South Dakota Weather: 02-20-2026

Good morning! I'm Aaron Jolly, and welcome to the South Dakota Weather Podcast. It's Friday, February 16th. Folks, step outside right now and you'll feel that classic February bite. The whole state's sitting in the mid 20s, but here's the deal. It's quiet. Almost too quiet. Because this weekend? Things get interesting. Out west, you're waking up to 26 degrees with barely a whisper of wind. Enjoy that calm. Over in the central part of the state, 25 degrees with light winds around 8 miles an hour. Nothing dramatic. Now head east and Sioux Falls greets you at 24 degrees. Northwest wind at 10 miles an hour puts a little edge on that coffee run. Tonight the cold really digs in. Lows drop into the teens across the board. Single digits in the usual suspect spots up in the northeast. Bundle up if you're heading out after dark. Here's where it gets fun. Saturday splits the state right down the middle. Western South Dakota climbs into the mid 30s under blue sky. Perfect for getting outside. Meanwhile the east stays locked in the 20s under stubborn clouds. That east wind makes it feel even sharper. Rapid City gets sunshine. Sioux Falls gets the cold shoulder. Here's your heads up for the week ahead. Sunday finally brings everyone together in the 30s. Feels like a group hug. But Monday and Tuesday, a fast moving system could dust southern counties with light snow. Nothing to panic about, just winter reminding us it's still here. By Wednesday, sunshine returns with temps near the upper 20s. Right around normal. Quick note on air quality. We're at moderate levels today, so take it easy if you're sensitive. And the good news? We're gaining almost 3 minutes of daylight every single day now. Sunrise at 6:33, sunset at 5:18. That extra evening light is real. One more thing. If this forecast helped you plan your Friday, share it with a neighbor. Word of mouth keeps us going. Stay safe out there. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.