Station by station
When does the ground freeze in South Dakota?
Each bar runs from the typical first freeze to the typical last thaw at that depth, the median over the station's complete winters on record, with the typical number of frozen days after it. Frost reaches the deeper probes later in the winter. A depth that froze in fewer than half of its winters has no typical dates. Stations: 5 typically freeze.
Aberdeen 35 WNW
USCRNTypically freezes to 20 inches, not to 40.
2 in2 inches: typically frozen from Dec 20 to Apr 10, a median of 92 frozen days.92 days
4 in4 inches: typically frozen from Jan 3 to Apr 11, a median of 86 frozen days.86 days
8 in8 inches: typically frozen from Jan 5 to Apr 6, a median of 77 frozen days.77 days
20 in20 inches: typically frozen from Jan 21 to Mar 23, a median of 47 frozen days.47 days
40 inFroze in 1 of 4 winters, no typical dates
No current reading
Buffalo 13 ESE
USCRNTypically freezes to 20 inches, not to 40.
2 in2 inches: typically frozen from Nov 24 to Mar 19, a median of 107 frozen days.107 days
4 in4 inches: typically frozen from Nov 29 to Mar 18, a median of 100 frozen days.100 days
8 in8 inches: typically frozen from Dec 2 to Mar 22, a median of 93 frozen days.93 days
20 in20 inches: typically frozen from Jan 2 to Mar 19, a median of 71 frozen days.71 days
40 inFroze in 2 of 5 winters, no typical dates
Nov 3, 2026: Not frozen
Eros Data Center
SCANTypically freezes to 20 inches, not to 40.
2 in2 inches: typically frozen from Nov 28 to Mar 20, a median of 108 frozen days.108 days
4 in4 inches: typically frozen from Dec 13 to Mar 6, a median of 75 frozen days.75 days
8 in8 inches: typically frozen from Dec 14 to Mar 9, a median of 80 frozen days.80 days
20 in20 inches: typically frozen from Jan 11 to Mar 13, a median of 61 frozen days.61 days
40 inFroze in 1 of 5 winters, no typical dates
Nov 3, 2026: Not frozen
Pierre 24 S
USCRNTypically freezes at every depth measured, down to 40 inches.
2 in2 inches: typically frozen from Dec 18 to Mar 4, a median of 80 frozen days.80 days
4 in4 inches: typically frozen from Dec 27 to Mar 3, a median of 65 frozen days.65 days
8 in8 inches: typically frozen from Jan 7 to Mar 4, a median of 56 frozen days.56 days
20 in20 inches: typically frozen from Jan 20 to Mar 5, a median of 39 frozen days.39 days
40 in40 inches: typically frozen from Jan 19 to Feb 25, a median of 35 frozen days.35 days
Nov 3, 2026: Not frozen
Sioux Falls 14 NNE
USCRNTypically freezes to 20 inches, not to 40.
2 in2 inches: typically frozen from Dec 26 to Mar 3, a median of 45 frozen days.45 days
4 in4 inches: typically frozen from Jan 1 to Mar 5, a median of 51 frozen days.51 days
8 in8 inches: typically frozen from Jan 11 to Mar 13, a median of 61 frozen days.61 days
20 in20 inches: typically frozen from Jan 19 to Mar 15, a median of 55 frozen days.55 days
40 inFroze in 2 of 5 winters, no typical dates
Nov 3, 2026: Not frozen
A winter runs July to June. Our station readings come from one grass-covered site per station at five fixed depths, and often show shallower frost than regional figures.
