Current weather · Oct 1, 6:04 AM MDT

44.2430, -105.5390

50°

Partly SunnyFeels like 44° · Humidity 80%NWS forecast for this hour; no recent station reportForecast by NWS Rapid City, SD · grid 21,71
High
68°
Low
47°
Rain today
6%
Sunrise
7:00 AM
Sunset
6:43 PM

Hour by hour

NWS forecast grid

Scroll sideways for more hours. Pick an hour for every number.

Every hour as a table48 hours
TimeWeatherTemperatureFeels likeDew pointHumidityChanceAmountSnowDirWindGustSky coverThunderPressureVisibilityCeiling
Thu 6 AM50°44°44°80%1%NE8 mph20 mph65%——
Thu 7 AM49°43°44°82%1%ENE8 mph17 mph74%——
Thu 8 AM51°46°45°79%1%E8 mph18 mph60%——
Thu 9 AM53°51°45°74%2%ESE8 mph17 mph40%——
Thu 10 AM55°54°45°67%2%SE9 mph20 mph27%——
Thu 11 AM58°58°44°60%2%SSE10 mph23 mph25%——
Thu 12 PM62°62°45°54%2%S10 mph25 mph25%1%——
Thu 1 PM63°63°45°52%2%S10 mph25 mph25%1%——
Thu 2 PM66°66°45°47%2%S9 mph25 mph25%1%——
Thu 3 PM67°67°45°45%6%S9 mph24 mph29%3%——
Thu 4 PM66°66°45°47%6%SSE8 mph25 mph28%3%——
Thu 5 PM64°64°45°50%6%E8 mph25 mph43%3%——
Thu 6 PM64°64°43°46%3%SE16 mph28 mph38%3%——
Thu 7 PM61°61°42°50%3%SE16 mph29 mph42%3%——
Thu 8 PM56°56°41°57%3%SE17 mph31 mph43%3%——
Thu 9 PM54°54°40°59%3%SE18 mph33 mph46%2%——
Thu 10 PM52°52°39°61%3%SE18 mph35 mph47%2%——
Thu 11 PM51°51°39°63%3%SE18 mph35 mph41%2%——
Fri 12 AM49°43°38°66%1%SSE18 mph35 mph44%——
Fri 1 AM48°41°37°65%1%SSE18 mph36 mph46%——
Fri 2 AM48°41°37°65%1%SSE18 mph35 mph41%——
Fri 3 AM46°39°37°71%1%SSE18 mph35 mph41%——
Fri 4 AM46°38°37°71%1%SSE20 mph36 mph48%——
Fri 5 AM45°37°37°73%1%S20 mph36 mph25%——
Fri 6 AM45°37°38°76%0%S18 mph35 mph25%——
Fri 7 AM44°36°39°82%0%S17 mph32 mph41%——
Fri 8 AM46°39°41°83%0%S17 mph30 mph32%——
Fri 9 AM49°43°42°77%0%S16 mph28 mph25%——
Fri 10 AM56°56°44°64%0%S15 mph25 mph13%——
Fri 11 AM63°63°45°52%0%S13 mph23 mph6%——
Fri 12 PM68°68°45°44%0%S12 mph22 mph1%——
Fri 1 PM72°72°44°37%0%S10 mph21 mph7%——
Fri 2 PM75°75°42°31%0%S8 mph20 mph8%——
Fri 3 PM76°76°41°28%0%S7 mph20 mph7%——
Fri 4 PM77°77°40°26%0%E7 mph20 mph14%——
Fri 5 PM76°76°39°26%0%ENE7 mph20 mph5%——
Fri 6 PM74°74°41°30%0%ENE8 mph20 mph13%——
Fri 7 PM69°69°41°36%0%E8 mph18 mph29%——
Fri 8 PM64°64°42°45%0%E8 mph17 mph27%——
Fri 9 PM59°59°43°55%0%ESE7 mph15 mph25%——
Fri 10 PM57°57°43°59%0%ESE6 mph13 mph23%——
Fri 11 PM55°55°43°64%0%SSE5 mph12 mph22%——
Sat 12 AM55°55°42°61%0%SSE5 mph10 mph20%——
Sat 1 AM54°54°41°61%0%S5 mph10 mph20%——
Sat 2 AM53°53°41°64%0%SSW5 mph10 mph20%——
Sat 3 AM52°52°40°63%0%SSW6 mph12 mph20%——
Sat 4 AM51°51°39°63%0%SW6 mph13 mph20%——
Sat 5 AM50°47°38°63%0%W7 mph14 mph20%——

The next 16 days

NWS grid published Oct 1, 5:11 AM MDT to day 8, the mean of GFS, GEFS, ECMWF, ECMWF AI to day 16
  1. TodayOct 168°47°Mostly Sunny6%wind 18 mph · gusts 35 mph
  2. FriOct 278°49°Sunny1%wind 20 mph · gusts 36 mph
  3. SatOct 370°43°Sunny0%wind 20 mph · gusts 31 mph
  4. SunOct 473°48°Sunny0%wind 17 mph · gusts 31 mph
  5. MonOct 581°54°Sunny1%wind 15 mph · gusts 30 mph
  6. TueOct 676°49°Mostly Sunny1%wind 10 mph · gusts 22 mph
  7. WedOct 774°49°Sunny0%wind 8 mph · gusts 20 mph
  8. ThuOct 876°50°0%wind 7 mph · gusts 18 mph
  9. FriOct 9~80°56°Model mean
  10. SatOct 10~76°54°Model mean
  11. SunOct 11~48°37°Model mean0.07 in
  12. MonOct 12~56°36°Model mean
  13. TueOct 13~68°44°Model mean
  14. WedOct 14~59°41°Model mean
  15. ThuOct 15~71°48°Model mean
  16. FriOct 16~71°49°Model mean

Right now

NWS grid for this hour · UV from the EPA · air quality from AirNow
  • Feels like44°
  • WindNE 8 mphgusts 20 mph
  • Radar over this pointno reading
  • Humidity80%
  • Dew point44°
  • Pressure—
  • UV index—
  • Air quality—
  • Visibility—
  • Sunrise and sunsetSunrise · Sunset · not yet up
  • Moonrise9:31 PMMoonset 1:15 PM
  • Moon phaseWaning gibbous73% lit

The models, side by side

HRRR Oct 1, 12:00 AM MDT · GFS Oct 1, 12:00 AM MDT · GEFS Sep 30, 6:00 PM MDT · ECMWF Sep 30, 6:00 PM MDT · ECMWF AI Sep 30, 6:00 PM MDT

Each line is one model’s own forecast at its own grid cell: three kilometers for HRRR, a quarter of a degree for the global models, which can sit a few hundred meters above or below the town. Where they agree the forecast is settled; where they part is where it is not.

41°64°86°FriSatSunMonTueWedThu

DayNWS gridHRRRGFSGEFSECMWFECMWF AI
Today Oct 168° 47°67° 44°69° 49°65° 50°~62° 53°~57° 57°
Fri Oct 278° 49°76° 44°80° 49°77° 50°78° 45°~72° 43°
Sat Oct 370° 43°~56° 56°66° 54°66° 55°~64° 54°~66° 49°
Sun Oct 473° 48°—74° 50°73° 50°74° 50°~72° 45°
Mon Oct 581° 54°—85° 55°83° 53°~85° 68°~78° 49°
Tue Oct 676° 49°—78° 61°77° 61°80° 59°~75° 55°
Wed Oct 774° 49°—75° 49°76° 53°~74° 56°~73° 49°
Thu Oct 876° 50°—82° 54°80° 55°~78° 53°~74° 48°
Fri Oct 9——84° 61°79° 59°~79° 54°~76° 51°
Sat Oct 10——79° 47°68° 53°~79° 63°~59° 42°0.27 in
Sun Oct 11——~54° 37°—~52° 47°0.22 in~38° 29°
Mon Oct 12——~65° 41°—~60° 38°~44° 29°
Tue Oct 13——~71° 55°—~74° 47°~60° 31°
Wed Oct 14——~70° 51°—~46° 38°~60° 34°
Thu Oct 15——~74° 58°—~56° 33°~67° 38°
Fri Oct 16——~71° 49°———

A ~ marks a high or low read from six-hourly steps, which miss the true extreme by a degree or two.

ECMWF ensemble meteogram

ECMWF ensemble meteogram for this place: box plots of cloud cover, precipitation, wind speed and temperature from the 51 ensemble members for ten days.
Rendered by ECMWF from its 51-member ensemble, in metric units: each box spans the middle half of the members, the whiskers the rest, the line the control run. A forecast, not an observation. © ECMWF, CC BY 4.0.

The next 90 days

NOAA GHCN normals and records at Gillette (GCC) · Climate Prediction Center outlooks

No forecast has skill day by day past about two weeks, and this page does not print one. Where the models stop, the calendar takes over: the 1991 to 2020 normal for each date, the record high and low ever set on it, and where the Climate Prediction Center leans warm, cool, wet or dry over the coming weeks, the month and the season. A site that shows a high for a date three months out is showing you this normal with a wobble.

The forecast reaches Fri Oct 16, from the NWS grid, then the National Blend, then the mean of the global models. Beyond it the lines are the calendar.

-20°0°20°40°60°80°TodayNov 1Dec 1

Forecast high and lowNormal high and lowRecord high and low

Week ofNormalWarmest on recordColdest on recordTemperature leanPrecipitation lean
Oct 163° / 36°91° (2011)15° (2005)no outlookno outlook
Oct 858° / 33°87° (2020)7° (2009)no outlookno outlook
Oct 1561° / 33°84° (2024)20° (1999)no outlookno outlook
Oct 2256° / 28°82° (2003)-10° (2020)no outlookno outlook
Oct 2951° / 29°75° (2020)-4° (2019)no outlookno outlook
Nov 554° / 25°76° (2020)-11° (2000)no outlookno outlook
Nov 1248° / 22°76° (1999)-15° (2014)no outlookno outlook
Nov 1945° / 20°67° (2012)-16° (2010)no outlookno outlook
Nov 2639° / 17°75° (2021)-13° (2025)no outlookno outlook
Dec 337° / 14°66° (2020)-22° (2005)no outlookno outlook
Dec 1040° / 16°65° (2014)-21° (2008)no outlookno outlook
Dec 1739° / 16°62° (2024)-29° (2022)no outlookno outlook
Dec 2435° / 16°65° (2025)-16° (2014)no outlookno outlook

Health and activities

Rules of thumb over the next 24 hours of forecast, the warnings in force, the station’s report, air quality and pollen

None of these is a measurement. Each is a rating of the forecast ahead, and of what is happening at the point right now, against what the activity or the ailment is known to mind, and each names the figure that decided it. An ailment or a pest is rated as a risk, low to extreme; an activity, a chore or a journey as a condition, poor to ideal.

Each rating says which span it is for: the rest of today’s daylight, tonight, or the next 24 hours.

Health

  • Arthritisnext 24 hLowsteady conditions
  • Sinus pressurenext 24 hLowsteady conditions
  • Common coldtodayLowmild
  • FlutodayLowmild
  • Migrainenext 24 hLowsteady conditions
  • Asthmanext 24 hLowclean air
  • Heat stresstodayLowmild
  • SunburntodayLowweak sun
  • Frostbitenext 24 hLowmild
  • SleepingtonightIdealcool, quiet night

Outdoors

  • RunningtodayIdealfine conditions
  • HikingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • BikingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • GolftodayIdealfine conditions
  • FishingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • Boating and paddlingtodayGoodwind
  • Beach and pooltodayGoodcool
  • CampingtonightIdealfine conditions
  • StargazingtonightPoormostly cloudy

Travel

  • Air travelnext 24 hIdealclear skies
  • Drivingnext 24 hIdealclear roads

Home and garden

  • Lawn mowingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • GardeningtodayIdealfine conditions
  • Outdoor entertainingtodayIdealfine conditions
  • Drying laundry outsidetodayIdealfine conditions
  • Painting and outdoor projectstodayIdealfine conditions
  • FrosttonightLowmild

Pests

  • MosquitoestodayModeratewarm
  • TickstodayHighwarm
  • Indoor pestsnext 24 hHighcool nights, warm days
  • Outdoor peststodayLowcool

Stargazing

Worked out from the NWS hourly forecast and the sun and moon

Tonight has no dark, clear hour without a bright moon in this forecast. Rated poor.

Night ofRatingDarkClear hoursClear and moonlessMoon litTransparency (est.)DewStrongest wind
ThursdayPoor8:19 PM to 5:25 AM0 of 9None70%20 mph
FridayFair8:17 PM to 5:26 AM5 of 9None60%Good8 mph
SaturdayFair8:15 PM to 5:27 AM3 of 92 h from 8:00 PM49%Good10 mph
SundayExcellent8:13 PM to 5:29 AM9 of 95 h from 8:00 PM39%Good16 mph
MondayPoor8:12 PM to 5:30 AM0 of 10None28%7 mph
TuesdayExcellent8:10 PM to 5:31 AM4 of 104 h from 8:00 PM19%Good7 mph
WednesdayExcellent8:08 PM to 5:32 AM4 of 104 h from 8:00 PM12%Good7 mph

Dark is the sun 18 degrees below the horizon; where it never gets that low, 12 degrees, marked nautical. Clear is sky cover of 20% or less. A bright moon is one above the horizon with a quarter or more of its disc lit. Transparency in the table is estimated from surface humidity (70% and 85% mark fair and poor) and visibility, since the forecast carries no haze or high cloud moisture. Seeing and transparency by hour, where shown, are Environment and Climate Change Canada’s astronomy forecast (regional model; seeing from cloud, wind shear, turbulence near the ground and the surface temperature trend; transparency from the moisture through the whole air column), under the Open Government Licence - Canada. Dew is the air within 2 °C of its dew point. Excellent is four or more clear moonless hours with good transparency; good is three; fair is one, or two clear hours.

Golden hour and blue hour

Computed from the sun and moon positions
DayBlue hour, morningGolden hour, morningGolden hour, eveningBlue hour, evening
Thu6:31 AM to 6:42 AM6:42 AM to 7:39 AM6:04 PM to 7:00 PM7:00 PM to 7:11 PM
Fri6:32 AM to 6:44 AM6:44 AM to 7:40 AM6:02 PM to 6:58 PM6:58 PM to 7:10 PM
Sat6:34 AM to 6:45 AM6:45 AM to 7:41 AM6:00 PM to 6:57 PM6:57 PM to 7:08 PM
Sun6:35 AM to 6:46 AM6:46 AM to 7:42 AM5:59 PM to 6:55 PM6:55 PM to 7:06 PM
Mon6:36 AM to 6:47 AM6:47 AM to 7:44 AM5:57 PM to 6:53 PM6:53 PM to 7:04 PM
Tue6:37 AM to 6:48 AM6:48 AM to 7:45 AM5:55 PM to 6:51 PM6:51 PM to 7:02 PM
Wed6:38 AM to 6:50 AM6:50 AM to 7:46 AM5:53 PM to 6:50 PM6:50 PM to 7:01 PM
NESWSRSSMRMS
  • SR Sunrise 7:00 AM, 94° E
  • SS Sunset 6:43 PM, 266° W
  • MR Moonrise 9:31 PM, 49° NE
  • MS Moonset 1:15 PM, 310° NW
  • Waning gibbous, 73% lit

Golden hour is the sun between 6 degrees above the horizon and 4 degrees below it; blue hour is the sun between 4 and 6 degrees below. These are the definitions timeanddate.com and PhotoPills use. Directions are degrees clockwise from true north, where the sun’s upper edge and the moon’s center cross a flat horizon; hills and buildings change both. None means the sun does not reach that height on the day; all day means it stays inside the band.

Drone flying

NWS hourly forecast, SWPC Kp, FAA TFRs and 14 CFR Part 107

This hour: fly with caution (gusts near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)). No stretch of two good hours in the next three days.

Today: civil twilight for Part 107 6:30 AM to sunrise 7:00 AM, and sunset 6:43 PM to 7:13 PM. Anti-collision lighting is required in those minutes and at night.

Thu6 AM12 PM6 PM
Fri12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Sat12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM

Good Caution No-fly

HourVerdictWind (mph)400 ft est. (mph)Gust (mph)RainVisibilityCloud allowsTempKpWhy
Thu 6 AMCaution812231%50°gusts near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 7 AMCaution810201%49°gusts near or over your limit
Thu 8 AMCaution810211%51°gusts near or over your limit
Thu 9 AMCaution810202%53°gusts near or over your limit
Thu 10 AMCaution912222%55°gusts near or over your limit
Thu 11 AMNo-fly1012252%58°gusts near or over your limit
Thu 12 PMNo-fly1012272%62°gusts near or over your limit
Thu 1 PMNo-fly1012272%63°gusts near or over your limit
Thu 2 PMNo-fly911272%66°gusts near or over your limit
Thu 3 PMNo-fly912276%67°gusts near or over your limit
Thu 4 PMNo-fly810286%66°gusts near or over your limit
Thu 5 PMNo-fly810286%64°gusts near or over your limit
Thu 6 PMNo-fly1623353%64°gusts near or over your limit, wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, civil twilight: lighting required (107.29)
Thu 7 PMNo-fly1623363%61°gusts near or over your limit, wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 8 PMNo-fly1725393%56°wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, gusts near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 9 PMNo-fly1827423%54°wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, gusts near or over your limit, ground wind near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 10 PMNo-fly1827433%52°wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, gusts near or over your limit, ground wind near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Thu 11 PMNo-fly1827433%51°wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, gusts near or over your limit, ground wind near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Fri 12 AMNo-fly1827431%49°wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, gusts near or over your limit, ground wind near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Fri 1 AMNo-fly1827441%48°wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, gusts near or over your limit, ground wind near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Fri 2 AMNo-fly1827431%48°wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, gusts near or over your limit, ground wind near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Fri 3 AMNo-fly1827431%46°wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, gusts near or over your limit, ground wind near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Fri 4 AMNo-fly2028451%46°wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, gusts near or over your limit, ground wind near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)
Fri 5 AMNo-fly2028451%45°wind at 400 ft near or over your limit, gusts near or over your limit, ground wind near or over your limit, night: lighting and night training required (107.29)

Flight restrictions nearby

Reading the FAA’s temporary flight restrictions.

Flight restrictions on the map. TFRs are not the whole picture: controlled airspace around airports needs LAANC authorization. Check the FAA’s B4UFLY.

Wind at 400 ft is estimated from the 10 m forecast by the power law, with exponents for each Pasquill stability class (Irwin 1979, rural, as in EPA dispersion models; the class from wind, sun height and cloud, after Turner 1970); gusts keep the ground gust’s margin. Caution from three quarters of your limit; the default 24 mph is the wind resistance printed for common sub-250 g drones. 14 CFR 107.51: “The minimum flight visibility, as observed from the location of the control station must be no less than 3 statute miles” and at least “500 feet below the cloud”. 14 CFR 107.29: “No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft system during periods of civil twilight unless the small unmanned aircraft has lighted anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles”; civil twilight is the 30 minutes before sunrise and after sunset, in Alaska the Air Almanac’s. Kp: SWPC’s scales say satellite navigation problems may occur at G3 (Kp 7) and navigation is “degraded for hours” at G4 (Kp 8); Kp 5 is the typical app warning. Typical limits, not rules: rain chance 30% caution and 60% no-fly, thunder 10% and 20%, below 0 °C caution and −10 °C no-fly, over 40 °C caution. Your drone’s manual and the airspace come first.

Spraying and field work

Worked out from the NWS hourly forecast

Hours fit for spraying, and the days dry enough for fieldwork and hay, read from this forecast’s wind, gusts, humidity, temperature and rain.

Spraying windows

  • Fri 9 PM to Sat 6 AM 9 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Sat 11 PM to Sun 2 AM 3 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Mon 8 PM to Tue 9 AM 13 hours, some with delta T between 8 and 10 °C
  • Tue 8 PM to Wed 11 AM 15 hours, every hour within the rules
  • Wed 8 PM to Thu 10 AM 14 hours, every hour within the rules
Thu6 AM12 PM6 PM
Fri12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Sat12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM
Sun12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM

Good Marginal No

Field days

DayDaytimeChance of rainRainLowest humidityStrongest windDry days in a rowHay drying
ThursdayDry6%0.00 in45%16 mph8 dGood
FridayDry0%0.00 in26%17 mph7 dGood
SaturdayDry0%0.00 in36%20 mph6 dGood
SundayDry0%0.00 in35%17 mph5 dGood
MondayDry1%0.00 in16%10 mph4 dGood
TuesdayDry1%0.00 in23%10 mph3 dGood
WednesdayDry0%0.00 in25%8 mph2 dGood
ThursdayDry0%0.00 in23%7 mph1 dGood

Spraying: sustained wind 3 to 10 mph, the range US extension services and most labels give; gusts no more than 15 mph (this page’s limit); delta T (air minus wet-bulb temperature) 2 to 8 °C preferred and 8 to 10 °C marginal, from GRDC guidance, with the wet bulb by Stull’s formula; no hour at a 30% chance of rain or 0.25 mm forecast during the rain-free time. Follow the product label, which overrides all of this. Field days: dry is no daytime hour at a 30% chance and under 1 mm all day, wet is 6 mm (0.25 in) or more; soil moisture is not in the forecast, so ground still wet from earlier rain is not accounted for. Hay drying marks a dry day with humidity down to 50% and a breeze of 5 mph or more.

Solunar times

Computed from the moon’s position

The best-rated day this week is Wednesday, rated good.

DayRatingMajor periodsMinor periodsMoonSunrise, sunset
Thu Fair3:53 AM to 5:53 AM4:24 PM to 6:24 PM12:45 PM to 1:45 PM9:01 PM to 10:01 PM 73%7:00 AM, 6:43 PM
Fri Fair4:55 AM to 6:55 AM5:27 PM to 7:27 PM1:50 PM to 2:50 PM10:06 PM to 11:06 PM 63%7:01 AM, 6:41 PM
Sat Fair5:58 AM to 7:58 AM6:28 PM to 8:28 PM2:42 PM to 3:42 PM11:20 PM to 12:20 AM 53%7:02 AM, 6:39 PM
Sun Fair6:58 AM to 8:58 AM7:26 PM to 9:26 PM3:22 PM to 4:22 PM 42%7:04 AM, 6:37 PM
Mon Fair7:53 AM to 9:53 AM8:20 PM to 10:20 PM12:39 AM to 1:39 AM3:53 PM to 4:53 PM 32%7:05 AM, 6:35 PM
Tue Poor8:45 AM to 10:45 AM9:09 PM to 11:09 PM1:57 AM to 2:57 AM4:18 PM to 5:18 PM 22%7:06 AM, 6:34 PM
Wed Good9:33 AM to 11:33 AM9:56 PM to 11:56 PM3:13 AM to 4:13 AM4:39 PM to 5:39 PM 14%7:07 AM, 6:32 PM

Periods in bold fall within an hour of sunrise or sunset. The weather’s side is the fishing index

Major periods are two hours centered on the moon’s passage overhead and underfoot; minor periods are one hour centered on moonrise and moonset: the conventional durations of John Alden Knight’s solunar tables (1936). The rating is this site’s: one point to start, two more within a day and a half of a new or full moon (one more within three and a half days), and one more when a period falls within an hour of sunrise or sunset. The theory has mixed support in fisheries research; the times are exact astronomy.

In words

NWS forecast periods, as issued
  1. Today68° · 6% · SE 10 mph

    Mostly sunny. High near 68, with temperatures falling to around 64 in the afternoon. Southeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

  2. Tonight43° · 3% · SE 16–20 mph

    Partly cloudy. Low around 43, with temperatures rising to around 45 overnight. Southeast wind 16 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph.

  3. Friday78° · SE 7–18 mph

    Sunny. High near 78, with temperatures falling to around 76 in the afternoon. Southeast wind 7 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.

  4. Friday Night49° · SE 5–8 mph

    Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Southeast wind 5 to 8 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

  5. Saturday70° · NW 8–20 mph

    Sunny. High near 70, with temperatures falling to around 67 in the afternoon. Northwest wind 8 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

  6. Saturday Night43° · E 6–14 mph

    Mostly clear. Low around 43, with temperatures rising to around 45 overnight. East wind 6 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

  7. Sunday73° · SE 13–17 mph

    Sunny, with a high near 73.

  8. Sunday Night48° · SE 12–16 mph

    Clear, with a low around 48.

  9. Monday81° · SW 3–10 mph

    Sunny, with a high near 81.

  10. Monday Night54° · 1% · SW 3–7 mph

    Partly cloudy, with a low around 54.

  11. Tuesday76° · NW 7–10 mph

    Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.

  12. Tuesday Night49° · 1% · E 7 mph

    Mostly clear, with a low around 49.

  13. Wednesday74° · W 8 mph

    Sunny, with a high near 74.

  14. Wednesday Night49° · SE 7 mph

    Mostly clear, with a low around 49.

The forecaster’s discussion

NWS Rapid City, SD · issued Oct 1, 5:36 AM MDT

Written by the forecaster on duty for their own colleagues and for anyone who wants to know why the forecast says what it says. It is not edited for the public, so it uses the office’s shorthand; it is also the most honest thing any weather service publishes.

KEY Messages

Near or slightly above normal through the forecast period.

Mostly dry conditions expected the remainder of the week.

Update

925 PM MDT Wed Sep 30 2026

Satellite shows tropical remnants spinning over the southern Great Plains and shedding thick clouds over most of South Dakota. Surface analysis depicts a weak cold front positioned from the southern Black Hills to the northeast corner of SD, bringing temps in the low 50s to the region tonight. No changes are needed for the forecast. Precip chances remain low and focused over the Black Hills and far northwestern SD. Clouds will linger well into Thursday and keep temps in the 60s.

Discussion

227 PM MDT Wed Sep 30 2026

(This Evening Through Wednesday)

Current Water Vapor and upper air models show near zonal flow aloft, with an upper low located over the four corners region. 20Z surface analysis shows high pressure centered over Wyoming this afternoon Satellite has some mid and high clouds reaching into southwest and south central SD. Temperatures sit in the upper 60s and 70s, with generally light winds out of the northwest. Little change to the overall pattern is expected through the week, with near-zonal to northwest flow aloft hanging around. Mostly dry conditions are expected as well. A cold front is expected Thursday, dropping temperatures 15-20 degrees from today. Limited moisture with this disturbance, but some light precipitation will be possible Thursday into Thursday night. Temperatures then warm up a bit for the first half of the weekend before another boundary cools the region down again on Sunday. Once again, with limited moisture advection, expect little to no precipitation over the weekend. Early next week the upper ridge builds over the western CONUS, prompting a rise in temperatures to the 70s and low 80s for much of next week.

Aviation

526 AM MDT Thu Oct 1 2026

(For the 12Z TAFS Through 12Z Friday Morning)

Light showers and overcast skies expected to continue to develop over the region through this morning. Scattered MVFR/LCL IFR CIGs may develop, especially over the Black Hills into northeastern WY. Conditions will improve by the afternoon into the evening hours. Winds expected to increase from the SE this evening, especially across northeastern WY and southwestern SD where gusts of 25-30KT are expected.

UNR Watches / Warnings / Advisories

SD...None. WY...None.

The outlooks beyond

SPC, WPC, CPC and the Drought Monitor, read at this point

The national centers each publish a judgment the local grid does not carry. Read here at this exact coordinate.

Reading the outlooks…

Frost and climate

NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Gillette 4SE

The last spring freeze (32°F) usually comes around May 15 and the first fall freeze around October 1: a growing season of about 136 days.

One fall in ten brings a freeze by September 15; one spring in ten still has one after May 27.

Climate of 44.24, -105.54: normals, records and every month

Everything else on the grid

NWS forecast grid · 23 elements

The forecast office edits about sixty fields for every cell of its grid. The common ones are above; these are the rest, as the daily extreme, for anyone who needs the mixing height, the fire danger or the swell.

ElementThuFriSatSunMonTueWedThu
HeatRisk max0 · Little1 · Minor0 · Little1 · Minor1 · Minor1 · Minor1 · Minor1 · Minor
Wet bulb globe temperature max61°66°60°63°67°64°63°65°
Heat index max77°73°79°75°73°75°
Wind chill min43°36°47°39°46°
Chance of thunder max3%0%0%0%1%1%0%0%
Snow level min10,900 ft11,000 ft10,200 ft10,200 ft10,800 ft10,700 ft10,300 ft10,400 ft
Mixing height max5,200 ft7,700 ft5,900 ft600 ft
Transport wind max33 mph33 mph30 mph26 mph

Against the record

NOAA GHCN · Gillette (GCC) · 7.3 mi away

Each forecast day against the same calendar date at the nearest long-record station: the 1991 to 2020 normal, and the record high and low with the year they were set.

DayForecastNormalRecord highRecord low
Thu Oct 168° / 47°66° / 40°91° (2011)26° (2020)
Fri Oct 278° / 49°64° / 37°87° (2011)25° (2009)
Sat Oct 370° / 43°62° / 35°89° (2025)21° (2009)
Sun Oct 473° / 48°63° / 36°89° (2010)24° (2017)
Mon Oct 581° / 54°59° / 35°84° (2021)15° (2005)
Tue Oct 676° / 49°62° / 34°83° (2020)15° (2000)
Wed Oct 774° / 49°65° / 37°81° (2003)15° (2000)
Thu Oct 876° / 50°61° / 38°87° (2020)24° (2000)

Sun and moon

DayCivil twilightSunriseSunsetCivil twilightDaylightMoon
Thu6:31 AM7:00 AM6:43 PM7:11 PM11 h 43 min Waning gibbous · 73% lit
Fri6:32 AM7:01 AM6:41 PM7:10 PM11 h 40 min Waning gibbous · 63% lit
Sat6:34 AM7:02 AM6:39 PM7:08 PM11 h 37 min Last quarter · 53% lit
Sun6:35 AM7:04 AM6:37 PM7:06 PM11 h 33 min Last quarter · 42% lit
Mon6:36 AM7:05 AM6:35 PM7:04 PM11 h 30 min Waning crescent · 32% lit
Tue6:37 AM7:06 AM6:34 PM7:02 PM11 h 28 min Waning crescent · 22% lit
Wed6:38 AM7:07 AM6:32 PM7:01 PM11 h 25 min Waning crescent · 14% lit
Thu6:40 AM7:09 AM6:30 PM6:59 PM11 h 21 min Waning crescent · 8% lit

Forecast from the National Weather Service forecast grid at api.weather.gov, updated by the local office through the day; the written periods and hourly digest are the NWS’s own. Outlooks from the Storm Prediction Center, the Weather Prediction Center and the Climate Prediction Center via NOAA’s map services. Records and normals from NOAA’s Global Historical Climatology Network. Sun and moon computed here. Place names from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0).

What is here

Seven days
The high, the low, the chance and amount of rain and snow, the wind and the forecaster’s words for each day and night, from the National Weather Service grid for the exact cell your town sits in.
Hour by hour
Temperature, what it feels like, dew point, humidity, chance and amount of precipitation, wind and gusts, sky cover, the chance of thunder, pressure, visibility and ceiling, as a chart and as a table, with nights shaded.
Everything else on the grid
The office edits about sixty fields for every cell. The ones the mainstream forecast pages leave out are here as a daily table: HeatRisk, wet bulb globe temperature, lightning activity, mixing height, transport wind, the fire weather indices, and at the coast the waves and swell.
The discussion
The Area Forecast Discussion the forecaster wrote to explain the forecast, in their own words, with the specialist annexes folded away. Also the office’s hazardous weather outlook.
Beyond the week
The Storm Prediction Center’s severe weather category for each of the next eight days, the Weather Prediction Center’s rainfall forecast to day seven and its winter storm severity, and the Climate Prediction Center’s odds for days six to fourteen, all read at your coordinate.
Against the record
Each forecast day beside the same date at the nearest long-record station: the thirty-year normal and the record high and low with their years, so a forecast high that would break a record says so.
The next 90 days
The forecast as far as the grid, the National Blend and the global models reach, and the calendar after that: the normal and the record for every date, with the Climate Prediction Center’s lean for the weeks, the month and the season drawn over them. No made-up highs for a date three months out.

Common questions

Where does this forecast come from?

From the National Weather Service forecast grid published at api.weather.gov, the same grid the local forecast office edits through the day and the source of every forecast on weather.gov. The written periods, the hourly digest and the forecaster’s discussion are the NWS’s own products, shown as issued. Nothing here is a blend a website made.

How far ahead does it go?

The grid runs seven days ahead, hour by hour for the first days and in three to six hour steps after that. The National Blend of Models carries the days to eleven and the global models to sixteen. Beyond that the page carries the national centers’ outlooks, severe weather to day eight, rainfall to day seven, and the Climate Prediction Center’s odds for the coming weeks, month and season, over a ninety-day calendar of the normal and the record for each date. No forecast has skill day by day past about two weeks, and this page does not print one.

Why is this different from the app on my phone?

Most forecast apps show a blend of models chosen by the company that makes the app. This page shows the forecast the local National Weather Service office issues, edited by the forecasters who will also issue the warnings, and it shows all of it rather than the six numbers that fit on a phone. The discussion explains the reasoning, which no app carries.

What is a place’s address here?

Every town has its own page, such as /forecast/us/oklahoma/oklahoma-city/, and every day at a town has one too. A ZIP code typed into the search goes to the town it belongs to. Any coordinate at all can be looked up, and the page names the nearest town.

What the weather actually was · Open the live radar · Where the data comes from