Your nature year
Rapid City, South Dakotathrough the year
When do frost, green-up and fall color come to Rapid City?
Spring green-up reaches town around Apr 5, with first blooms around May 15. Expect about 158 frost-free days in Rapid City: the last spring frost usually comes around May 3, the first fall one around Oct 8, going by NOAA's Rapid City Wfo station 0.4 miles away.
We follow 3 places within 150 miles of Rapid City; the nearest lies 38 miles to the south. The closest place we follow is Wind Cave, 38 miles away, for winter wildlife, Sep 1–Oct 31 (local timing). Spearfish Canyon (42 mi) is the pick for fall foliage, Sep 1–30 (local timing). The town is about 3,394 feet above sea level.
Updated Sep 27. Sources: US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) ↗ (opens in a new tab), US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 ↗ (opens in a new tab), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Rapid City's year at a glance
- Frost possible
- Frost-free, ~May 3 to ~Oct 8
- First leaf ~Apr 5
- First bloom ~May 15
- Today
Near Rapid City right now
- First fall frost usually around Oct 8 · last spring frost around May 3NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Rapid City Wfo (0.4 mi, 50% dates)~9 days
- Spearfish Canyon · 42 mi · Local timing: Sep 1–30Fall foliage · in its window now
- Wind Cave · 38 mi · Local timing: Sep 1–Oct 31Winter wildlife · in its window now
- Spring migration · Lacreek Refuge · 107 miLocal timing: Spring (March-May)~5 months
Rapid City's nature year
- Spring migration · Lacreek RefugeMar–May
- Apr: Spring green-upApr
- Wildflowers · Spearfish CanyonMay–Jul
- May: Last spring frostMay
- Winter wildlife · Wind CaveNowSep–Oct
- Sep: Fall foliage · Spearfish CanyonNowSep
- Oct: First fall frostOct
Nearby, season by season
Fall foliage
- Spearfish Canyon · 42 miLocal timing: Sep 1–30
Spring migration
- Lacreek Refuge · 107 miLocal timing: Spring (March-May)~5 months
Wildflowers
- Spearfish Canyon · 42 miLocal timing: May 1–Jul 10~7 months
Winter wildlife
- Wind Cave · 38 miLocal timing: Sep 1–Oct 31
Snow in Rapid City
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 3 (our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%). NOAA's normals at Rapid City Wfo (0.4 mi away): 54 inches of snow in an average year, about 15.7 days with 1 inch or more.
NOAA's chance of at least 0.1 inch of snow on each date (one value per week, September to May), averaged over 1991–2020. A typical year, not a forecast.
Frost and green-up
Last spring frost
May 3
Average (50% date)
First fall frost
Oct 8
About 158 days without frost between
Spring green-up
Apr 5
First bloom around May 15
Frost: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals at Rapid City Wfo (0.4 mi from Rapid City), the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not. Green-up: the USA-NPN Spring Index, 1991–2020 average at the town.
Questions people ask
When is the first frost in Rapid City?
On average around Oct 8, and the last spring frost around May 3: about 158 days without frost between. These are NOAA's 1991–2020 normals at Rapid City Wfo, 0.4 miles away (the day a 32 °F night is as likely as not).
When does spring green-up reach Rapid City?
The USA-NPN Spring Index puts first leaf around Apr 5 and first bloom around May 15, on average for 1991–2020 at the town.
Where can I see fall foliage near Rapid City?
Spearfish Canyon, 42 miles (local timing: Sep 1–30). Distances are straight-line.
Where can I see spring migration near Rapid City?
Lacreek Refuge, 107 miles (local timing: Spring (March-May)). Distances are straight-line.
When does it start snowing in Rapid City?
Snow usually becomes possible around Nov 3: our calculation from NOAA's daily snow chances: the first day the chance of 0.1" or more of snow reaches 10%, at Rapid City Wfo. An average year brings 54 inches (NOAA 1991–2020). A typical year, not a forecast.Sources: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal snowfall) ↗ (opens in a new tab), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (daily snowfall probabilities) ↗ (opens in a new tab)
How we know
US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer (places) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · US Census Bureau, city and town population estimates, 2024 (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal) (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27) · USA National Phenology Network, Spring Index 1991–2020 averages (opens in a new tab) (Sep 27)