We’re used to severe weather here in the Mount Rushmore State. From the blazing heat to the punishing cold and everything in between, we’ve seen it all. While South Dakota falls and winters (and springs… and sometimes even summers) can get downright frigid, there is one time in history that stands out as being the worst of all.

During the fall and winter months, this is a typical sight for the Mount Rushmore State, but what is not typical is when temperatures reached a deadly -58°.
Jerry Huddleston/Flickr
The year 1936 went down in South Dakota history; it was one of the state's worst winters.
That's just what happened in February 1936, when America experienced a cold wave unlike any before that still went down in history as being one of the worst ever recorded.
zman z28/Flickr
In addition to the midwest being affected, the Canadian prairie, northwest, southern, and eastern states were also hit, trapping people in their homes for weeks at a time.
U.S. Climate At A Glance/Wikimedia Commons
Residents experienced some of the worst temperatures in South Dakota's history.

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As if the cold itself wasn't harsh enough, the winter also brought record precipitation, which not only closed down schools, but cut off communication between smaller towns.
U.S. Climate At A Glance/Wikimedia Commons
By March, the country began to experience a much-needed thaw, with temperatures reaching just over 32°.
USDA NRCS South Dakota/Flickr
Sadly, the extreme weather did not end that winter, as North America then experienced a record heatwave, with South Dakota hitting a record 110°+ that June.
Harald Philipp/Flickr

While winter weather is already on everyone’s minds, there is one thing for sure: there is no beating this extreme time in American history (at least, we hope there isn’t). Did you, or someone you know, live through the South Dakota winter of 1936? Tell us about it in the comments! You can also compare winter 1936 with other historically harsh winters by clicking We Will Never Forget These 10 Horrific Winter Storms That Have Gone Down In South Dakota History.

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More to Explore

Winter in South Dakota

Tori Jane | December 06, 2021

What’s considered record snowfall in South Dakota?  

South Dakota is known for its pretty brutal winters; however, some years are definitely much worse than others. Typically, the United States average for snowfall each year is about 27.8 inches in snowy places; however, South Dakota’s average is much higher than most of the nation, with about 38.6 inches of snowfall in most places.

Some years have recorded more – and sometimes much more – than that. Here are a few examples:

  • Lead, South Dakota, which is located in the western region of the state, sees an incredible 197.5 inches of snow every year.
  • Deadwood sees about 101.2 inches.
  • Central South Dakota’s town of Academy sees about 45.2 inches of snow per year.
  • Sioux Falls sees about 44.5 inches per year.


Anything higher than these averages has the potential for being record-setting. Check out this article about why nobody in their right mind will ever visit South Dakota during the winter. Trust us, it’s cold and dark and terribly... beautiful here. Well, just look at the article; you’ll see.  

What kind of natural disasters in South Dakota are there?  

South Dakota is, unfortunately, not unused to natural disasters from time to time. These are the most common natural disasters in South Dakota:

  • Tornadoes
  • Large hail
  • High winds
  • Wildfires
  • Blizzards
  • Ice storms
  • Floods 

The strongest tornado recorded in South Dakota happened in 1968, and on average, the state sees about 36 tornadoes per year. Wildfires are less common, though they tend to happen following periods of dryness. Perhaps the most common natural disasters in South Dakota are blizzards and ice storms; heavy snow and high winds are not at all uncommon during the winter months, and some years the state will undergo a seriously nasty ice storm (though those don’t occur every year).  

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