What is the hottest month at Badlands?

July, with an average high of 91°F and an average low of 62°F at Interior 3 NE (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The station averages 53 days a year at or above 90°F.

How cold does Badlands get in winter?

January is the coldest month, averaging a low of 14°F and a high of 37°F at Interior 3 NE. About 146 nights a year drop to freezing or below.

Does it snow at Badlands?

Yes. Interior 3 NE averages 38.0 inches of snow a year, mostly in January, February, March, April, October, November and December. Higher ground in the park gets more.

When is the rainy season at Badlands?

May is the wettest month on average (3.6 inches of precipitation at Interior 3 NE); the station's annual total is 19.6 inches.

How many hours of daylight does Badlands get?

About 15h 25m on June 15 and 8h 57m on December 15 (sunrise 5:08 AM, sunset 8:33 PM in June; 7:16 AM to 4:13 PM in December, America/Denver time).

What is the best month to visit Badlands for weather?

By NOAA's normals, average highs sit between 55°F and 85°F in April, May, June, September and October. Of those, April, May, September and October are also well below the park's peak crowds. Weather in the park varies with elevation; this is the Interior 3 NE station.

Weather by month

Badlands weather, month by month

Last verified October 6, 2026NOAA 1991–2020 normalsAmerica/Denver time

Average highs, lows, rain, snow and daylight for every month. Measured at the Interior 3 NE (2,440 ft, 0.1 mi from Ben Reifel Visitor Center).

Layered badlands formations behind fields of green grass under cloudy and billowing clouds. — Photo: NPS Photo

Jul high: 91°F; hottest month
Jan low: 14°F; coldest month
Rain + snowmelt: 19.6in / yr; wettest: May
Snowfall: 38.0in / yr; Oct–Apr
Days ≥ 90°F: 53/ yr
Nights ≤ 32°F: 146/ yr

Interior 3 NE

Month by month

Normals are 30-year averages (1991–2020). Crowds = each month’s share of the park’s busiest month, from NPS visitor counts. Sunrise and sunset are for the 15th of each month in 2027.

Average high and low, every monthbars run from the low to the high · tan strip = precipitation

Month	High	Low	Rain	Snow	Wet days	Sunrise	Sunset	Daylight	Crowds
Jan	37°	14°	0.5″	5.5″	4	7:21 AM	4:38 PM	9h 17m	5
Feb	41°	16°	0.6″	6.4″	5	6:49 AM	5:19 PM	10h 31m	5
Mar	53°	26°	1.2″	5.9″	6	7:02 AM	6:55 PM	11h 53m	10
Apr	62°	35°	2.3″	6.4″	9	6:07 AM	7:33 PM	13h 25m	16
May	72°	46°	3.6″	0.5″	10	5:25 AM	8:08 PM	14h 43m	44
Jun	83°	56°	3.5″	—	10	5:08 AM	8:33 PM	15h 25m	90
Jul	91°	62°	2.2″	—	8	5:22 AM	8:30 PM	15h 08m	100
Aug	91°	60°	1.8″	—	7	5:54 AM	7:55 PM	14h 00m	85
Sep	82°	51°	1.4″	—	6	6:29 AM	7:01 PM	12h 32m	56
Oct	65°	38°	1.6″	1.9″	7	7:04 AM	6:07 PM	11h 03m	27
Nov	50°	25°	0.5″	3.7″	4	6:44 AM	4:25 PM	9h 41m	8
Dec	39°	17°	0.5″	7.7″	5	7:16 AM	4:13 PM	8h 57m	4

Sweet spot: April, May, September and October combine average highs between 55°F and 85°F with crowds under 60% of the peak month. Check what is open in those months — quiet can also mean closed roads.

How to read this

These are NOAA’s official 1991–2020 climate normals for one weather station, not a model of the whole park. The station is the one with complete temperature and precipitation normals nearest to a visitor center. Highs and lows are daily averages for the month; “wet days” are days with at least 0.01 inch of precipitation. Mountain parks can be 10–20 °F cooler at their high points than at the station, and the NPS weather page for Badlands is the place for current conditions and seasonal closures.

Sunrise and sunset are computed with the NOAA solar equations for the park’s coordinates and shown in America/Denver time for the 15th of each month of 2027; they are accurate to about a minute.

Sources · 3

1.U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — monthly normals station inventory · National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA)
2.Badlands National Park — Weather (nps.gov) · National Park Service
3.Badlands National Park — Visitor Use Statistics · National Park Service (IRMA)

FAQ

Badlands weather questions

What is the hottest month at Badlands?: July, with an average high of 91°F and an average low of 62°F at Interior 3 NE (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The station averages 53 days a year at or above 90°F.
How cold does Badlands get in winter?: January is the coldest month, averaging a low of 14°F and a high of 37°F at Interior 3 NE. About 146 nights a year drop to freezing or below.
Does it snow at Badlands?: Yes. Interior 3 NE averages 38.0 inches of snow a year, mostly in January, February, March, April, October, November and December. Higher ground in the park gets more.
When is the rainy season at Badlands?: May is the wettest month on average (3.6 inches of precipitation at Interior 3 NE); the station's annual total is 19.6 inches.
How many hours of daylight does Badlands get?: About 15h 25m on June 15 and 8h 57m on December 15 (sunrise 5:08 AM, sunset 8:33 PM in June; 7:16 AM to 4:13 PM in December, America/Denver time).
What is the best month to visit Badlands for weather?: By NOAA's normals, average highs sit between 55°F and 85°F in April, May, June, September and October. Of those, April, May, September and October are also well below the park's peak crowds. Weather in the park varies with elevation; this is the Interior 3 NE station.

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