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  • Wind Advisory

    Ends in 7 h 20 min

    When
    From 11 PM this evening to 9 AM MDT Saturday.
    Where
    Portions of northwestern and southwestern South Dakota.

    Issued for this forecast zone · National Weather Service Rapid City SD

    What, impacts and precautions

    What

    Northwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected. A few localized gusts to around 60 mph are possible.

    Impacts

    Sudden wind gusts can cause drivers to lose control, especially in lightweight or high profile vehicles. Strong winds can cause blowing dust, reduced visibility, and flying debris.

    Precautionary actions

    Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution.

    Areas: Ziebach; Rapid City; Custer Co Plains; Pennington Co Plains; Haakon; Western Fall River; Northern Oglala Lakota; Northern Jackson; Sturgis/Piedmont Foothills; Southern Meade Co Plains; Southern Jackson

    See it on weather.gov (opens in a new tab)

Observed 12:58 AM MDT at KRCA

Rapid City, SD weather

Overcast and 46°8°, gusts to 32 mph52 km/h today.

Today: low 39°4° (likely 39°4° to 41°5°), high 53°12° (likely 52°11° to 60°16°).

Forecasts differ

Now 46°8°

Cloudy · Feels like 36°2°

Feels like
36°2°
Wind chill from 36 mph58 km/h wind · air 46°8°
Wind (notable)
36 mph58 km/hgusts 44 mph70 km/h
From the north. Easing to 22 mph35 km/h by 2 AM
Dew point
36°2°
Comfortable · down to 25°−4° by 10 AM (dry)
UV index
0Low
Moderate 11 AM–4 PM · peak 4
Air quality
68Moderate
Main pollutant: PM10 (dust)

Next 2 hours

No precipitation expected in the next 2 hours.

Next 48 hours

15°9° cooler than this time yesterday (62°17° then, 47°8° now)

Good hours for
  • Gusts to 33 mph53 km/h until 9 AM
  • Low 39°4° today at 7 AM
  • Drizzle tomorrow from noon (90%, 0.43 in11 mm)
  1. TonightDown to 43°6° by 5 AM · gusts to 33 mph53 km/h · Partly cloudy
  2. This morningUp to 47°8° by 11 AM · gusts to 31 mph50 km/h · Clear
  3. This afternoonUp to 52°11° by 3 PM · Clear
  4. TonightDown to 39°4° by 3 AM · Mostly cloudy
  5. Tomorrow morningUp to 42°6° by 10 AM · rain chance 20% · Cloudy
  6. Tomorrow afternoonNear 42°6° · Rain all afternoon (70%)
  7. Tomorrow nightNear 39°4° · Rain all night (90%)
Hourly forecast, next 48 hours, in the place's local time
HourConditionsTemperatureFeels likePrecipitationWindHumidityCloud coverUV index
Sat 1aCloudy57°14° (likely 49°9° to 57°14°)57°14°10%22 mph35 km/h from N, gusts 33 mph53 km/h49%40%0
Sat 2aCloudy53°12° (likely 46°8° to 53°12°)53°12°10%22 mph35 km/h from N, gusts 31 mph51 km/h57%66%0
Sat 3aCloudy49°9° (likely 44°7° to 49°9°)42°6°10%23 mph37 km/h from N, gusts 30 mph48 km/h63%66%0
Sat 4aCloudy45°7° (likely 43°6° to 46°8°)36°2°10%23 mph37 km/h from N, gusts 31 mph50 km/h65%38%0
Sat 5aCloudy43°6° (likely 41°5° to 43°6°)34°1°10%22 mph35 km/h from NW, gusts 32 mph52 km/h67%61%0
Sat 6aMostly clear40°4° (likely 40°4° to 42°6°)30°−1°0%21 mph34 km/h from NW, gusts 31 mph49 km/h70%62%0
Sat 7aMostly sunny39°4° (likely 39°4° to 42°6°)29°−2°0%22 mph35 km/h from NW, gusts 29 mph47 km/h70%28%0
Sat 8aPartly sunny40°4° (likely 39°4° to 41°5°)31°−1°0%20 mph32 km/h from NW, gusts 26 mph41 km/h67%38%0
Sat 9aSunny42°6° (likely 41°5° to 43°6°)33°1°0%20 mph32 km/h from NW, gusts 23 mph37 km/h57%14%1
Sat 10aSunny45°7° (likely 44°7° to 46°8°)37°3°0%18 mph29 km/h from NW, gusts 23 mph36 km/h45%2%2
Sat 11aSunny47°8° (likely 47°8° to 49°9°)41°5°0%16 mph26 km/h from N, gusts 20 mph33 km/h35%3%3
Sat 12pSunny48°9° (likely 48°9° to 51°11°)42°6°0%16 mph26 km/h from N, gusts 19 mph30 km/h30%3%4
Sat 1pSunny49°9° (likely 49°9° to 52°11°)44°7°0%13 mph21 km/h from N, gusts 18 mph28 km/h26%2%4
Sat 2pSunny51°11° (likely 51°11° to 53°12°)51°11°0%12 mph19 km/h from N, gusts 16 mph26 km/h22%16%4
Sat 3pSunny52°11° (likely 51°11° to 53°12°)52°11°0%10 mph16 km/h from N, gusts 14 mph23 km/h21%21%3
Sat 4pSunny51°11° (likely 50°10° to 52°11°)51°11°0%8 mph13 km/h from N, gusts 12 mph19 km/h21%27%2
Sat 5pCloudy49°9° (likely 48°9° to 50°10°)47°8°0%6 mph10 km/h from N, gusts 10 mph15 km/h22%67%1
Sat 6pCloudy46°8° (likely 45°7° to 48°9°)46°8°0%2 mph3 km/h from NE, gusts 9 mph15 km/h27%68%0
Sat 7pPartly cloudy44°7° (likely 43°6° to 45°7°)44°7°0%1 mph2 km/h from N, gusts 7 mph12 km/h30%73%0
Sat 8pCloudy43°6° (likely 42°6° to 44°7°)43°6°0%1 mph2 km/h from W, gusts 5 mph8 km/h32%78%0
Sat 9pCloudy42°6° (likely 42°6° to 43°6°)42°6°0%2 mph3 km/h from W, gusts 4 mph6 km/h33%81%0
Sat 10pCloudy42°6° (likely 41°5° to 43°6°)40°4°0%3 mph5 km/h from SW, gusts 5 mph8 km/h34%80%0
Sat 11pCloudy42°6° (likely 41°5° to 42°6°)40°4°0%3 mph5 km/h from SW, gusts 6 mph9 km/h34%80%0
Sun 12aCloudy41°5° (likely 40°4° to 42°6°)39°4°5%3 mph5 km/h from SW, gusts 5 mph8 km/h37%80%0
Sun 1aCloudy40°4° (likely 40°4° to 42°6°)38°3°5%3 mph5 km/h from S, gusts 5 mph9 km/h41%89%0
Sun 2aCloudy40°4° (likely 40°4° to 42°6°)38°3°5%3 mph5 km/h from S, gusts 5 mph9 km/h42%96%0
Sun 3aCloudy39°4° (likely 39°4° to 43°6°)37°3°5%3 mph5 km/h from S, gusts 8 mph13 km/h44%93%0
Sun 4aCloudy40°4° (likely 40°4° to 43°6°)38°3°5%3 mph5 km/h from S, gusts 11 mph18 km/h44%88%0
Sun 5aCloudy39°4° (likely 39°4° to 42°6°)37°3°5%3 mph5 km/h from S, gusts 12 mph20 km/h50%84%0
Sun 6aCloudy38°3° (likely 38°3° to 42°6°)36°2°20%3 mph5 km/h from SE, gusts 11 mph18 km/h54%86%0
Sun 7aCloudy37°3° (likely 37°3° to 41°5°)34°1°20%3 mph5 km/h from SE, gusts 11 mph17 km/h59%91%0
Sun 8aCloudy38°3° (likely 38°3° to 42°6°)36°2°20%3 mph5 km/h from SE, gusts 10 mph15 km/h64%96%0
Sun 9aCloudy41°5° (likely 37°3° to 42°6°)38°3°20%5 mph8 km/h from SE, gusts 10 mph16 km/h62%100%0
Sun 10aCloudy42°6° (likely 39°4° to 43°6°)39°4°20%5 mph8 km/h from SE, gusts 10 mph17 km/h62%100%0
Sun 11aCloudy42°6° (likely 39°4° to 42°6°)39°4°20%5 mph8 km/h from E, gusts 12 mph20 km/h67%100%0
Sun 12pCloudy42°6° (likely 39°4° to 42°6°)38°3°70%, 0.06 in1.5 mm6 mph10 km/h from E, gusts 12 mph19 km/h70%100%0
Sun 1pCloudy42°6° (likely 39°4° to 42°6°)38°3°70%, 0.06 in1.5 mm6 mph10 km/h from E, gusts 12 mph19 km/h73%100%1
Sun 2pCloudy44°7° (likely 39°4° to 44°7°)41°5°70%, 0.06 in1.5 mm6 mph10 km/h from E, gusts 11 mph18 km/h68%100%1
Sun 3pCloudy44°7° (likely 39°4° to 44°7°)41°5°70%, 0.06 in1.5 mm6 mph10 km/h from E, gusts 11 mph17 km/h70%100%0
Sun 4pCloudy44°7° (likely 38°3° to 44°7°)41°5°70%, 0.06 in1.5 mm6 mph10 km/h from E, gusts 10 mph16 km/h68%100%0
Sun 5pDrizzle42°6° (likely 38°3° to 42°6°)38°3°70%, 0.06 in1.5 mm6 mph10 km/h from E, gusts 10 mph15 km/h70%100%0
Sun 6pDrizzle40°4° (likely 37°3° to 40°4°)36°2°90%, 0.01 in0.3 mm6 mph10 km/h from E, gusts 10 mph15 km/h79%100%0
Sun 7pSnow38°3° (likely 37°3° to 39°4°)34°1°90%, 0.01 in0.3 mm6 mph10 km/h from E, gusts 8 mph14 km/h85%99%0
Sun 8pDrizzle38°3° (likely 37°3° to 39°4°)34°1°90%, 0.01 in0.3 mm6 mph10 km/h from E, gusts 8 mph13 km/h85%100%0
Sun 9pSnow38°3° (likely 36°2° to 39°4°)34°1°90%, 0.01 in0.3 mm5 mph8 km/h from E, gusts 8 mph13 km/h89%100%0
Sun 10pDrizzle38°3° (likely 36°2° to 38°3°)34°1°90%, 0.01 in0.3 mm5 mph8 km/h from E, gusts 8 mph13 km/h89%100%0
Sun 11pSnow37°3° (likely 35°2° to 38°3°)33°1°90%, 0.01 in0.3 mm5 mph8 km/h from E, gusts 7 mph11 km/h92%100%0
Mon 12aSnow37°3° (likely 35°2° to 38°3°)33°1°80%, 0.01 in0.3 mm5 mph8 km/h from E, gusts 7 mph12 km/h92%100%0

Days ahead

Shaded: typical range for these dates (1991–2020)
  1. Today, Oct 24. Cloudy. High 53°12°, low 39°4°. Typical 56°13° / 30°−1°. Dry. Forecasts differ.
    1. Morning

      6 AM–noon

      Sunny, 40°4°

      Dry

    2. Afternoon

      noon–6 PM

      Sunny, 52°11°

      Dry

    3. Evening

      6 PM–midnight

      Cloudy, 43°6°

      Dry

    4. Overnight

      midnight–6 AM

      Cloudy, 39°4°

      Dry

    Official NWS forecast

    Today: Mostly sunny. High near 53, with temperatures falling to around 49 in the afternoon. North wind 6 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 39 mph.

    Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Low around 39, with temperatures rising to around 43 overnight. Northwest wind around 23 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph.

    Forecasts differIndependent forecasts disagree; expect changes and plan for the range.

    High, likely
    52°11°–60°16°
    Low, likely
    39°4°–41°5°
    Typical high / low
    56°13° / 30°−1°
    Wind
    22 mph36 km/h, gusts 37 mph59 km/h
    UV peak
    4
  2. Tomorrow, Oct 25. Snow. High 45°7°, low 34°1°. Typical 56°13° / 30°−1°. Snow 0.09 in2.3 mm, 70% chance. Forecasts agree.
    1. Morning

      6 AM–noon

      Cloudy, 38°3°

      20% chance

    2. Afternoon

      noon–6 PM

      Drizzle, 44°7°

      70% chance · 0.36 in9.1 mm

    3. Evening

      6 PM–midnight

      Snow, 38°3°

      90% chance · 0.06 in1.5 mm

    4. Overnight

      midnight–6 AM

      Snow, 35°2°

      80% chance · 0.08 in2.1 mm

    Official NWS forecast

    Day: A slight chance of snow before 9am, then rain likely. Cloudy. High near 45, with temperatures falling to around 42 in the afternoon. Southeast wind around 6 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

    Night: Rain before 7pm, then rain and snow. Cloudy, with a low around 34. East wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

    Forecasts agreeIndependent forecasts are close; the range is narrow.

    High, likely
    41°5°–45°7°
    Low, likely
    34°1°–37°3°
    Typical high / low
    56°13° / 30°−1°
    Wind
    9 mph15 km/h, gusts 19 mph30 km/h
  3. Monday, Oct 26. Snow. High 41°5°, low 33°1°. Typical 56°13° / 30°−1°. Snow 0–5 in0–13 cm, 70% chance. Forecasts agree.
    1. Morning

      6 AM–noon

      Snow, 34°1°

      80% chance · 1 in2.5 cm

    2. Afternoon

      noon–6 PM

      Snow, 35°2°

      70% chance · 0.7 in1.8 cm

    3. Evening

      6 PM–midnight

      Fog, 33°0°

      40% chance · 0.01 in0.3 mm

    4. Overnight

      midnight–6 AM

      Cloudy, 33°0°

      Dry

    Hours this far out come from computer models only.

    Official NWS forecast

    Day: Rain and snow likely. Cloudy. High near 41, with temperatures falling to around 39 in the afternoon. East wind around 6 mph, with gusts as high as 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

    Night: A slight chance of rain before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33.

    Forecasts agreeIndependent forecasts are close; the range is narrow.

    High, likely
    35°2°–41°5°
    Low, likely
    31°−1°–34°1°
    Typical high / low
    56°13° / 30°−1°
    Wind
    10 mph16 km/h
  4. Tuesday, Oct 27. Partly sunny. High 57°14°, low 38°3°. Typical 55°13° / 29°−2°. Dry. Forecasts differ.
    1. Morning

      6 AM–noon

      Partly sunny, 35°2°

      Dry

    2. Afternoon

      noon–6 PM

      Sunny, 60°15°

      Dry

    3. Evening

      6 PM–midnight

      Clear, 44°7°

      Dry

    4. Overnight

      midnight–6 AM

      Clear, 37°3°

      Dry

    Hours this far out come from computer models only.

    Official NWS forecast

    Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.

    Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.

    Forecasts differIndependent forecasts disagree; expect changes and plan for the range.

    High, likely
    54°12°–63°17°
    Low, likely
    30°−1°–38°3°
    Typical high / low
    55°13° / 29°−2°
    Wind
    21 mph34 km/h, gusts 40 mph64 km/h
    UV peak
    4
  5. Wednesday, Oct 28. Partly sunny. High 60°16°, low 36°2°. Typical 55°13° / 29°−2°. Dry. Forecasts differ.
    1. Morning

      6 AM–noon

      Cloudy, 41°5°

      Dry

    2. Afternoon

      noon–6 PM

      Cloudy, 60°16°

      Dry

    3. Evening

      6 PM–midnight

      Clear, 45°7°

      Dry

    4. Overnight

      midnight–6 AM

      Clear, 39°4°

      Dry

    Hours this far out come from computer models only.

    Official NWS forecast

    Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.

    Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.

    Forecasts differIndependent forecasts disagree; expect changes and plan for the range.

    High, likely
    58°14°–65°18°
    Low, likely
    33°1°–39°4°
    Typical high / low
    55°13° / 29°−2°
    Wind
    9 mph15 km/h, gusts 33 mph53 km/h
    UV peak
    3
  6. Thursday, Oct 29. Partly sunny. High 59°15°, low 38°3°. Typical 54°12° / 28°−2°. Dry. Forecasts differ.
    1. Morning

      6 AM–noon

      Sunny, 43°6°

      Dry

    2. Afternoon

      noon–6 PM

      Partly sunny, 60°16°

      Dry

    3. Evening

      6 PM–midnight

      Clear, 48°9°

      Dry

    4. Overnight

      midnight–6 AM

      Cloudy, 46°8°

      Dry

    Hours this far out come from computer models only.

    Official NWS forecast

    Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.

    Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.

    Forecasts differIndependent forecasts disagree; expect changes and plan for the range.

    High, likely
    57°14°–63°17°
    Low, likely
    37°3°–41°5°
    Typical high / low
    54°12° / 28°−2°
    Wind
    15 mph24 km/h, gusts 23 mph36 km/h
    UV peak
    3
  7. Friday, Oct 30. Cloudy. High 58°14°, low 45°7°. Typical 54°12° / 28°−2°. Dry. Forecasts differ.
    1. Morning

      6 AM–noon

      Cloudy, 49°9°

      Dry

    2. Afternoon

      noon–6 PM

      Partly sunny, 63°17°

      Dry

    3. Evening

      6 PM–midnight

      Cloudy, 53°12°

      Dry

    4. Overnight

      midnight–6 AM

      Cloudy, 48°9°

      20% chance

    Hours this far out come from computer models only.

    Official NWS forecast

    Day: Partly sunny, with a high near 58.

    Forecasts differIndependent forecasts disagree; expect changes and plan for the range.

    High, likely
    53°12°–71°22°
    Low, likely
    38°3°–52°11°
    Typical high / low
    54°12° / 28°−2°
    Wind
    17 mph28 km/h, gusts 30 mph49 km/h
    UV peak
    3
  8. Saturday, Oct 31. Drizzle. High 55°13°, low 43°6°. Typical 54°12° / 28°−2°. Rain 0.03 in0.8 mm, 20% chance. Forecasts differ.
    1. Morning

      6 AM–noon

      Partly sunny, 49°9°

      20% chance

    2. Afternoon

      noon–6 PM

      Mostly sunny, 56°13°

      Dry

    3. Evening

      6 PM–midnight

      Clear, 47°8°

      Dry

    4. Overnight

      midnight–6 AM

      Clear, 37°3°

      Dry

    Hours this far out come from computer models only.

    The National Weather Service writes about seven days ahead; this day is our model forecast only.

    Forecasts differIndependent forecasts disagree; expect changes and plan for the range.

    High, likely
    51°11°–60°16°
    Low, likely
    40°4°–48°9°
    Typical high / low
    54°12° / 28°−2°
    Wind
    16 mph25 km/h, gusts 27 mph44 km/h
    UV peak
    3
  9. Sunday, Nov 1. Drizzle. High 51°11°, low 37°3°. Typical 53°12° / 27°−3°. Rain 0.06 in1.5 mm, 10% chance. Forecasts differ.
    1. Morning

      6 AM–noon

      Cloudy, 38°3°

      Dry

    2. Afternoon

      noon–6 PM

      Cloudy, 50°10°

      Dry

    3. Evening

      6 PM–midnight

      Clear, 42°5°

      Dry

    4. Overnight

      midnight–6 AM

      Clear, 36°2°

      Dry

    Hours this far out come from computer models only.

    The National Weather Service writes about seven days ahead; this day is our model forecast only.

    Forecasts differIndependent forecasts disagree; expect changes and plan for the range.

    High, likely
    43°6°–61°16°
    Low, likely
    27°−3°–41°5°
    Typical high / low
    53°12° / 27°−3°
    Wind
    21 mph33 km/h, gusts 27 mph44 km/h
    UV peak
    3
  10. Monday, Nov 2. Drizzle. High 53°12°, low 37°3°. Typical 53°12° / 27°−3°. Rain 0.03 in0.8 mm, 20% chance. Forecasts differ.
    1. Morning

      6 AM–noon

      Sunny, 42°6°

      Dry

    2. Afternoon

      noon–6 PM

      Sunny, 51°10°

      Dry

    3. Evening

      6 PM–midnight

      Mostly clear, 42°6°

      Dry

    Hours this far out come from computer models only.

    The National Weather Service writes about seven days ahead; this day is our model forecast only.

    Forecasts differIndependent forecasts disagree; expect changes and plan for the range.

    High, likely
    46°8°–56°13°
    Low, likely
    35°2°–39°4°
    Typical high / low
    53°12° / 27°−3°
    Wind
    27 mph44 km/h, gusts 38 mph62 km/h
    UV peak
    3

The outlook

  1. Today

    Dry, high 53°, low 39°.

  2. Tomorrow

    71% chance of snow, high 45°, low 34°, cooling off.

  3. Monday

    70% chance of snow, high 41°, low 33°, cooling off.

  4. Rest of week

    Mostly dry, highs 51–60°.

Want the meteorologists’ reasoning? Read the NWS forecast discussion (UNR) (opens in a new tab)

What changed since yesterday

No meaningful changes from yesterday’s forecast.

Radar

Radar data: NOAA MRMS, rendered by forecast.blue
Radar loads when scrolled into view

Full-screen radar

Rivers

NOAA river gauges within 25 mi

Rapid Creek at Founders Park

1.5 mi
Below flood stage
Level
3.2 ft

Reading from Fri 11:30 PM · NWS gauge page

Rapid Creek above Canyon Lake near Rapid City

4.8 mi
Below flood stage
Level
1.5 ft
Flow
7 cfs

Reading from Fri 11:25 PM · NWS gauge page

South Canyon near Rapid City

5.6 mi
Below flood stage
Level
3.6 ft
Flow
under 1 cfs

Reading from Fri 11:45 PM · NWS gauge page

Rapid Creek above Water Reclamation Facility near Rapid City

6.6 mi
Below flood stage
Level
3.4 ft
Flow
30 cfs

Reading from Fri 11:15 PM · NWS gauge page

For your home

What this week’s weather means for heating, cooling, pipes and fresh air.

Heating this week

About 73% less heating than a typical week.

This week 44Typical 160

Heating degree days, base 65°F

Heat-pump hours, next 7 days

h below 47°F
39
h below 17°F
0
h below 5°F
0

47, 17 and 5°F are the test points heat pumps are rated at. About 6 hours are near freezing and damp, when outdoor units defrost more often.

Comfort

Dry air outside (dew point 36°F).

Open the windows?

No stretch in the next few days is comfortable enough outside, by temperature, dew point and air quality.

Is this typical?

Rapid City Regional Airport · official normals 1991–2020 · records 1942–2026

Oct 24, today vs a typical year

Today’s expected high is 3°2° colder than typical.

Normal high / low
56°13° / 30°−1°
Forecast high / low
53°12° / 39°4°
Record high
84°29° in 1978
Record low
15°−9° in 1942

Last 7 days vs normal

On average 12°6° warmer than normal (daily mean temperature).

  1. +8°+4°SunOct 18
  2. +3°+2°MonOct 19
  3. +14°+8°TueOct 20
  4. +13°+7°WedOct 21
  5. +21°+11°ThuOct 22
  6. —FriOct 23
  7. —SatOct 24

Rapid City weather by month: normals, records, snow and freeze dates

Sun & moon

Sun

Sunrise 7:19 AM, sunset 5:54 PM.

Daylight
10 h 35 min
Losing 2 min 49 s a day; shortest Dec 21, 1 h 42 min less
Golden hour
5:13–6:12 PM
Morning 7:00–7:59 AM
Blue hour
6:12–6:23 PM
Morning 6:49–7:00 AM; first light 6:49 AM

Stars tonight? Poor

Clouds most of the night (about 56% cover).

Moon

Waxing gibbous

96% lit · growing

Today
sets 5:33 AM · rises 4:53 PM
Full moon
Oct 25
New moon
Nov 9
Looking southwest from Rapid City. The highest point on the skyline is about 6,000 ft, 16 mi away.Skyline from USGS elevation data, heights drawn up to 6× taller. Sky, sun and moon as they are now.