Zell, SD Climate

Zell, SD has a humid continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. The average temperature in the summer months is around 70 degrees Fahrenheit while it drops to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter months. Rainfall is generally light year round with an average of 18 inches per year. Snowfall can be expected during the winter months, with an average of 46 inches during those months. Due to its location and elevation, Zell experiences all four seasons and a wide range of temperatures throughout the year.

Zell, South Dakota gets 22 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Zell averages 32 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 203 sunny days per year in Zell. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Zell gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 78 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.

Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 85 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 3
Rain: averages 22 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 32 inches of snow a year

Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Zell is 6.8 (10=best), which means it is about average compared to other places in South Dakota.

9.2 Summer - 4.3 Winter

August, July and June are the most pleasant months in Zell, while January and December are the least comfortable months.

Climate	Zell, South Dakota	United States
	21.9 in.	38.1 in.
	32.3 in.	27.8 in.
	77.7 days	106.2 days
	203 days	205 days
	84.7°	85.8°
	2.9°	21.7°
	6.8	7
	3.7	4.3
	1371 ft.	2443 ft.

Climate

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

July is the hottest month for Zell with an average high temperature of 84.7°, which ranks it as about average compared to other places in South Dakota. In Zell, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Zell are June, September and August.

In Zell, there are 16.1 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is about average compared to other places in South Dakota.

January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Zell with an average of 2.9°. This is colder than most places in South Dakota.

In Zell, there are 175.3 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is colder than most places in South Dakota.

In Zell, there are 33.0 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is colder than most places in South Dakota.

Humidity in Zell is generally low and comfortable. But there some days when the humidity becomes unpleasant, especially in July and August. The most humid months (but still comfortable) are July, August and June.

June is the wettest month in Zell with 3.5 inches of rain, and the driest month is January with 0.4 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 42% of yearly precipitation and 6% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 21.9 inches in Zell means that it is drier than most places in South Dakota.

June is the rainiest month in Zell with 10.0 days of rain, and December is the driest month with only 3.9 rainy days. There are 77.7 rainy days annually in Zell, which is less rainy than most places in South Dakota. The rainiest season is Autumn when it rains 33% of the time and the driest is Spring with only a 16% chance of a rainy day.

An annual snowfall of 32.3 inches in Zell means that it is one of the least snowy places in South Dakota. March is the snowiest month in Zell with 6.9 inches of snow, and 6 months of the year have significant snowfall.