Buffalo County, SD Climate

Buffalo, South Dakota County has a mild climate, with warm summers and cold winters. Summer temperatures range from the mid-70s to the low-90s, while winter temperatures can drop as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit. The area receives an average of 20 inches of precipitation each year, mainly during the summer months. The area is also subject to strong winds and thunderstorms throughout the year. Despite its extreme temperatures in winter, Buffalo enjoys plenty of sunshine during the warmer months.

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

Buffalo County averages 37 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 212 sunny days per year in Buffalo County. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Buffalo County gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 69 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 87 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 6
Rain: averages 22 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 37 inches of snow a year

Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Buffalo County is 7.0 (10=best), which means it is one of the most pleasant places in South Dakota.

9.1 Summer - 4.7 Winter

August, June and September are the most pleasant months in Buffalo County, while January and December are the least comfortable months.

Climate	Buffalo, South Dakota	United States
	Unlock	38.1 in.
	36.7 in.	Unlock
	Unlock	106.2 days
	212 days	Unlock
	86.7°	85.8°
	Unlock	21.7°
	7	Unlock
	Unlock	4.3
	1648 ft.	Unlock

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 Buffalo County with an average high temperature of 86.7°, which ranks it as warmer than most places in South Dakota. In Buffalo County, there are 2 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Buffalo County are June, September and August.

In Buffalo County, there are 26.3 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most places in South Dakota.

January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Buffalo County with an average of 6.0°. This is about average compared to other places in South Dakota.

In Buffalo County, there are 171.0 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is colder than most places in South Dakota.

In Buffalo County, there are 27.6 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is about average compared to other places in South Dakota.

Humidity in Buffalo County is generally quite low and comfortable. There are few days during the summer when the humidity becomes unpleasant. The most humid months (but still comfortable) are July, August and June.

June is the wettest month in Buffalo County with 3.8 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 21.5 inches in Buffalo County means that it is drier than most places in South Dakota.

June is the rainiest month in Buffalo County with 9.3 days of rain, and December is the driest month with only 2.9 rainy days. There are 68.7 rainy days annually in Buffalo County, which is one of the least rainy places in South Dakota. The rainiest season is Autumn when it rains 35% of the time and the driest is Spring with only a 13% chance of a rainy day.

An annual snowfall of 36.7 inches in Buffalo County means that it is about average compared to other places in South Dakota. March is the snowiest month in Buffalo County with 8.1 inches of snow, and 7 months of the year have significant snowfall.

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