Daytime temperatures average in the 30s and into the 40s by February, but Chinook winds can raise the mercury into the 50s and 60s. Low temperatures are typically between 10 and 20 above zero, but below zero readings are not uncommon in the higher valleys of the Black Hills. Snowfall averages about 5 inches each month in Rapid City and 5 to 15 inches in the Black Hills. Most snow is light and powdery, as storm tracks are from the west and northwest and do not contain much moisture. The snow usually melts a couple of days after it falls on the plains, but deeper snow in the Black Hills makes excellent conditions for winter recreation.
Storms tend to develop in the south and bring more moisture to the area than winter snowstorms.
The colder weather and bitter winds are gone as spring approaches and sunshine is more abundant. March is typically the snowiest month of the year. Snowfall averages range from 15 to 25 inches in the northern Black Hills and eight to 12 inches over the southern Hills. Although temperatures start to warm, the higher elevations are still cool enough to keep an ample snow cover. High temperatures reach the 40s with lows in the 20s.