Weather comparison (Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen: to rent, homes, transfer)

[yamahastar]

My wife and I are discussing weather in Rapid City area. I am not convinced I would really like the cold winters. Maybe my blood is too thin. I see that the low in Rapid City today is -10 degress. Would someone please describe what this is like and is it tolerable.

[DannyBanany]

This is actually quite rare for Rapid City or anywhere in the Black Hills region. Usually Rapid City/Black Hills is warmer than anywhere else in South Dakota and it is always less humid here. I just came back from Minnesota where it was -12 and humidity was at 80%. Now that was COLD!

I'm glad to be back home. It's supposed to be in the upper 30s all next week. That is much more seasonal for the Black Hills.

[Jammie]

Like Danny said, that's not the normal temp for Rapid, but there are those times....

It did show that over half of our state, including the western half and northern half are under a windchill advisory tonight. They're predicting windchills 25 to 35 below zero. Of course, that's not average either, but it happens.

I don't mean to be condescending to you, but just in case you really don't know this~we have windchills and I'm not sure how they're figured, but we may have ten below and the windchill may be 30 below. It's what the "feels like" temp is when it hits your bare skin. In 2001, they changed the windchill charts supposedly cause they felt they had them too low and that wasn't the "real feel".

You probably know that I'm the "cold weather and snow hater" here. It's partially due to how cold weather makes me feel and also just personal preference. My suggestion is to put on your swimming trunks, go to your local restaurant and stand in their walk in freezer. (freezer, not cooler) Take a fan with you and turn it on. It could give you about the same feeling you'll get when you go outside with a coat on when the temp is minus 10 and the windchill makes it feel like minus 20. It really isn't a pleasant feeling.

We have family in central and southern Fla. so I do have something to compare it to. They absolutely freeze if they come up here any time besides summer time. When we go down, I hate leaving cause I love the hot/humid weather there. AND one of them was originally from here and had spent fifty some years in the cold so it's not like it's a foreign feeling or anything.

[DaninEGF]

Rapid City is in an area of extreme temp changes during many months of the year (less change in the summer of course). So while it can get very cold there but usually only for a day or two and then the winds turn west and downslope takes over and temps warm a lot. They dont call Rapid City the banana belt for nothing. Of any place in the dakotas that is one place I would not worry about the cold.

Dan NWS Grand Forks ND

For those interested here is a complete history of why the wind chill formula was changed in 2001....

In 2001, NWS implemented an updated Windchill Temperature (WCT) index. The change improves upon the former WCT Index used by the NWS and the Meteorological Services of Canada, which was based on the 1945 Siple and Passel Index.

In the fall of 2000, the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM) formed a group consisting of several Federal agencies, MSC, the academic community (Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis (IUPUI), University of Delaware and University of Missouri), and the International Society of Biometeorology to evaluate and improve the windchill formula. The group, chaired by the NWS, is called the Joint Action Group for temperature Indices (JAG/TI). JAG/TI's goal is to upgrade and standardize the index for temperature extremes internationally (e.g. Windchill Index).

The current formula uses advances in science, technology, and computer modeling to provide a more accurate, understandable, and useful formula for calculating the dangers from winter winds and freezing temperatures.


Clinical trials were conducted at the Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine in Toronto, Canada, and the trial results were used to improve the accuracy of the new formula and determine frostbite threshold values.

Standardization of the WCT Index among the meteorological community provides an accurate and consistent measure to ensure public safety. The new windchill formula is now being used in Canada and the United States.

Specifically, the new WCT index:

Calculates wind speed at an average height of five feet (typical height of an adult human face) based on readings from the national standard height of 33 feet (typical height of an anemometer)
Is based on a human face model
Incorporates modern heat transfer theory (heat loss from the body to its surroundings, during cold and breezy/windy days)
Lowers the calm wind threshold to 3 mph
Uses a consistent standard for skin tissue resistance
Assumes no impact from the sun (i.e., clear night sky).

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If ever you desired to know what the formula for WCT is....

winds in mph and Fahrenheit temperatures is:

Wind chill temperature = 35.74 + 0.6215T - 35.75V (**0.16) + 0.4275TV(**0.16)

In the formula, V is in the wind speed in statute miles per hour, and T is the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.

Note: In the formula, ** means the following term is an exponent (i.e. 10**(0.5 ) means 10 to the 0.5 power, or the square root of V), - means to subtract, + means to add. A letter next to a number means to multiply that quantity represented by the letter by the number. The standard rules of algebra apply.

[yamahastar]

Thanks for the information. We plan to rent for a winter in Rapid City after we retire just to be sure we can handle the cold. I guess having plenty of indoor hobbies would help in the winter. Jammie, my wife asked if you wanted to trade homes? I would not mind going into the mountains, stripping and yodeling but do not want to go into a freezer. Thanks.

[pammybear]

We moved from FL to SD in 1994, and after one "bad winter" which was probably just an average one really, we moved back to FL in Summer of 1996 then we moved back to SD as soon as we could (4 months later) . If you like the beauty and peace of the Black Hills (except during Rally time )
you will really learn to put up with the cold. You just learn to adapt. This is what we did: we always warmed up our cars for several minutes before getting in. We paid someone else to shovel our driveway with a bobcat. Other small chores like taking the trash out etc we just learned to do very quickly. On really cold days, we just limited our time outside. If you park outside, you can buy a spray on liquid de-icer at Walmart--works like a charm. They give you plenty of warning of when a really cold snap/blizzard is approaching so you can prepare with getting groceries or doing your errands etc in advance. If I can do it, anyone can, believe me! YOu really do learn to adjust and it's worth it. Not that you are elderly or retired but just to point out how friendly it is in SD (well at least in the N. Hills where I lived) many elderly people who were afraid of falling on the ice and don't want to get out, can easily arrange to have groceries and prescriptions delivered to them. The businesses are real good about that. In the rare event the conditions are too bad, they will close the highway I-90 and recommend no travel and it will be all over the TV. I lived in Sturgis and between Sturgis and Deadwood and we never lost power except for a few minutes a couple of times.

Now this is strictly my opinion, as soon as it ever got below say 10 degrees, no matter how cold it got below that, it all felt the same to me because I would never stay out in it for long! Just to get to my car and back to the house, fetch the mail etc and I would only be outside for a few seconds so never felt too cold! Just my 2 cents!

Pam

[Jammie]

Dan, you've always got such good info I almost feel like you should be paid for all that you teach us. Have you ever considered teaching meteorology?


Yamaha, unfortunately I live in a bit colder area then Rapid City. Although we have some days that are actually warmer then Rapid, we have longer periods of cold weather and rarely have the 50s and 60s that the Hills area can have during the winter. We're only about 4 hours apart, but the weather can be so different. My area isn't as pretty as the Hills area is either.

Since you'll be retired, the weather won't affect you as much as it does for those of us who have to be out and about in it. If you have a few cold days or a snowstorm, you'll be able to just sit it out. Unfortunately, I have to spend time out in the elements.

[DaninEGF]

Originally Posted by Jammie

Dan, you've always got such good info I almost feel like you should be paid for all that you teach us. Have you ever considered teaching meteorology?

Thanks Jammie....

I have always loved weather and wanted to be a forecaster since growing up in Kentucky. And luckily I made my dream come true. Teaching is great but in meteorology in college it would be much more about math and equations. I would much better analyze the model data and then try to forecast. I said try as no one can 100 percent predict what the weather will do even 24 hours out most days. Not even talking about long range predictions...which I dont get into, we stay focused on the days 1-7 at NWS offices in the country. There is one in Rapid City, one in Sioux Falls, and one in Aberdeen. You can check their web sites at NWS Rapid City, SD NWS Sioux Falls, SD and
NWS Aberdeen, SD

I am so opposite of you Jammie in temperatures...but that is what makes us great isn't? I remember as a kid making snowflakes out of paper and hanging them from my bedroom when it was summer out just to remind me of winter. Most weather people have some passion....for most is it severe weather and tornadoes.

Dan

[Jammie]

Dan, it is funny how so many of us like summer and many people like winter. That's always confused me because we have the same body temps.

Oh yea, for me it's the tropical or sub-tropical settings and lots of warmth and humidity.

[Chris19]

I like temps from the mid 50s to the upper 70s with limited humidity. The humidity starts getting annoying when the temps get above 80 degrees.

As for winter, I can tolerate the cold and light snow here and there. I do not like heavy or constant snow. Ice, do not get me started on that, because I despise it.

A refreshing rain is nice and one to keep things green but not too much to where the field and valleys flood.

The thought of mild dry air makes me relish Rapid City in late May or early June.