Our Proprietary 10-Day Forecast

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Current warnings over Rapid City, South Dakota
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<p>Warnings from F5Weather</a></div>

United States weather warnings are issued by various organizations under NOAA. Most from the National Weather Service, but also Storm Prediction Center and National Hurricane Center.

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Current radar over Rapid City, South Dakota red dot
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<p>Live radar from F5Weather</a></div>

Our radar is based off of US NEXRAD and Canadian weather radar sites through the quality controlled MRMS system. It compiles various sources for radar data and filters out erroneous returns such as sun spikes and ground clutter. We then colorize the precipitation based on our methods for determining precipitation type. Rain is in shades of green, mixed precipitation and freezing rain in shades of pink and snow is in shades of blue.

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Current satellite over Rapid City, South Dakota red dot
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<p>Live satellite from F5Weather</a></div>

Our satellite is from the GOES-16. It is color enhanced by using a geocolor terrain background during the day and black marble city lights at night. The daytime satellite data is Visible satellite imagery, and nighttime uses Infrared bands. The bluish clouds are fog and low cloud. The whiteest clouds are the coldest, highest cloud tops.

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Current surface weather map around Pennington County, SD

This surface map is from the HRRR computer model. It is a 1-hour forecast, updated hourly, which is a good estimate of the current surface conditions. This map shows the current high and low pressure centers, pressure isobar contours, wind streamlines and thickness contours. It also shows the currently depicted preciptiation estimates, although this should not be a substitute for actual live radar. The purple dashed contour is the 5400m thickness line, which is often a good proxy for the rain/snow line.

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Temperatures right now near Rapid City, South Dakota

This is the latest surface temperatures as depicted by the HRRR computer model, updated hourly. Although these are not actual observations, this model is a very good representation of current conditions as it factors in observations, terrain and physics to give you more detailed temperatures in areas that do not have reporting weather stations. For the latest reports at specific locations, like in Rapid City, SD please see our current conditions data on the left and right side of this page, or go to our current conditions page.

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Surface wind speed map over Rapid City, SD

This map shows the latest HRRR computer model winds. This depiction of the current wind directions and speeds is an estimate from the computer model. For actual observations in Rapid City, SD, see the current conditions data on the left and right side of this page, or go to our current conditions page.

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Regional 24 hour rainfall expected near Rapid City, South Dakota

This is a forecast of the amount of precipitation expected over the next 24 hours from the HRRR weather forecast model. This is only one forecast depiction, and you should check other models to get a better idea of what may happen. You can view this and other models in more detail on our main weather forecast maps page. There, you will also be able to look at forecasts beyond just 24 hours and look at forecasts out to as far as 16 days.

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Area snowfall accumulation expected around Pennington County, South Dakota

This is snowfall forecast, with amounts anticipated in the next 24 hours. This guidance is from the HRRR weather model. For more model forecasts out to 16 days, visit our main weather forecast maps page.

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These are Convective Outlooks from the Storm Prediction Center. Click to see Days 1-3 broken down into Tornado, Wind and Hail threats, as well as days 5-8 outlooks.

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Atlantic Hurricane and Tropical Storm Tracking Map
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<p>Hurricane Tracking from F5Weather</a></div>

Our hurricane tracking map monitors for any current or forecast tropical disturbances in the Atlantic. (See our Pacific Hurricane Tracker) Various hurricane models will draw a 'spaghetti plot' in the Atlantic Basin when a disturbance is forecast or exists, showing the system's forecast track. Once a storm has developed, the National Hurricane Center will forecast their official track. This will show up on the map along with the storm's current intensity, track and name. We will also plot some of the storm's vitals and of course the spaghetti plots from the models along with the NHC forecast track will give you an idea of where it's heading, and its forecast intensity with time.

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To view the latest computer models, visit f5wx.com for access to the weather maps and guidance that meteorologists use to make their forecasts.
 
Get access to:
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  • American GFS
  • Canadian GDPS GEM
  • German DWD ICON
  • British MetOffice's UKMET Unified Model
  • American NAM
  • American HRRR
  • American NBM - National Blend of Models
  • GEFS, GEPS, MOGREPS & European Ensembles
  • Probabilities & Averages
  • 3-Ensemble Mean & more!
View Skew-T soundings, textual data tables for your location, and of course maps! Weather forecast maps of the basics like temperature, wind, pressure, humidity, dew point, cloud cover, simulated radar, travel weather, rainfall and snow are available. More advanced users can also get use out of our severe weather & tornado threat maps, as well as upper air & shear graphics.
 
See the latest forecast data as the models update.
 
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Climate Summary
(made with AI, use with caution)
Average Temperatures

    •   January: 24°F (-4°C)
    •   July: 76°F (24°C)
    •   Annual Average: 49°F (9°C)

Precipitation

    •   Average Annual Precipitation: 17.5 inches (444 mm)
    •   Wettest Month: May (3.3 inches)
    •   Driest Month: February (0.6 inches)

Snowfall

    •   Average Annual Snowfall: 50.5 inches (128 cm)
    •   Snowiest Month: December (12.5 inches)

Sunshine

    •   Average Annual Sunshine: 3,150 hours
    •   Sunniest Month: July (350 hours)
    •   Cloudiest Month: December (150 hours)

Wind

    •   Average Wind Speed: 12 mph (19 km/h)
    •   Prevailing Wind Direction: West-northwest

Other Climate Characteristics

    •   Köppen Climate Classification

Dfa (Continental with Hot Summer)

    •   Hardiness Zone

5b

    •   Growing Season

150-160 days

    •   Average Relative Humidity

60%

    •   Average Number of Thunderstorms

40 per year

    •   Average Number of Tornadoes

0.2 per year

    •   Average Number of Hail Days

2 per year

Climate Summary

Rapid City, South Dakota, experiences a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. The average temperature ranges from 24°F in January to 76°F in July. Precipitation is relatively low, with an average of 17.5 inches per year. Snowfall is common in the winter, with an average of 50.5 inches annually. The city receives ample sunshine, with an average of 3,150 hours per year. The prevailing wind direction is west-northwest, and the average wind speed is 12 mph.

Facts & Historical Information
(made with AI, use with caution)
Natural History

    •   Rapid City is located in the Black Hills, a geologically diverse region known for its towering peaks, deep canyons, and vast prairies.

    •   The area is home to a variety of wildlife, including bison, elk, and mountain goats.

    •   The Badlands National Park, located just east of Rapid City, is a unique and rugged landscape formed by erosion and deposition of sedimentary rocks.

Science

    •   The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, located in Rapid City, is a leading institution for engineering and technology education.

    •   The Sanford Underground Research Facility, located near Lead, South Dakota, is a world-renowned laboratory for particle physics and other scientific research.

Personalities

    •   Seth Bullock, a former lawman and mayor of Deadwood, South Dakota, lived in Rapid City for a time.

    •   John C. Hazzard, a prominent rancher and businessman, founded Rapid City in 1876.

    •   Helen Keller, the deaf and blind author and lecturer, visited Rapid City in 1920 and gave a speech at the city's high school.

Tourist Attractions
1.Mount Rushmore National Memorial:

Located just 30 miles southwest of Rapid City, this iconic sculpture features the faces of four U.S. presidents (Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln) carved into the side of a granite mountain.

2.Crazy Horse Memorial:

This ongoing sculpture project is located 17 miles southwest of Rapid City and depicts Lakota warrior Crazy Horse riding a horse. When completed, it will be the largest mountain carving in the world.

3.Badlands National Park:

Located about 60 miles east of Rapid City, this park features rugged and colorful rock formations, canyons, and grasslands. It's a great place for hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing.

Nearby Cities:

Rapid Valley, SD
Box Elder, SDSummerset, SD
Gillette, WY
Spearfish, SDSturgis, SD
Chadron, NEBelle Fourche, SD
Newcastle, WYHot Springs, SD
Pine Ridge, SDLead, SD
North Eagle Butte, SDCuster, SD
Wright, WY