Places › Rapid City, SD › December
Rapid City in December
An off month — score 38 of 100
Typical December days in Rapid City reach about 37°F with nights near 14°F; about 7 inches of snow falls in a typical month.
Avg high
37°F
1991–2020 normal
Avg low
14°F
1991–2020 normal
Rain total
0.35 in
in a typical December
Rain days
5
days with at least 0.01 in
Daylight
8h 54m
at mid-December, computed
Snowfall
6.7 in
in a typical December
What to pack for Rapid City in December
- A real winter coat — typical nights drop below freezing, to about 14°F.
- Layers — afternoons run about 23° warmer than mornings.
- Insulated boots and a winter kit — a typical December brings about 7 inches of snow.
Every packing line is triggered by a number on this page — the rules are on How we pick.
December vs. the alternatives
The whole year in Rapid City
JAN
36°F
Rain 6 days
Daylight 9h 13mFEB
38°F
Rain 7 days
Daylight 10h 23mMAR
48°F
Rain 7 days
Daylight 11h 47mAPR
57°F
Rain 10 days
Daylight 13h 23mMAY
66°F
Rain 13 days
Daylight 14h 44mJUN
78°F
Rain 12 days
Daylight 15h 28mJUL
86°F
Rain 10 days
Daylight 15h 11mAUG
85°F
Rain 8 days
Daylight 14h 00mSEP
76°F
★ Best
Rain 7 days
Daylight 12h 27mOCT
60°F
Rain 7 days
Daylight 10h 55mNOV
47°F
Rain 5 days
Daylight 9h 34mDEC
37°F
Rain 5 days
Daylight 8h 54m
36°F
Rain 6 days
Daylight 9h 13mFEB
38°F
Rain 7 days
Daylight 10h 23mMAR
48°F
Rain 7 days
Daylight 11h 47mAPR
57°F
Rain 10 days
Daylight 13h 23mMAY
66°F
Rain 13 days
Daylight 14h 44mJUN
78°F
Rain 12 days
Daylight 15h 28mJUL
86°F
Rain 10 days
Daylight 15h 11mAUG
85°F
Rain 8 days
Daylight 14h 00mSEP
76°F
★ Best
Rain 7 days
Daylight 12h 27mOCT
60°F
Rain 7 days
Daylight 10h 55mNOV
47°F
Rain 5 days
Daylight 9h 34mDEC
37°F
Rain 5 days
Daylight 8h 54m
Averages are the 1991–2020 climate normals (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information) for the station named on each page. Rain days = days with at least 0.01 in of precipitation. Daylight is computed for the middle of the month.