Frost dates · South Dakota
When is the first frost in Rapid City?
Rapid City right now
42°FOvercast skies
- Today50°F / 39°FClouds
- Tomorrow58°F / 33°FClear skies
- Monday60°F / 40°FClear skies
The sun's clocked off early.
Live from OpenWeatherMap. Alerts from the National Weather Service.
In a typical year, Rapid City’s first frost comes around October 1 and its last around May 12.
One year in ten the first frost comes as early as September 16, and nine years in ten it has arrived by October 14. One year in ten the last frost is over as early as May 1, and nine years in ten it is over by May 26. Rapid City averages about 174 nights a year at 32°F or colder, with about 139 frost-free days in between in a typical year. It’s frost season here, and the last frost usually comes around May 12. That makes it the 12th earliest first frost of the 117 cities we track where it freezes most years.
Last updated
No freeze in the forecast for the next 48 hours.
Rapid City hangs on to frost until mid-May, and the Black Hills look entirely unbothered by it.
Live 48-hour check from OpenWeatherMap, refreshed about every half hour. Alerts from the National Weather Service.
Frost dates, early, typical and late years
| Early year (1 in 10) | Typical | Late year (1 in 10) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First frost | September 16 | October 1 | October 14 |
| Last frost | May 1 | May 12 | May 26 |
A frost date here is a night when the official thermometer reads 32°F or colder. Frost on the ground can show up on clear, calm nights a few degrees milder.
Cities with about the same first frost
- Anchorage, Alaska: first frost around October 1
- Cheyenne, Wyoming: first frost around October 1
- Duluth, Minnesota: first frost around October 1
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991 to 2020, station USW00024090.