Lead Snowfall Totals & Accumulation Averages
This page pulls together information on when, how much and how often Lead, South Dakota has snow.
There are data and descriptions here of how many days it snows and the total amount of snowfall that Lead usually gets. There are also monthly and yearly counts of the days that the ski resort town normally has heavy snowstorms and deep snow accumulated on the ground. Plus there's information on when Lead can expect the first and last snowfalls of the season.
The first set of monthly snow totals are averages for 2010 to 2019. All the other numbers are long-term historical averages based on weather data gathered from 1991 to 2020 at Lead, near the Terry Peak Ski Area.
How Often it Snows in Lead
The next two tables list monthly and yearly totals for amount of snow and how many days it snows at least 0.1 inches (0.25 centimetres).
| Days | Inches | Centimetres | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.3 | January | 22.0 | 55.8 |
| 5.9 | February | 22.7 | 57.5 |
| 4.9 | March | 16.3 | 41.5 |
| 4.8 | April | 21.3 | 54.2 |
| 1.9 | May | 7.7 | 19.5 |
| 0.0 | June | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 0.2 | September | 0.7 | 1.7 |
| 2.1 | October | 12.5 | 31.6 |
| 5.2 | November | 17.1 | 43.4 |
| 6.1 | December | 24.5 | 62.3 |
| 37.4 | Year | 144.7 | 367.5 |
| Days | Inches | Centimetres | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.4 | January | 24.8 | 63.0 |
| 10.4 | February | 26.2 | 66.5 |
| 9.1 | March | 27.6 | 70.1 |
| 7.5 | April | 29.0 | 73.7 |
| 2.0 | May | 6.7 | 17.0 |
| 0.2 | June | 0.9 | 2.3 |
| 0.6 | September | 1.8 | 4.6 |
| 4.8 | October | 19.3 | 49.0 |
| 7.9 | November | 22.3 | 56.6 |
| 9.2 | December | 25.3 | 64.3 |
| 62.1 | Year | 183.9 | 467.1 |
These averages don't show how much the snowfall in Lead varies from year to year.
In December, for instance, one in four years totals over 33.6 inches of snow. Another 25 percent of years receive less than 13.1 inches for the month.
Similarly in January, fresh snowfall in the heaviest years amounts to over 30.2 inches, while the lightest years get less than 15.1 inches.
New snow for February ranges from over 33.1 inches in heavy snowfall years to under 17.2 inches in light years.
When Lead Has Its First & Last Snowfalls
The first snowfall of winter for Lead usually arrives in October. Some years also get snow in September.
The season's last snowfall typically happens in May. Snow can land as late as June, yet that's uncommon.
Lead is normally free of snow every year during July and August.
How Many Snowstorms Lead Gets
Most days of snowfall in Lead result in at least an inch of fresh snow on the ground. For 19 days a year on average, the amount of new snow totals three inches or more.
Snowstorms of over five inches a day normally occur 11 times a year. Of these, 3 or 4 are major blizzards that dump ten inches or more. Storms that severe can arrive anytime from October to May.
| 1 inch 2.5 cm |
3 inches 7.6 cm |
5 inches 12.7 cm |
10 inches 25.4 cm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | 2.7 | January | 1.3 | 0.3 |
| 6.1 | 2.9 | February | 1.7 | 0.5 |
| 6.2 | 3.0 | March | 1.5 | 0.4 |
| 5.1 | 2.8 | April | 1.8 | 0.7 |
| 1.4 | 0.7 | May | 0.4 | 0.1 |
| 0.1 | 0.1 | June | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| 0.5 | 0.3 | September | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| 3.2 | 1.8 | October | 1.1 | 0.4 |
| 5.2 | 2.2 | November | 1.1 | 0.4 |
| 5.8 | 2.6 | December | 1.5 | 0.5 |
| 40.1 | 19.1 | Year | 10.6 | 3.3 |
How Much Snow Normally Accumulates in Lead
For about three-quarters of winter days, Lead has at least an inch of snow on the ground.
The snow covering Lead can build up to ten or more inches deep anytime from October to May. For 12 days a year on average, the snowpack here tops 20 inches.
| 1 inch 2.5 cm |
3 inches 7.6 cm |
5 inches 12.7 cm |
10 inches 25.4 cm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27.7 | 24.5 | January | 19.3 | 10.1 |
| 23.2 | 20.4 | February | 18.5 | 12.5 |
| 19.6 | 16.0 | March | 12.5 | 7.2 |
| 7.8 | 6.0 | April | 4.8 | 2.7 |
| 1.3 | 0.8 | May | 0.4 | 0.1 |
| 0.1 | 0.0 | June | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 0.5 | 0.2 | September | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| 4.9 | 3.6 | October | 2.9 | 1.5 |
| 14.0 | 10.6 | November | 7.8 | 3.1 |
| 20.9 | 16.7 | December | 13.2 | 7.4 |
| 120.0 | 98.8 | Year | 79.5 | 44.6 |
References
Jay Lawrimore, Ron Ray, Scott Applequist, Bryant Korzeniewski, Matthew Menne. 2016. Global Summary of the Month and Year, Version 1.0. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Climate Normals.