Record envelope, standing records and threshold days for Red Owl (USC00397073), South Dakota, United States, with 71 years of record.
Key Facts for Red Owl
Red Owl (USC00397073) is a weather station in South Dakota, United States at 44.70 latitude and -102.56 longitude, 845 m (2,773 ft) above sea level.
The station reports from 1951 to 2021, 71 years of record.
1,464 records set at Red Owl still stand.
Records are tracked for tmax, tmin, prcp, snow, snwd: an element needs 30 years of data to be eligible.
Red Owl set a daily record high maximum temperature of 38.9 C (102.0 F) on 26 August 2020.
About the Station
Location: South Dakota, United States, 44.70 latitude, -102.56 longitude.
Elevation: 845 m (2,773 ft).
Period of record: 1951 to 2021, 71 years.
Eligible elements: tmax, tmin, prcp, snow, snwd.
Daily Record Envelope and 2026
0 days at or beyond a record
Record highRecord low2026 daily maximum2026 daily minimum
The band shows the record high and record low for each calendar day at Red Owl. The lines show the 2026 daily maximum and minimum. 0 days in 2026 matched or passed a record. Temperatures are in degrees Celsius.
Daily record high and record low at Red Owl, with 2026 drawn through them
Month
Highest record high
Lowest record low
2026 highest maximum
2026 lowest minimum
Jan
22.2 C (72.0 F)
-38.3 C (-36.9 F)
n/a
n/a
Feb
23.3 C (73.9 F)
-40.0 C (-40.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Mar
28.9 C (84.0 F)
-37.8 C (-36.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Apr
31.7 C (89.1 F)
-19.4 C (-2.9 F)
n/a
n/a
May
35.6 C (96.1 F)
-8.3 C (17.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Jun
42.2 C (108.0 F)
0.0 C (32.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Jul
42.8 C (109.0 F)
3.3 C (37.9 F)
n/a
n/a
Aug
39.4 C (102.9 F)
1.1 C (34.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Sep
40.0 C (104.0 F)
-10.0 C (14.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Oct
35.0 C (95.0 F)
-20.6 C (-5.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Nov
28.3 C (82.9 F)
-29.4 C (-20.9 F)
n/a
n/a
Dec
22.2 C (72.0 F)
-37.8 C (-36.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Which Years Hold Standing Records
1,464 standing records
Year with most
1,464 records at Red Owl still stand. 1996 holds the most, with 80.
Standing records at Red Owl by the year they were set
Year set
Standing records
1989
24
1990
60
1991
59
1992
79
1993
48
1994
45
1995
57
1996
80
1997
47
1998
41
1999
39
2000
55
2001
49
2002
57
2003
51
2004
49
2005
61
2006
45
2007
46
2008
29
2009
47
2010
21
2011
36
2012
39
2013
35
2014
63
2015
40
2016
40
2017
33
2018
43
2019
32
2020
14
All-Time Record Progression
8 new records
8 all-time records were set at Red Owl between 29 June 1988 and 5 October 2013. Each dot is a new record.
When Red Owl set new all-time records
Date
Kind
Detail
1988-06-29
Record daily precipitation
Record daily precipitation 74.7 mm (2.9 in)
1996-12-18
Record snow depth
Record snow depth 78.7 cm (31.0 in)
1996-12-22
Record snow depth
Record snow depth 83.8 cm (33.0 in)
1996-12-23
Record snow depth
Record snow depth 88.9 cm (35.0 in)
1996-12-25
Record snow depth
Record snow depth 94.0 cm (37.0 in)
1998-10-17
Record daily precipitation
Record daily precipitation 76.2 mm (3.0 in)
2008-11-06
Record daily snowfall
Record daily snowfall 45.7 cm (18.0 in)
2013-10-05
Record daily precipitation
Record daily precipitation 82.6 mm (3.3 in)
Wettest Day of Each Month
Oct: 82.6 mm (3.3 in)
The wettest day on record for each calendar month at Red Owl. The most was 82.6 mm (3.3 in) on 5 October 2013.
Record daily precipitation for each month at Red Owl
Month
Record daily precipitation (mm)
Date
Jan
18.3 mm (0.7 in)
4 January 1997
Feb
27.9 mm (1.1 in)
26 February 1998
Mar
54.4 mm (2.1 in)
24 March 2009
Apr
70.6 mm (2.8 in)
28 April 1975
May
69.1 mm (2.7 in)
5 May 1993
Jun
74.7 mm (2.9 in)
29 June 1988
Jul
62.2 mm (2.4 in)
26 July 1953
Aug
48.5 mm (1.9 in)
20 August 2007
Sep
65.0 mm (2.6 in)
23 September 1977
Oct
82.6 mm (3.3 in)
5 October 2013
Nov
53.3 mm (2.1 in)
6 November 2008
Dec
20.3 mm (0.8 in)
26 December 2016
Period of Record Coverage
1989 to 2020
Complete yearUnder 90 percent of days
32 years of record at Red Owl, 1989 to 2020. 3 years have data for under 90 percent of days and are left out of rankings: 1989, 2017, 2020.
Cooler than the station meanWarmer than the station mean
One stripe for each of 27 complete years at Red Owl, 1990 to 2019. Blue stripes are years cooler than the station's own mean of 7.0 C (44.6 F); red stripes are warmer. The coolest year was 2019, at 4.8 C (40.7 F), and the warmest was 1999, at 8.5 C (47.2 F). The strongest colour marks a difference of 2.2 C (4.0 F).
Annual mean temperature at Red Owl as warming stripes, 1990 to 2019
Year
Annual mean temperature
Difference from the station mean
1990
8.1 C
+1.13 C
1991
7.9 C
+0.89 C
1992
7.4 C
+0.39 C
1993
5.2 C
-1.80 C
1994
6.9 C
-0.10 C
1995
7.1 C
+0.14 C
1996
5.0 C
-2.03 C
1997
7.1 C
+0.12 C
1998
8.0 C
+1.04 C
1999
8.5 C
+1.47 C
2000
7.1 C
+0.15 C
2001
7.7 C
+0.71 C
2002
7.4 C
+0.38 C
2003
7.6 C
+0.62 C
2004
7.4 C
+0.36 C
2005
8.2 C
+1.25 C
2007
8.2 C
+1.24 C
2008
5.9 C
-1.07 C
2009
5.7 C
-1.30 C
2010
6.4 C
-0.61 C
2011
6.6 C
-0.41 C
2013
6.5 C
-0.48 C
2014
5.9 C
-1.05 C
2015
8.0 C
+1.03 C
2016
8.4 C
+1.36 C
2018
5.8 C
-1.20 C
2019
4.8 C
-2.18 C
This station does not have enough complete years (30 are needed) to fit a temperature trend.
A year is complete when all 12 months have at least 20 days of both daily maximum and daily minimum readings. The annual mean is the mean of the monthly means. The trend describes this one station over this period; it does not say what caused the change.
Extremes by Year
1951 to 2021
Yearly extremes at Red Owl: the record and the median year
Measure
Record
Year of the record
Median year
Years with a value
Hottest day (TXx)
42.8 C (109.0 F)
2006
38.1 C (100.5 F)
32
Coldest night (TNn)
-40.0 C (-40.0 F)
1994
-29.7 C (-21.5 F)
32
Wettest day (Rx1day)
82.6 mm (3.3 in)
2013
39.5 mm (1.6 in)
70
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
133.4 mm (5.3 in)
1988
66.1 mm (2.6 in)
70
Longest dry spell (CDD)
92 days
1952
34 days
70
Hottest day (TXx)
The hottest day of the year at Red Owl, 1951 to 2021. The record is 42.8 C (109.0 F) in 2006, marked on the chart; the median year is 38.1 C (100.5 F).
Hottest day (TXx) at Red Owl by year
Year
Hottest day (TXx)
1951
n/a
1952
n/a
1953
n/a
1954
n/a
1955
n/a
1956
n/a
1957
n/a
1958
n/a
1959
n/a
1960
n/a
1961
n/a
1962
n/a
1963
n/a
1964
n/a
1965
n/a
1966
n/a
1967
n/a
1968
n/a
1969
n/a
1970
n/a
1971
n/a
1972
n/a
1973
n/a
1974
n/a
1975
n/a
1976
n/a
1977
n/a
1978
n/a
1979
n/a
1980
n/a
1981
n/a
1982
n/a
1983
n/a
1984
n/a
1985
n/a
1986
n/a
1987
n/a
1988
n/a
1989
35.0 C (95.0 F)
1990
40.6 C (105.1 F)
1991
39.4 C (102.9 F)
1992
36.1 C (97.0 F)
1993
33.9 C (93.0 F)
1994
37.8 C (100.0 F)
1995
38.9 C (102.0 F)
1996
37.2 C (99.0 F)
1997
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1998
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1999
36.7 C (98.1 F)
2000
38.3 C (100.9 F)
2001
40.0 C (104.0 F)
2002
42.2 C (108.0 F)
2003
41.1 C (106.0 F)
2004
37.2 C (99.0 F)
2005
41.7 C (107.1 F)
2006
42.8 C (109.0 F)
2007
41.1 C (106.0 F)
2008
36.7 C (98.1 F)
2009
35.0 C (95.0 F)
2010
39.4 C (102.9 F)
2011
36.7 C (98.1 F)
2012
41.7 C (107.1 F)
2013
37.8 C (100.0 F)
2014
35.0 C (95.0 F)
2015
38.9 C (102.0 F)
2016
38.9 C (102.0 F)
2017
40.0 C (104.0 F)
2018
37.2 C (99.0 F)
2019
34.4 C (93.9 F)
2020
38.9 C (102.0 F)
2021
n/a
Coldest night (TNn)
The coldest night of the year at Red Owl, 1951 to 2021. The record is -40.0 C (-40.0 F) in 1994, marked on the chart; the median year is -29.7 C (-21.5 F).
Coldest night (TNn) at Red Owl by year
Year
Coldest night (TNn)
1951
n/a
1952
n/a
1953
n/a
1954
n/a
1955
n/a
1956
n/a
1957
n/a
1958
n/a
1959
n/a
1960
n/a
1961
n/a
1962
n/a
1963
n/a
1964
n/a
1965
n/a
1966
n/a
1967
n/a
1968
n/a
1969
n/a
1970
n/a
1971
n/a
1972
n/a
1973
n/a
1974
n/a
1975
n/a
1976
n/a
1977
n/a
1978
n/a
1979
n/a
1980
n/a
1981
n/a
1982
n/a
1983
n/a
1984
n/a
1985
n/a
1986
n/a
1987
n/a
1988
n/a
1989
-37.2 C (-35.0 F)
1990
-37.8 C (-36.0 F)
1991
-28.9 C (-20.0 F)
1992
-26.7 C (-16.1 F)
1993
-29.4 C (-20.9 F)
1994
-40.0 C (-40.0 F)
1995
-27.2 C (-17.0 F)
1996
-35.0 C (-31.0 F)
1997
-29.4 C (-20.9 F)
1998
-37.8 C (-36.0 F)
1999
-29.4 C (-20.9 F)
2000
-28.3 C (-18.9 F)
2001
-32.2 C (-26.0 F)
2002
-25.6 C (-14.1 F)
2003
-30.0 C (-22.0 F)
2004
-26.7 C (-16.1 F)
2005
-32.2 C (-26.0 F)
2006
-27.2 C (-17.0 F)
2007
-32.8 C (-27.0 F)
2008
-27.8 C (-18.0 F)
2009
-27.2 C (-17.0 F)
2010
-30.0 C (-22.0 F)
2011
-31.1 C (-24.0 F)
2012
-26.1 C (-15.0 F)
2013
-31.1 C (-24.0 F)
2014
-34.4 C (-29.9 F)
2015
-27.8 C (-18.0 F)
2016
-30.6 C (-23.1 F)
2017
-26.1 C (-15.0 F)
2018
-38.3 C (-36.9 F)
2019
-31.7 C (-25.1 F)
2020
-26.1 C (-15.0 F)
2021
n/a
Wettest day (Rx1day)
The wettest day of the year at Red Owl, 1951 to 2021. The record is 82.6 mm (3.3 in) in 2013, marked on the chart; the median year is 39.5 mm (1.6 in).
Wettest day (Rx1day) at Red Owl by year
Year
Wettest day (Rx1day)
1951
25.4 mm (1.0 in)
1952
16.3 mm (0.6 in)
1953
62.2 mm (2.4 in)
1954
23.6 mm (0.9 in)
1955
26.4 mm (1.0 in)
1956
34.3 mm (1.4 in)
1957
32.0 mm (1.3 in)
1958
36.8 mm (1.4 in)
1959
34.3 mm (1.4 in)
1960
29.5 mm (1.2 in)
1961
26.2 mm (1.0 in)
1962
58.4 mm (2.3 in)
1963
35.1 mm (1.4 in)
1964
62.2 mm (2.4 in)
1965
38.9 mm (1.5 in)
1966
41.4 mm (1.6 in)
1967
50.8 mm (2.0 in)
1968
44.5 mm (1.8 in)
1969
45.2 mm (1.8 in)
1970
30.5 mm (1.2 in)
1971
48.0 mm (1.9 in)
1972
60.2 mm (2.4 in)
1973
38.4 mm (1.5 in)
1974
26.2 mm (1.0 in)
1975
70.6 mm (2.8 in)
1976
34.8 mm (1.4 in)
1977
65.0 mm (2.6 in)
1978
27.9 mm (1.1 in)
1979
20.8 mm (0.8 in)
1980
33.8 mm (1.3 in)
1981
39.1 mm (1.5 in)
1982
59.7 mm (2.4 in)
1983
45.7 mm (1.8 in)
1984
32.8 mm (1.3 in)
1985
28.2 mm (1.1 in)
1986
41.9 mm (1.6 in)
1987
48.0 mm (1.9 in)
1988
74.7 mm (2.9 in)
1989
20.8 mm (0.8 in)
1990
31.2 mm (1.2 in)
1991
27.4 mm (1.1 in)
1992
22.9 mm (0.9 in)
1993
69.1 mm (2.7 in)
1994
64.5 mm (2.5 in)
1995
53.6 mm (2.1 in)
1996
40.6 mm (1.6 in)
1997
61.7 mm (2.4 in)
1998
76.2 mm (3.0 in)
1999
40.6 mm (1.6 in)
2000
38.1 mm (1.5 in)
2001
41.1 mm (1.6 in)
2002
24.9 mm (1.0 in)
2003
43.7 mm (1.7 in)
2004
32.5 mm (1.3 in)
2005
33.0 mm (1.3 in)
2006
37.6 mm (1.5 in)
2007
48.5 mm (1.9 in)
2008
66.0 mm (2.6 in)
2009
54.4 mm (2.1 in)
2010
36.3 mm (1.4 in)
2011
58.4 mm (2.3 in)
2012
26.2 mm (1.0 in)
2013
82.6 mm (3.3 in)
2014
39.9 mm (1.6 in)
2015
54.4 mm (2.1 in)
2016
53.3 mm (2.1 in)
2017
19.1 mm (0.8 in)
2018
43.2 mm (1.7 in)
2019
48.3 mm (1.9 in)
2020
39.1 mm (1.5 in)
2021
n/a
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
The wettest five days of the year at Red Owl, 1951 to 2021. The record is 133.4 mm (5.3 in) in 1988, marked on the chart; the median year is 66.1 mm (2.6 in).
Wettest five days (Rx5day) at Red Owl by year
Year
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
1951
50.8 mm (2.0 in)
1952
40.4 mm (1.6 in)
1953
68.1 mm (2.7 in)
1954
45.4 mm (1.8 in)
1955
56.1 mm (2.2 in)
1956
37.1 mm (1.5 in)
1957
57.9 mm (2.3 in)
1958
73.4 mm (2.9 in)
1959
47.6 mm (1.9 in)
1960
53.3 mm (2.1 in)
1961
32.2 mm (1.3 in)
1962
105.6 mm (4.2 in)
1963
60.7 mm (2.4 in)
1964
116.1 mm (4.6 in)
1965
55.3 mm (2.2 in)
1966
50.8 mm (2.0 in)
1967
111.8 mm (4.4 in)
1968
67.1 mm (2.6 in)
1969
76.4 mm (3.0 in)
1970
66.9 mm (2.6 in)
1971
78.0 mm (3.1 in)
1972
71.1 mm (2.8 in)
1973
78.1 mm (3.1 in)
1974
34.5 mm (1.4 in)
1975
93.0 mm (3.7 in)
1976
68.3 mm (2.7 in)
1977
65.0 mm (2.6 in)
1978
53.8 mm (2.1 in)
1979
51.8 mm (2.0 in)
1980
54.9 mm (2.2 in)
1981
47.3 mm (1.9 in)
1982
102.0 mm (4.0 in)
1983
64.0 mm (2.5 in)
1984
75.3 mm (3.0 in)
1985
46.7 mm (1.8 in)
1986
60.4 mm (2.4 in)
1987
74.4 mm (2.9 in)
1988
133.4 mm (5.3 in)
1989
45.7 mm (1.8 in)
1990
42.1 mm (1.7 in)
1991
45.8 mm (1.8 in)
1992
40.4 mm (1.6 in)
1993
132.8 mm (5.2 in)
1994
65.3 mm (2.6 in)
1995
102.7 mm (4.0 in)
1996
95.2 mm (3.7 in)
1997
85.4 mm (3.4 in)
1998
78.7 mm (3.1 in)
1999
69.0 mm (2.7 in)
2000
87.1 mm (3.4 in)
2001
73.3 mm (2.9 in)
2002
37.4 mm (1.5 in)
2003
55.1 mm (2.2 in)
2004
72.9 mm (2.9 in)
2005
64.3 mm (2.5 in)
2006
62.7 mm (2.5 in)
2007
71.2 mm (2.8 in)
2008
112.2 mm (4.4 in)
2009
91.7 mm (3.6 in)
2010
75.4 mm (3.0 in)
2011
71.9 mm (2.8 in)
2012
35.1 mm (1.4 in)
2013
111.8 mm (4.4 in)
2014
75.7 mm (3.0 in)
2015
65.2 mm (2.6 in)
2016
58.5 mm (2.3 in)
2017
25.4 mm (1.0 in)
2018
75.0 mm (3.0 in)
2019
100.4 mm (4.0 in)
2020
43.2 mm (1.7 in)
2021
n/a
Longest dry spell (CDD)
The longest dry spell of the year at Red Owl, 1951 to 2021. The record is 92 days in 1952, marked on the chart; the median year is 34 days.
Longest dry spell (CDD) at Red Owl by year
Year
Longest dry spell (CDD)
1951
30 days
1952
92 days
1953
26 days
1954
34 days
1955
21 days
1956
27 days
1957
53 days
1958
40 days
1959
46 days
1960
66 days
1961
35 days
1962
40 days
1963
28 days
1964
27 days
1965
23 days
1966
24 days
1967
36 days
1968
49 days
1969
29 days
1970
25 days
1971
30 days
1972
52 days
1973
29 days
1974
61 days
1975
29 days
1976
42 days
1977
24 days
1978
35 days
1979
71 days
1980
43 days
1981
78 days
1982
30 days
1983
38 days
1984
62 days
1985
23 days
1986
42 days
1987
56 days
1988
41 days
1989
26 days
1990
41 days
1991
45 days
1992
52 days
1993
35 days
1994
29 days
1995
31 days
1996
19 days
1997
33 days
1998
39 days
1999
33 days
2000
27 days
2001
45 days
2002
40 days
2003
34 days
2004
62 days
2005
28 days
2006
48 days
2007
31 days
2008
26 days
2009
34 days
2010
22 days
2011
40 days
2012
47 days
2013
33 days
2014
34 days
2015
34 days
2016
21 days
2017
33 days
2018
26 days
2019
17 days
2020
24 days
2021
n/a
Each chart shows one value per year; the dot marks the record year. TXx is the hottest daily maximum, TNn the coldest daily minimum, Rx1day and Rx5day the largest one-day and five-day rain totals, and CDD the longest run of days with less than 1 mm of rain. A year with missing days can understate an extreme.
Frost Dates and Growing Season
27 years with a frost
Across 27 years with a frost, the median last spring frost at Red Owl falls on 15 May and the median first autumn frost on 26 September, which leaves a median of 136 days between them.
Fitted over all years, the growing season changes by +5.9 days per decade at this station.
Frost dates and growing season at Red Owl
Measure
Median, all years
Earliest period
Recent period (1990 to 2019)
Recent against earliest
Fitted trend
Last spring frost
15 May
n/a
15 May
n/a
-2.1 days per decade
First autumn frost
26 September
n/a
26 September
n/a
+3.8 days per decade
Growing days
136 days
n/a
136 days
n/a
+5.9 days per decade
A frost day is a day with a daily minimum at or below 0 C (32 F). The last spring frost and the first autumn frost are the last and first such days of the cold season, and growing days are the days between them. A negative trend for the last spring frost means it comes earlier.
Rainfall Return Levels
67 years, 1953 to 2019
A day with at least 41.0 mm (1.6 in) of rain is expected about once in 2 years. A day with at least 90.4 mm (3.6 in) of rain is expected about once in 100 years.
Rainfall return levels at Red Owl: the daily rain expected about once in a given number of years
Expected about once in
A day with at least
Note
2 years
41.0 mm (1.6 in)
5 years
55.2 mm (2.2 in)
10 years
64.1 mm (2.5 in)
25 years
75.1 mm (3.0 in)
50 years
82.9 mm (3.3 in)
100 years
90.4 mm (3.6 in)
Longer than the 67 years of record
The levels come from a generalised extreme value (GEV) distribution fitted by L-moments to the wettest-day total of each year, 67 years of values from 1953 to 2019.
A return level is an estimate. It is least reliable for the long periods, 50 and 100 years, and for any period longer than the record behind the fit, where the fit has to reach past the largest day actually observed. It is not a forecast.
The largest wettest-day totals in the fit: 82.6 mm (3.3 in) in 2013; 76.2 mm (3.0 in) in 1998; 74.7 mm (2.9 in) in 1988.
Download the Data
Data for Red Owl standing records by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
Data for Red Owl threshold days by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-14 (14 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.