Field station staff work collaboratively with the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls. Air temperature and precipitation are measured daily using automated equipment to provide a long term climate record for the site. In addition, automated monitoring equipment has been installed to provide wind speed, wind direction and air temperature at 10m, 30m and 40m elevations above the ground. Listed below are the average monthly precipitation and air temperature values recorded over the period 1994-2002. Hourly, daily and monthly weather data are available online from the State Climatologist web page.
| Month | Average Monthly Precipitation (mm) | Average Daily Air Temperature (C) |
|---|---|---|
| January | 26 | -12.3 |
| February | 49 | -8.1 |
| March | 23 | -5.0 |
| April | 68 | 2.3 |
| May | 92 | 9.9 |
| June | 109 | 16.1 |
| July | 99 | 18.5 |
| August | 85 | 17.3 |
| September | 53 | 13.2 |
| October | 58 | 4.6 |
| November | 18 | -2.8 |
| December | 5 | -9.2 |
This diagram summarizes climate characteristics of the Field Station (data collection period 1994-2001). Mean monthly temperatures are above 0 (C) from April through October. Mean monthly precipitation is always greater than mean monthly temperature in this scaled diagram. Mean annual temperature is 5.9 (C) and mean annual precipitation is 583 mm. The elevation of our climate monitoring equipment is 556m above sea level.