Alto, SD Climate


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Alto, SD has a humid continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. Summers are usually sunny and warm, with average temperatures reaching into the mid-80s. Winters are generally cold, with temperatures often dropping below freezing. Snowfall is common during the winter months, especially in late December and early January. Precipitation is moderate throughout the year, with most of it occurring during the spring and summer months. Overall, Alto enjoys four distinct seasons with mild temperatures throughout the year.

Alto, South Dakota gets 24 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Alto averages 44 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 200 sunny days per year in Alto. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Alto gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 82 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 82 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 3
Rain: averages 24 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 44 inches of snow a year


Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Alto is 6.6 (10=best), which means it is less comfortable than most places in South Dakota.

9.3 Summer - 3.9 Winter
August, July and June are the most pleasant months in Alto, while January and December are the least comfortable months.

  ClimateAlto, South DakotaUnited States
  24.1 in.38.1 in.
  43.6 in.27.8 in.
  82.4 days106.2 days
  200 days205 days
  81.9°85.8°
  3.1°21.7°
  6.67
  34.3
  1952 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 Alto with an average high temperature of 81.9°, which ranks it as one of the coolest places in South Dakota. In Alto, there are 4 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Alto are June, August and July.
In Alto, there are 8.0 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is one of the coolest places in South Dakota.
January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Alto with an average of 3.1°. This is colder than most places in South Dakota.
In Alto, there are 168.6 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is about average compared to other places in South Dakota.
In Alto, there are 34.7 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is colder than most places in South Dakota.
Humidity in Alto 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 Alto with 3.8 inches of rain, and the driest month is January with 0.6 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 43% of yearly precipitation and 8% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 24.1 inches in Alto means that it is about average compared to other places in South Dakota.
June is the rainiest month in Alto with 10.4 days of rain, and January is the driest month with only 4.7 rainy days. There are 82.4 rainy days annually in Alto, which is about average compared to other places in South Dakota. The rainiest season is Autumn when it rains 33% of the time and the driest is Spring with only a 18% chance of a rainy day.
An annual snowfall of 43.6 inches in Alto means that it is one of the snowiest places in South Dakota. January is the snowiest month in Alto with 8.9 inches of snow, and 7 months of the year have significant snowfall.
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