Jerauld County climate

Jerauld County Frost Dates and Growing Season

NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Wessington Springs, 4.9 km from Jerauld County, elevation 1715 ft

Frost and the growing season

NOAA's 1991-2020 freeze probabilities for Wessington Springs. A median date has an even chance of a later freeze in spring, or an earlier one in fall.

The last spring freeze typically comes around May 2 and the first fall freeze around October 8, a growing season of about 157 days.

Median at 36°F
last May 11, first September 30
Median at 32°F
last May 2, first October 8
Median at 28°F
last April 23, first October 15

Last freeze in spring

The chance of a later freeze than the date shown. At 10 percent, one spring in ten still freezes after the date; planting after the 10 percent date for 32°F is the cautious choice.

Threshold10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FMay 25May 21May 17May 14May 11May 9May 6May 3Apr 30
32°FMay 14May 9May 6May 4May 2Apr 30Apr 27Apr 24Apr 20
28°FMay 6May 2Apr 30Apr 26Apr 23Apr 21Apr 18Apr 14Apr 10
24°FApr 28Apr 23Apr 20Apr 17Apr 14Apr 11Apr 8Apr 5Apr 2
20°FApr 20Apr 15Apr 11Apr 8Apr 5Apr 3Mar 31Mar 27Mar 21
16°FApr 11Apr 6Apr 3Mar 31Mar 29Mar 25Mar 21Mar 17Mar 12

First freeze in fall

The chance of an earlier freeze than the date shown. At 10 percent, one fall in ten freezes before the date.

Threshold10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°FSep 18Sep 22Sep 25Sep 27Sep 30Oct 1Oct 4Oct 7Oct 12
32°FSep 26Sep 30Oct 2Oct 5Oct 8Oct 10Oct 13Oct 16Oct 20
28°FOct 2Oct 6Oct 9Oct 13Oct 15Oct 18Oct 21Oct 24Oct 29
24°FOct 10Oct 15Oct 18Oct 22Oct 24Oct 27Oct 30Nov 3Nov 7
20°FOct 20Oct 25Oct 28Oct 31Nov 2Nov 5Nov 8Nov 12Nov 17
16°FOct 27Nov 1Nov 4Nov 7Nov 10Nov 13Nov 16Nov 20Nov 25

Growing season length

Days between the last spring and first fall freeze at each threshold, with the chance of a season at least that long.

Threshold10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%
36°F156150146143140136133129122
32°F175169165160157154150145139
28°F193187182178174170166161155
24°F214206201197193189185180173
20°F233225220215211207203198192
16°F248242236231227223218213207

How often it gets that cold

The share of years with at least one night at or below each temperature.

36°F or colder
100% of years
32°F or colder
100% of years
28°F or colder
100% of years
24°F or colder
100% of years
20°F or colder
100% of years
16°F or colder
100% of years

Degree days

A degree day is one degree of the daily mean temperature beyond a base, for one day. Heating degree days count cold (the fuel a house burns), cooling degree days heat, growing degree days the warmth a crop needs; each crop has its own base.

Heating degree days, base 65°F
7,784
Cooling degree days, base 65°F
688
Growing degree days, base 40°F
4,634
Growing degree days, base 45°F
3,610
Growing degree days, base 50°F
2,698
Growing degree days, base 55°F
1,903
Growing degree days, base 60°F
1,230

Growing degree days by month, base 50°F

Heating and cooling by month

MonthHeating DDCooling DDGrowing DD 50
January1,51300
February1,24901
March1,025012
April618261
May28128254
June56122517
July9257713
August21202646
September14971383
October5446101
November953012
December1,36700

What this means

NOAA computes these from the daily lows at the station over 1991-2020, fitting the dates of each year's last and first freeze to a distribution, so a date can be stated at any level of risk. 36°F is a frost risk for tender plants on a clear, calm night, since the ground cools below the air above it; 32°F is a freeze; 28°F is a hard freeze that kills most annuals.

The station is 4.9 km from Jerauld County. Low ground, valleys and open fields freeze earlier and later than a town center or a hillside.

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Sources

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020, annual and seasonal normals for station USC00399070 (Wessington Springs). Public domain.