Our verdict
The best time to visit Rapid City is October
In summer, the average maximum temperature is around 29℃ (84℉), but temperatures can sometimes reach as high as 32℃ (90℉) on the hottest days of the year. The coldest it usually gets in winter-time in Rapid City is around -15℃ (6℉).
The sun stays up the longest in Rapid City in August, so you’ll get the most out of your daytime activities if you visit around this time. The wet season in Rapid City falls around May, so if you prefer the dryer weather, you should look to visit in January instead.
If you want to learn everything you need to know about the best times to travel to Rapid City, the weather and stats by month and so much more, make sure you keep reading. Once you’re ready, we’ve included a bunch of our favourite online booking tools to help you find the best deals on flights, accommodation and anything else you’ll need for your trip. Happy reading!
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Rapid City seasons
Before you continue, it’s important to know when the seasons are in Rapid City as they might be different to yours depending on where in the world you’re travelling from. Rapid City is in the Northern Hemisphere, so the seasons fall during these months:
| Season | Months |
|---|---|
| Summer | June to August |
| Autumn/fall | September to November |
| Winter | December to February |
| Spring | March to May |
Average temperatures in Rapid City
If the temperature is a big factor for you to help you decide when to visit, the chart below shows the average minimum and maximum temperatures in Rapid City for each month side-by-side so you can easily see the difference in weather throughout the year. To see the temperatures in both Celsius (°C) and Fahrenheit (°F), hover or tap the shaded boxes on the graph.
Rapid City climate by month
If you already have a rough idea about which months you might want to travel, the section below shows a detailed breakdown of the climate in Rapid City for each month so you can see if it all suits your wants and needs. Scroll down, or use the quick menu below to jump to your preferred month.
Jump to:
Rapid City in January
- Average temperature: -4℃ (25℉)
- Average high temperature: 0℃ (33℉)
- Average low temperature: -8℃ (18℉)
- Average humidity: 77%
- Average sunny days: 18 days
- Average rainfall: 11mm (0") over 5 days
- Average snow days: 9 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Rapid City in January, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.
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Rapid City in February
- Average temperature: -4℃ (25℉)
- Average high temperature: 1℃ (33℉)
- Average low temperature: -8℃ (18℉)
- Average humidity: 75%
- Average sunny days: 15 days
- Average rainfall: 17mm (1") over 6 days
- Average snow days: 11 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Rapid City in February, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.
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Rapid City in March
- Average temperature: 3℃ (37℉)
- Average high temperature: 8℃ (46℉)
- Average low temperature: -2℃ (29℉)
- Average humidity: 69%
- Average sunny days: 16 days
- Average rainfall: 29mm (1") over 9 days
- Average snow days: 8 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Rapid City in March, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.
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Rapid City in April
- Average temperature: 7℃ (44℉)
- Average high temperature: 12℃ (53℉)
- Average low temperature: 2℃ (35℉)
- Average humidity: 66%
- Average sunny days: 12 days
- Average rainfall: 57mm (2") over 14 days
- Average snow days: 5 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Rapid City in April, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.
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Rapid City in May
- Average temperature: 12℃ (54℉)
- Average high temperature: 17℃ (63℉)
- Average low temperature: 7℃ (45℉)
- Average humidity: 64%
- Average sunny days: 11 days
- Average rainfall: 58mm (2") over 17 days
- Average snow days: 1 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Rapid City in May, make sure you pack a warm jacket or coat.
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Rapid City in June
- Average temperature: 19℃ (66℉)
- Average high temperature: 25℃ (76℉)
- Average low temperature: 13℃ (56℉)
- Average humidity: 60%
- Average sunny days: 13 days
- Average rainfall: 44mm (2") over 14 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Rapid City in June, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.
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Rapid City in July
- Average temperature: 23℃ (74℉)
- Average high temperature: 29℃ (84℉)
- Average low temperature: 17℃ (63℉)
- Average humidity: 51%
- Average sunny days: 14 days
- Average rainfall: 47mm (2") over 13 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Rapid City in July, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.
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Rapid City in August
- Average temperature: 22℃ (71℉)
- Average high temperature: 28℃ (82℉)
- Average low temperature: 16℃ (62℉)
- Average humidity: 51%
- Average sunny days: 15 days
- Average rainfall: 39mm (2") over 13 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Rapid City in August, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.
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Rapid City in September
- Average temperature: 17℃ (63℉)
- Average high temperature: 23℃ (74℉)
- Average low temperature: 12℃ (54℉)
- Average humidity: 50%
- Average sunny days: 20 days
- Average rainfall: 24mm (1") over 8 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Rapid City in September, make sure you pack t-shirts for the daytime and maybe a light jumper for the evenings as it cools down a bit.
Rapid City in October
- Average temperature: 9℃ (48℉)
- Average high temperature: 14℃ (57℉)
- Average low temperature: 4℃ (40℉)
- Average humidity: 58%
- Average sunny days: 18 days
- Average rainfall: 29mm (1") over 9 days
- Average snow days: 3 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Rapid City in October, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.
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Rapid City in November
- Average temperature: 3℃ (37℉)
- Average high temperature: 7℃ (45℉)
- Average low temperature: -2℃ (29℉)
- Average humidity: 62%
- Average sunny days: 20 days
- Average rainfall: 16mm (1") over 6 days
- Average snow days: 6 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Rapid City in November, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.
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Rapid City in December
- Average temperature: -4℃ (25℉)
- Average high temperature: 0℃ (32℉)
- Average low temperature: -7℃ (19℉)
- Average humidity: 74%
- Average sunny days: 20 days
- Average rainfall: 16mm (1") over 5 days
- Average snow days: 8 days
of pure sunshine
of showers or rain
What to pack: If you’re heading to Rapid City in December, make sure you pack a thick snow/winter jacket, thermals and some extra layers as it's always very cold.
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