Editing Rapid City, South Dakota (section)

==Geography==
Rapid City is located in the shadow of [[Black Elk Peak]], which at {{convert|7242|ft|m|0}}, is the highest point east of the [[Rocky Mountains]].
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|55.129|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which, {{convert|55.067|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.062|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023"/>

Rapid City is located on the eastern edge of the Black Hills, and has developed on each side of the Dakota Hogback. Rapid City's "Westside" is located in the Red Valley between the foothills of the Black Hills proper and the Dakota Hogback, so named for the red Spearfish formation soils and the way the valley completely encircles the Black Hills. Rapid City has expanded into the foothills, with developments having been built on both ridges and in valleys developed, especially in the last 20 years. This arid edge area has a higher risk of wildfire, as shown by the Westberry Trails fire in 1988.

[[File:Rapid City, South Dakota seen from Dinosaur Park.jpg|thumb|right|View of the city from [[Dinosaur Park]]]]

Skyline Drive follows the summits of the Dakota Hogback south from near Rapid Gap (where Rapid Creek cuts through the Hogback) to a large high plateau that forms the current south edge of Rapid City. The Central and Eastern portions of Rapid City lie in the wide valley of Rapid Creek outside the Hogback. It includes a number of mesas rising a hundred feet or more above the floodplain.

===Rapid Creek===
Rapid Creek flows through Rapid City, emerging from Dark Canyon above Canyon Lake and flowing in a large arc north of downtown. It descends to the southeast where the valley widens. Since the flood damage of 1972, the city has prohibited most development in the [[floodplain]] of Rapid Creek. It has adapted this green space for public uses: a series of parks, arboretums, and bike trails, which have reconnected the city to the creek for residents.

To the north, a series of ridges separate Rapid Creek from Box Elder Creek. Both older and new residential areas and commercial areas have developed here, along [[I-90 (SD)|I-90]]. To the south, the terrain rises more steeply to the southern widening of the Dakota Hogback into a plateau dividing the Rapid Creek drainage from Spring Creek.

===Climate===
[[File:Rapid City from Rapid Valley 090604.jpg|thumb|View of southern Rapid City from the east after a rainstorm, including a view of [[Black Elk Peak]] and the [[Black Hills]]]]
Rapid City has a transitional climate between a [[semi-arid climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: BSk) and a [[Continental climate|hot-summer humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: Dwa), and is part of USDA [[Hardiness zone]] 5b.<ref>{{cite book |title=USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service }}</ref> Its location makes its climate unlike both the higher elevations of the Black Hills to the west and the Great Plains to the east. It is characterized by long arid summers and long dry winters, with short but distinct spring and autumn seasons. Precipitation averages {{convert|17.44|in|mm|1|disp=or|sp=us}} annually, but has historically ranged from {{convert|9.12|in|mm|1|disp=or|sp=us}} in 1974 to {{convert|27.70|in|mm|1|disp=or|sp=us}} in 1946.<ref name = "NOWData NWS Rapid City, SD">{{cite web |url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=unr |title = NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date=October 19, 2021}}</ref><ref name = "NOAA txt">{{cite web |url= https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00024090&format=pdf |title = Station: Rapid City RGNL AP, SD |work= U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020) |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date=October 19, 2021}}</ref>

Winters are cold and dry, with January being the coldest month with a daily mean temperature of {{convert|24.3|°F|1|disp=or}}<!--(max+min)/2, not max-->.<ref name = "NOWData NWS Rapid City, SD"/><ref name = "NOAA txt"/> [[Chinook wind]]s can warm temperatures above {{convert|50|°F|disp=or}}, doing so on average about 20 times from December to February.<ref name = "NOWData NWS Rapid City, SD"/><ref name = "NOAA txt"/> Temperature inversions, however, occasionally produce warmer temperatures in the Black Hills. On average, highs do not climb above freezing on 43 days, while the low temperature reaches {{convert|0|°F|1|disp=or}} on an average of 18 nights.<ref name = "NOWData NWS Rapid City, SD"/><ref name = "NOAA txt"/> Snowfall is frequent but usually not heavy; March and April are typically the snowiest months. The seasonal total averages {{convert|48.5|in|m|2|disp=or|sp=us}}, although historically ranging from {{convert|16.9|in|m|2|disp=or|sp=us}} during 1980–81 to {{convert|80.9|in|m|2|disp=or|sp=us}} during 1985–86.<ref name = "NOWData NWS Rapid City, SD"/><ref name = "NOAA txt"/> Extensive snow cover does not remain for long, with only nine days seasonally with {{convert|5|in|m|2|disp=or|sp=us}} or more on the ground.<ref name = "NOWData NWS Rapid City, SD"/><ref name = "NOAA txt"/> Measurable snow has occurred in every month except July.<ref name = "NOWData NWS Rapid City, SD"/>

Compared to locations in the east, the area warms rather gradually early in the year, with the last measurable snow typically occurring in late April and precipitation totals beginning to increase; May snow occurs several times per decade. Toward the middle of the year, storms typically develop over the Black Hills during the afternoon and move onto the plains in the evening. Only in April through June have calendar-day precipitation amounts exceeding {{convert|3|in|mm|1|disp=or|sp=us}} been observed. June 15, 1963, with {{convert|3.78|in|mm|1|disp=or|sp=us}}, holds the single-day rainfall record;<ref name = "NOWData NWS Rapid City, SD"/> the record-wettest month is May 1996 with {{convert|8.18|in|mm|1|disp=or|sp=us}}.<ref name = "NOWData NWS Rapid City, SD"/> Rapid City has an average of twenty clear to partly cloudy days<ref name=Weatherbase>{{cite web|url = http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=026627&refer=|title = Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Rapid City, South Dakota, United States of America|access-date = September 5, 2009}}</ref> and 67% of its possible sunshine in June.<ref name = NOAAsun/> This is the traditional "flood" season for Rapid and other creeks in the Eastern Hills. Temperatures warm rapidly as summer approaches.

Summer in Rapid City has relatively pleasant temperatures, and is relatively dry (following a wet spring), and relatively sunny. July is the warmest month of the year, having a daily mean temperature of {{convert|72.4|°F|1}}<!--(max+min)/2, not max-->.<ref name = "NOWData NWS Rapid City, SD"/><ref name = "NOAA txt"/> An average of 32 days reach {{convert|90|°F|1}}+ highs and 5 with {{convert|100|°F|1}}+ highs.<ref name = "NOWData NWS Rapid City, SD"/><ref name = "NOAA txt"/> Due to the elevation and aridity, lows rarely remain at or above {{convert|70|°F|1}} and during July and August fall to or below {{convert|50|°F|disp=or}} on an average 7.6 days.<ref name = "NOWData NWS Rapid City, SD"/> Rapid City records an average of nine thunderstorm days in August,<ref name = Weatherbase /> but only {{convert|1.56|in|mm|1|disp=or|sp=us}} of rain in that month.

Fall is a transition season: the average first freeze occurs in Rapid City on October 4 and in the Black Hills in late August through September. The Rapid City area's first snowfall is usually in October, although higher elevations sometimes receive significant snow in September. Occasional cold fronts moving through the area bring blustery northwest winds.

Sunshine is abundant in the region in all months except December, averaging 2850 hours, 64% of the possible total, per year.<ref name = NOAAsun /> 

Official extreme temperatures range from {{convert|−31|°F|0|disp=or}} on February 2, 1996, up to {{convert|111|°F|0|disp=or}} on July 15, 2006; the record low daily maximum is {{convert|−18|°F|0|disp=or}} on February 2, 1989, while the record high daily minimum is {{convert|75|°F|0|disp=or}} on July 8, 1985, and July 28, 1960.<ref name="ThreadEx">{{cite web |title=Threaded Extremes |url=http://threadex.rcc-acis.org/ |access-date=March 10, 2013 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration}}</ref> 

Rapid City had the record for an extreme temperature drop of {{convert|47|F-change|1|disp=or}}, which was achieved on January 10, 1911, from {{convert|60|°F|°C|0|disp=or}} to {{convert|13|°F|°C|0|disp=or}}.<ref name="Handy Weather Answer Book">{{cite book
  | last = Lyons
  | first = Walter A
  | title = The Handy Weather Answer Book
  | edition = 2nd
  | year = 1997
  | publisher = Visible Ink press
  | location = [[Detroit]]
  | isbn = 0-7876-1034-8
  | url = https://archive.org/details/handyweatheransw00lyon
  }}</ref> This was due to the [[Chinook wind]], but the record was lost to Spearfish, South Dakota, in 1942.<ref>{{Cite web |last=US Department of Commerce |first=NOAA |title=The Black Hills Remarkable Temperature Change of January 22, 1943 |url=https://www.weather.gov/unr/1943-01-22 |access-date=March 3, 2024 |website=www.weather.gov |language=EN-US}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = [[Rapid City Regional Airport]], South Dakota (1991−2020 normals,{{efn|Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.}} extremes 1942−present){{efn|Official temperature and precipitation records for Rapid City kept at the old municipal airport from August 1942 to October 11, 1950, and at Rapid City Regional since October 12, 1950.<ref name = ThreadEx /> Snowfall and snow depth records date to September 1, 1942, and the move to Rapid City Regional, respectively.<ref name = "NOWData NWS Rapid City, SD"/>}}
|collapsed = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 76
|Feb record high F = 75
|Mar record high F = 84
|Apr record high F = 93
|May record high F = 98
|Jun record high F = 109
|Jul record high F = 111
|Aug record high F = 107
|Sep record high F = 104
|Oct record high F = 96
|Nov record high F = 83
|Dec record high F = 75
|year record high F = 111
|Jan avg record high F = 61.3
|Feb avg record high F = 63.8
|Mar avg record high F = 74.8
|Apr avg record high F = 81.6
|May avg record high F = 87.8
|Jun avg record high F = 95.1
|Jul avg record high F = 100.7
|Aug avg record high F = 99.8
|Sep avg record high F = 96.4
|Oct avg record high F = 86.3
|Nov avg record high F = 72.3
|Dec avg record high F = 62.0
|year avg record high F = 102.8
|Jan high F = 36.0
|Feb high F = 38.1
|Mar high F = 48.2
|Apr high F = 56.6
|May high F = 66.5
|Jun high F = 77.6
|Jul high F = 86.4
|Aug high F = 85.4
|Sep high F = 76.1
|Oct high F = 60.4
|Nov high F = 47.3
|Dec high F = 37.2
|year high F = 59.6
|Jan mean F = 24.3
|Feb mean F = 26.1
|Mar mean F = 35.4
|Apr mean F = 43.9
|May mean F = 54.1
|Jun mean F = 64.6
|Jul mean F = 72.4
|Aug mean F = 70.8
|Sep mean F = 61.3
|Oct mean F = 47.1
|Nov mean F = 34.6
|Dec mean F = 25.6
|year mean F = 46.7
|Jan low F = 12.7
|Feb low F = 14.0
|Mar low F = 22.6
|Apr low F = 31.2
|May low F = 41.7
|Jun low F = 51.6
|Jul low F = 58.5
|Aug low F = 56.2
|Sep low F = 46.4
|Oct low F = 33.7
|Nov low F = 21.9
|Dec low F = 13.9
|year low F = 33.7
|Jan avg record low F = -9.6
|Feb avg record low F = -7.5
|Mar avg record low F = 1.7
|Apr avg record low F = 15.9
|May avg record low F = 27.0
|Jun avg record low F = 39.7
|Jul avg record low F = 48.2
|Aug avg record low F = 45.2
|Sep avg record low F = 31.6
|Oct avg record low F = 15.1
|Nov avg record low F = 2.0
|Dec avg record low F = -7.5
|year avg record low F = -17.2
|Jan record low F = −27
|Feb record low F = −31
|Mar record low F = −21
|Apr record low F = -1
|May record low F = 18
|Jun record low F = 31
|Jul record low F = 39
|Aug record low F = 37
|Sep record low F = 18
|Oct record low F = -7
|Nov record low F = −19
|Dec record low F = −30
|year record low F = -31
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.31
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.50
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.91
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.08
|May precipitation inch = 3.45
|Jun precipitation inch = 2.87
|Jul precipitation inch = 2.28
|Aug precipitation inch = 1.59
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.22
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.41
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.47
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.35
|year precipitation inch = 17.44
|Jan snow inch = 5.3
|Feb snow inch = 7.7
|Mar snow inch = 8.4
|Apr snow inch = 10.1
|May snow inch = 1.5
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.1
|Oct snow inch = 3.0
|Nov snow inch = 5.7
|Dec snow inch = 6.7
|year snow inch = 48.5
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 5.7
|Feb precipitation days = 6.6
|Mar precipitation days = 7.0
|Apr precipitation days = 10.5
|May precipitation days = 12.6
|Jun precipitation days = 12.5
|Jul precipitation days = 9.8
|Aug precipitation days = 7.9
|Sep precipitation days = 6.6
|Oct precipitation days = 7.1
|Nov precipitation days = 5.1
|Dec precipitation days = 5.0
|year precipitation days = 96.4
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 6.1
|Feb snow days = 7.1
|Mar snow days = 4.1
|Apr snow days = 4.3
|May snow days = 0.4
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.1
|Oct snow days = 1.7
|Nov snow days = 3.6
|Dec snow days = 5.4
|year snow days = 32.8
|Jan humidity = 63.5
|Feb humidity = 65.1
|Mar humidity = 63.8
|Apr humidity = 58.6
|May humidity = 60.8
|Jun humidity = 61.9
|Jul humidity = 56.2
|Aug humidity = 52.6
|Sep humidity = 53.5
|Oct humidity = 54.2
|Nov humidity = 62.2
|Dec humidity = 64.8
|year humidity = 59.8
|Jan sun = 163.5
|Feb sun = 174.0
|Mar sun = 233.9
|Apr sun = 246.9
|May sun = 274.3
|Jun sun = 310.5
|Jul sun = 335.5
|Aug sun = 323.8
|Sep sun = 261.9
|Oct sun = 226.0
|Nov sun = 156.6
|Dec sun = 149.9
|year sun = 2856.8
|Jan percentsun = 57
|Feb percentsun = 59
|Mar percentsun = 63
|Apr percentsun = 61
|May percentsun = 60
|Jun percentsun = 67
|Jul percentsun = 72
|Aug percentsun = 75
|Sep percentsun = 70
|Oct percentsun = 66
|Nov percentsun = 54
|Dec percentsun = 54
|year percentsun = 64
|source 1 = [[NOAA]] (relative humidity and sun 1961−1990)<ref name = "NOWData NWS Rapid City, SD"/><ref name = ThreadEx/><ref name = NOAAsun >{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP4/72662.TXT
| title = WMO Climate Normals for RAPID CITY/REGIONAL ARPT SD 1961–1990
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = October 19, 2021}}</ref>
}}