
November has 912 heating degree days and 0 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 12% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How cold is Rapid City in November?
The normal high is 47°F and the normal low is 22°F. From 1991 to 2020 the coldest November reading was -14°F (November 13, 2014).
Does it rain a lot in Rapid City in November?
About 5 days in November have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.5 in. The wettest November in 1991-2020 was in 1998 (1.1 in); the driest was in 2004 (0.01 in).
Does it snow in Rapid City in November?
Yes. Normal snowfall in November is 6.5 in, and snow covers the ground on about 5 days.
Is November a good time to visit Rapid City?
November ranks 9th of 12 months on our comfort score for Rapid City (45 out of 100). It has about 4 comfortable days. 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.