2001 Sioux Falls, South Dakota (FSD)

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2001 SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA (FSD)

Sioux Falls is located in the Big Sioux River Valley in southeast South Dakota. The surrounding terrain is gently rolling. The land slopes upward for about 100 miles north and northwest to an elevation about 400 feet higher than the city. To the southeast, the land slopes downward 200 to 300 feet over the same distance. Little change in elevation occurs in the remaining directions.

The climate is of the continental type. There are frequent weather changes from day to day or week to week as the locality is visited by differing air masses. Cold air masses arrive from the interior of Canada, cool, dry air from the northern Pacific, warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, or hot, dry air from the southwest.

Temperatures fluctuate frequently as cold air masses move in very rapidly. During the late fall and winter, cold fronts accompanied by strong, gusty winds drop temperatures by 20 to 30 degrees in a 24–hour period. Severe cold spells usually last only a few days. The winter months of December through February have experienced cold spells with average temperatures under 8 degrees and more than 60 consecutive days below 32 degrees.

Temperatures of 100 degrees and above occur about one in every three years, and will most likely happen in July. Summer nights are usually comfortable with temperatures below 70 degrees.

Rainfall is heavier during the spring and summer with lighter amounts in winter. Nearly 64 percent of the normal yearly precipitation falls during the growing season of April through August.

One or two very heavy snows usually fall each winter. Eight to 12 inches of snow may fall in 24 hours. There have been a few snows in excess of 15 inches and almost 30 inches have fallen during a severe winter storm. Strong winds often cause drifting snow, and blizzard conditions may block highways for a day or so.

Southerly winds prevail from late spring to early fall with northwest winds the remainder of the year. Strong winds of 70 mph with gusts to 90 mph have occurred.

Thunderstorms are frequent during the late spring and summer with June and July the most active months. The thunderstorms usually occur during the late afternoon and evening with a secondary peak of activity between 2 and 5 in the morning. Some of the most severe thunderstorms with damaging winds, hail and an occasional tornado, occur most frequently June.

There is occasional flooding in the lower areas of Sioux Falls along the Big Sioux River and Skunk Creek. Runoff from the melting snow in the spring often causes substantial rises in the rivers. A diversion canal around Sioux Falls has reduced the threat of damaging floods.

Based on the 1951–1980 period, the average first occurrence of 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the fall is October 1 and the average last occurrence in the spring is May 10.

NORMALS, MEANS, AND EXTREMES

SIOUX FALLS, SD (FSD)

LATITUDE:    LONGITUDE:    ELEVATION (FT):    TIME ZONE:    WBAN: 14944

43 34′ 37″ N  96 45′ 13″ W  GRND:  1425  BARO:  1428  CENTRAL (UTC + 6)

ELEMENTPORJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECYEAR
TEMPERATURE FNORMAL DAILY MAXIMUM3024.329.642.359.070.780.586.383.373.161.243.428.056.8
MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM7024.730.241.858.370.980.085.783.573.761.842.929.556.9
HIGHEST DAILY MAXIMUM5666708794100110108108104948163110
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE198119821968196219671988198919731976196319991998JUN 1988
MEAN OF EXTREME MAXS.7045.351.167.281.988.594.898.496.790.681.965.249.876.0
NORMAL DAILY MINIMUM303.39.722.634.845.956.162.359.448.736.022.68.634.2
MEAN DAILY MINIMUM704.710.322.234.846.756.662.360.049.437.422.910.734.8
LOWEST DAILY MINIMUM56-36-31-23517333834229-17-28-36
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE197019621948198219671969197119501974197219641990JAN 1970
MEAN OF EXTREME MINS.70-18.8-15.0-.518.730.441.849.345.931.919.82.5-12.616.1
NORMAL DRY BULB3013.819.732.546.958.468.374.371.460.948.633.018.345.5
MEAN DRY BULB7014.820.131.846.558.768.474.171.861.749.632.920.245.9
MEAN WET BULB1815.920.629.840.952.861.466.064.955.143.029.118.841.5
MEAN DEW POINT1811.415.924.633.946.756.262.061.050.236.724.114.636.4
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
MAXIMUM 90300.00.00.00.20.74.310.47.61.80.10.00.025.1
MAXIMUM 323020.915.57.20.30.00.00.00.00.0*5.819.068.7
MINIMUM 323030.927.325.712.62.10.00.00.01.311.225.430.5167.0
MINIMUM 03013.47.91.60.00.00.00.00.00.00.01.28.332.4
H/CNORMAL HEATING DEG. DAYS3015871268100854324050102216550896014487809
NORMAL COOLING DEG. DAYS3000003514929822042000744
RHNORMAL (PERCENT)3072737264646565687067737669
HOUR 00 LST3075777873727576787975797876
HOUR 06 LST3075788280808283858681828081
HOUR 12 LST3067676454535553555755647060
HOUR 18 LST3070696351505150535657697560
SPERCENT POSSIBLE SUNSHINE556465550486768707068575259
W/OMEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
HEAVY FOG(VISBY 1/4 MI)562.53.02.61.00.70.50.71.21.41.52.63.721.4
THUNDERSTORMS560.00.10.92.96.08.79.47.75.22.00.40.143.4
CLOUDINESSMEAN:
SUNRISE-SUNSET (OKTAS)
MIDNIGHT-MIDNIGHT (OKTAS)
MEAN NO. DAYS WITH:
CLEAR12.011.0
PARTLY CLOUDY13.03.0
CLOUDY111.07.0
PRMEAN STATION PRESSURE(IN)2928.5428.5428.4528.4328.4228.4228.4628.4928.5028.5028.4928.5428.48
MEAN SEA-LEVEL PRES. (IN)1830.1230.1230.0429.9529.9229.9129.9529.9929.9930.0230.0530.1230.01
WINDSMEAN SPEED (MPH)4210.911.012.112.711.610.49.69.510.110.611.510.710.9
PREVAIL. DIR (TENS OF DEGS)2731313436181818181818313018
MAXIMUM 2-MINUTE:
SPEED (MPH)544414451415251444341434352
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)31343032180832033419303208
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE200019991999200019972001199819981997199719982000JUN 2001
MAXIMUM 5-SECOND:
SPEED (MPH)552485562535664544952545264
DIR. (TENS OF DEGS)30333032280832033429313232
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE200019991999200019982001199819981997199719982000JUL 1998
PRECIPITATIONNORMAL (IN)300.510.641.642.523.033.402.682.853.021.781.090.7023.86
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)561.714.054.086.978.268.438.419.099.266.284.762.629.26
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE196919621998200119931984199219751986199820011968SEP 1986
MINIMUM MONTHLY (IN)560.050.050.140.170.610.910.250.530.29T0.02TT
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE195819861967196919811988194719701956195219801986DEC 1986
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)561.612.002.533.723.924.323.394.594.024.542.681.444.59
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE196019621995200119721957199219751966197320011955AUG 1975
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
PRECIPITATION 0.01306.86.88.710.010.810.59.68.68.56.26.66.399.4
PRECIPITATION 1.0030*0.10.20.40.60.80.60.61.00.40.30.05.0
SNOWFALLNORMAL (IN)306.77.78.02.20.*0.00.00.00.*0.65.17.838.1
MAXIMUM MONTHLY (IN)5619.648.431.518.40.2TTT0.910.021.941.148.4
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE196919621951198319541994199520011985199119851968FEB 1962
MAXIMUM IN 24 HOURS (IN)5611.826.018.910.50.2TTT0.98.812.616.626.0
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE196019621956199419541994199520011985199119981968FEB 1962
MAXIMUM SNOW DEPTH (IN)5833343310100003133434
YEAR OF OCCURRENCE19691969196919691947198219831968DEC 1968
NORMAL NO. DAYS WITH:
SNOWFALL 1.0302.22.12.20.60.00.00.00.00.00.21.62.211.1
PRECIPITATION (inches) 2001 SIOUX FALLS, SD (FSD)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19720.180.400.972.737.252.093.492.651.751.781.891.2526.43
19730.430.433.522.121.932.383.501.055.615.731.010.4828.19
19740.130.301.651.333.112.791.275.160.580.340.270.1017.03
19751.350.221.952.451.664.480.629.091.350.492.250.1926.10
19760.410.481.602.151.021.021.531.310.760.710.070.3611.42
19770.190.833.602.173.171.733.645.635.632.361.800.8731.62
19780.470.330.563.983.472.914.793.082.450.140.480.5123.17
19791.140.413.472.754.903.013.134.354.033.301.720.0432.25
19800.180.470.700.772.522.171.632.920.791.360.020.2913.82
19810.120.331.860.580.613.903.892.280.502.451.210.3818.11
19820.760.131.171.874.721.184.605.233.495.182.941.9933.26
19830.520.223.352.882.926.751.822.001.920.712.950.7326.77
19840.371.101.835.792.958.431.630.761.624.110.031.0229.64
19850.450.052.375.183.292.522.704.073.340.751.970.4727.16
19860.720.051.505.152.423.932.592.779.261.220.89T30.50
19870.190.263.270.282.941.783.161.362.050.311.661.4018.66
19881.540.250.633.001.540.910.494.024.390.021.980.3719.14
19890.230.511.071.591.422.501.372.463.380.100.910.2515.79
19900.080.311.571.864.074.861.771.170.471.820.610.6119.20
19910.220.340.862.216.206.362.261.413.951.651.780.2027.44
19920.751.762.362.011.802.448.415.293.062.721.040.8332.47
19930.700.812.042.618.266.437.863.101.880.621.500.3036.11
19940.970.630.203.341.266.031.702.662.362.361.030.3322.87
19950.180.134.065.834.762.702.555.111.862.760.380.1030.42
19960.990.160.820.555.271.140.981.792.821.632.910.7819.84
19970.411.390.232.433.583.772.941.581.591.750.350.2420.26
19980.500.674.083.571.924.522.663.291.196.282.200.2431.12
19990.350.281.154.326.202.574.810.800.840.370.050.1721.91
20000.681.040.912.275.563.263.223.171.341.792.520.3526.11
20011.500.650.786.971.923.135.881.372.250.864.760.1130.18
POR=111 YRS0.620.771.472.583.554.103.033.062.651.541.070.7025.14
AVERAGE TEMPERATURE (F) 2001 SIOUX FALLS, SD (FSD)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
19728.911.531.543.859.166.770.270.559.544.431.914.842.7
197318.523.139.746.456.968.974.476.760.152.934.717.147.5
197412.824.334.548.955.765.979.267.657.751.433.923.646.3
197517.116.525.541.461.167.678.572.757.052.133.520.445.3
197615.629.534.851.057.171.576.775.262.944.327.616.646.9
19774.725.636.053.866.871.177.068.161.947.731.316.346.7
19781.98.630.544.357.766.670.971.166.747.831.314.642.7
19791.87.528.244.155.267.874.069.964.348.230.227.143.2
198018.118.131.750.158.468.874.271.162.045.536.721.246.3
198122.326.038.453.558.370.475.571.163.048.739.518.048.7
19823.820.232.843.959.662.674.471.360.048.830.324.544.4
198320.126.233.141.555.166.777.178.363.549.634.92.145.7
198417.427.824.645.855.968.173.674.257.250.436.220.446.0
198513.419.937.852.862.764.271.566.358.246.620.79.543.6
198620.716.936.948.258.869.675.066.559.648.628.725.246.2
198724.032.837.852.664.971.477.068.862.843.938.124.449.9
19889.615.036.446.465.176.377.474.862.644.634.222.147.0
198925.59.229.847.858.066.977.372.060.249.529.511.544.8
199028.224.936.746.456.470.171.272.966.548.035.615.347.7
199113.729.837.050.062.573.573.172.862.046.125.726.047.7
199226.530.036.743.760.567.065.566.160.348.730.419.246.2
199314.015.029.044.157.165.171.471.456.847.129.921.943.6
19946.213.336.646.563.971.670.869.565.252.436.521.846.2
199517.723.534.841.855.770.075.176.960.448.329.223.746.4
199610.922.627.442.454.968.869.170.059.447.723.510.342.3
19978.617.930.640.651.568.872.468.962.449.427.926.143.8
199819.631.828.046.561.763.171.971.066.350.635.524.047.5
199914.029.933.845.758.566.975.170.659.748.542.125.147.5
200017.330.439.446.059.265.771.771.661.451.125.07.745.5
200118.811.126.748.159.168.775.772.261.348.243.625.046.5
POR=81 YRS15.220.732.246.958.968.473.271.761.849.833.020.446.0

REFERENCE NOTES:

PAGE 1:

THE TEMPERATURE GRAPH SHOWS NORMAL MAXIMUM AND NORMAL MINIMUM DAILY TEMPERATURES (SOLID CURVES) AND THE ACTUAL DAILY HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES (VERTICAL BARS).

PAGE 2 AND 3:

H/C INDICATES HEATING AND COOLING DEGREE DAYS.

RH INDICATES RELATIVE HUMIDITY

W/O INDICATES WEATHER AND OBSTRUCTIONS

S INDICATES SUNSHINE.

PR INDICATES PRESSURE.

CLOUDINESS ON PAGE 3 IS THE SUM OF THE CEILOMETER AND SATELLITE DATA NOT TO EXCEED EIGHT EIGHTHS (OKTAS).

GENERAL:

T INDICATES TRACE PRECIPITATION, AN AMOUNT GREATER THAN ZERO BUT LESS THAN THE LOWEST REPORTABLE VALUE.

+ INDICATES THE VALUE ALSO OCCURS ON EARLIER DATES.

BLANK ENTRIES DENOTE MISSING OR UNREPORTED DATA.

NORMALS ARE 30–YEAR AVERAGES (1961–1990).

ASOS INDICATES AUTOMATED SURFACE OBSERVING SYSTEM.

PM INDICATES THE LAST DAY OF THE PREVIOUS MONTH.

POR (PERIOD OF RECORD) BEGINS WITH THE JANUARY DATA MONTH AND IS THE NUMBER OF YEARS USED TO COMPUTE THE MEAN. INDIVIDUAL MONTHS WITHIN THE POR MAY BE MISSING.

WHEN THE POR FOR A NORMAL IS LESS THAN 30 YEARS, THE NORMAL IS PROVISIONAL AND IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF YEARS INDICATED.

0.* OR * INDICATES THE VALUE OR MEAN–DAYS–WITH IS BETWEEN 0.00 AND 0.05.

CLOUDINESS FOR ASOS STATIONS DIFFERS FROM THE NON–ASOS OBSERVATION TAKEN BY A HUMAN OBSERVER. ASOS STATION CLOUDINESS IS BASED ON TIME–AVERAGED CEILOMETER DATA FOR CLOUDS AT OR BELOW 12,000 FEET AND ON SATELLITE DATA FOR CLOUDS ABOVE 12,000 FEET.

THE NUMBER OF DAYS WITH CLEAR, PARTLY CLOUDY, AND CLOUDY CONDITIONS FOR ASOS STATIONS IS THE SUM OF THE CEILOMETER AND SATELLITE DATA FOR THE SUNRISE TO SUNSET PERIOD.

GENERAL CONTINUED:

CLEAR INDICATES 0–2 OKTAS, PARTLY CLOUDY INDICATES 3–6 OKTAS, AND CLOUDY INDICATES 7 OR 8 OKTAS. WHEN AT LEAST ONE OF THE ELEMENTS (CEILOMETER OR SATELLITE) IS MISSING, THE DAILY CLOUDINESS IS NOT COMPUTED.

WIND DIRECTION IS RECORDED IN TENS OF DEGREES (2 DIGITS) CLOCKWISE FROM TRUE NORTH. "00" INDICATES CALM. "36" INDICATES TRUE NORTH.

RESULTANT WIND IS THE VECTOR AVERAGE OF THE SPEED AND DIRECTION.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IS THE SUM OF THE MEAN DAILY MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURE DIVIDED BY 2.

SNOWFALL DATA COMPRISE ALL FORMS OF FROZEN PRECIPITATION, INCLUDING HAIL.

A HEATING (COOLING) DEGREE DAY IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AVERAGE DAILY TEMPERATURE AND 65 F.

DRY BULB IS THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AMBIENT AIR.

DEW POINT IS THE TEMPERATURE TO WHICH THE AIR MUST BE COOLED TO ACHIEVE 100 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY.

WET BULB IS THE TEMPERATURE THE AIR WOULD HAVE IF THE MOISTURE CONTENT WAS INCREASED TO 100 PERCENT RELATIVE HUMIDITY.

ON JULY 1, 1996, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BEGAN USING THE "METAR" OBSERVATION CODE THAT WAS ALREADY EMPLOYED BY MOST OTHER NATIONS OF THE WORLD. THE MOST NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN THIS ANNUAL PUBLICATION WILL BE THE CHANGE IN UNITS FROM TENTHS TO EIGHTS (OKTAS) FOR REPORTING THE AMOUNT OF SKY COVER.

HEATING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 SIOUX FALLS, SD (FSD)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-732943194631984155514401166775549256197641
1973-7410178373902148116161133939477303857488
1974-752392404199271279147613511217701157517859
1975-7635271407937137715281023929418261237182
1976-771014264311141495186710978913413847633
1977-7802212553010001503195715761063613252788719
1978-79111810452510041554196016071134622321408900
1979-8002810351210381168144813491027464243327412
1980-8111415760284113541318108781635323056778
1981-82551144977581452189912479916321741057879
1982-830281884941035124913851082982699317677526
1983-84101604768941947146810721247569285238142
1984-852122654518571376159412608363781241017256
1985-865442695621327172113631341865498204178216
1986-8705418050410821227126589683538796236549
1987-885541106498011252171514488785548317550
1988-890221266289161321121915591083514235617684
1989-90051924811056165511311117871586268397401
1990-911171095278751538158797785945519277144
1991-92631805831171120011861009871636187357067
1992-93356315950010301414157613971109621244748222
1993-94219257557104613311821144387256314088059
1994-95515100386849133214611157931689281557261
1995-963019852310681275167412241159672334448174
1996-97842285351237169117381313106072741378961
1997-98202613049711051202140292211385491471177255
1998-99427944088112621574976961572208727031
1999-000419950568612291471997789565205806730
2000-0123816742511951771142415011185516203438461
2001-771615226371234
COOLING DEGREE DAYS (base 65 F) 2001 SIOUX FALLS, SD (FSD)
YEARJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECANNUAL
197200006010819721935000619
197300001314330037038800872
197400022311845012626600751
1975000044134428252361600910
1976000224226370324859001040
19770001110119738212340000854
1978000032133202213163000743
197900032513128918987000724
1980000234615329020774600799
1981000142717534220361000822
19820004124229823045000631
19830000151223814201202001060
198400001012027630536400751
19850001959852129372000540
198600002016331810825000634
19870002010021938117853000951
1988000194349393330610001228
198900062512538722856700834
19900003111198209258160700874
1991000111192652642491005001013
19920004531035810325500351
1993000058520822316900546
199400013113212191160113200804
199500000214324375681100992
199600002716314016763400564
199700001128255152622000618
199800005469225196123000667
199900001413631918548300705
200000003110624021964400664
2001000142916334523758800854
SNOWFALL (inches) 2001 SIOUX FALLS, SD (FSD)
YEARJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNTOTAL
1972-730.00.00.00.22.56.25.57.40.3T0.00.022.1
1973-740.00.00.0T0.111.61.92.95.13.30.00.024.9
1974-750.00.00.00.02.51.118.33.117.9T0.00.042.9
1975-760.00.00.0T13.22.56.56.67.9T0.10.036.8
1976-770.00.00.03.40.76.72.71.913.5T0.00.028.9
1977-780.00.00.00.98.68.07.66.55.50.60.00.037.7
1978-790.00.00.00.02.99.519.07.313.21.50.00.053.4
1979-800.00.00.0T15.20.32.95.55.8T0.00.029.7
1980-810.00.00.00.80.44.61.43.1T0.50.00.010.8
1981-820.00.00.00.88.95.516.91.01.87.50.00.042.4
1982-830.00.00.03.34.117.64.73.618.818.40.00.070.5
1983-840.00.00.0T19.013.75.011.919.46.00.00.075.0
1984-850.00.0TTT4.77.40.716.12.50.00.031.4
1985-860.00.00.90.221.99.19.10.98.20.30.00.050.6
1986-870.00.00.0T5.4T2.40.3TT0.00.08.1
1987-880.00.00.00.17.513.317.97.32.511.30.00.059.9
1988-890.00.00.0T10.92.22.010.016.00.7T0.041.8
1989-900.00.00.00.02.44.00.25.80.7T0.0T13.1
1990-910.00.00.01.28.48.85.45.43.2TTT32.4
1991-920.00.00.010.010.80.23.811.28.43.5TT47.9
1992-930.00.00.0T4.78.48.613.114.92.2TT51.9
1993-94T0.0TT8.84.616.813.01.114.90.0T59.2
1994-950.00.00.00.09.77.00.52.48.812.50.00.040.9
1995-96T0.00.07.45.11.915.41.76.9
1996-970.0T11.319.88.816.51.36.0T0.0
1997-980.00.00.00.45.03.311.76.921.40.30.0T49.0
1998-990.00.00.00.014.89.09.97.911.22.4T0.055.2
1999-00T0.0T2.7T3.26.01.24.55.6T0.023.2
2000-01T0.00.00.019.611.413.98.43.21.40.0T57.9
2001-0.0T0.0T13.82.9
POR=55 YRST0.00.00.86.06.96.97.89.12.90.2T40.6

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2001 Sioux Falls, South Dakota (FSD)