South Dakota Weather: 02-22-2026

Good morning! I'm Aaron Jolly. And welcome to the South Dakota Weather Podcast — it's Sunday, February 22nd. Step outside right now and you'll feel 4 degrees statewide. But here's where it gets interesting: by this afternoon, the state splits like a cracked windshield. Eastern South Dakota stays locked in the deep freeze. You'll barely scrape 21 degrees around 4 P.M. Winds from the north-northwest at 11 miles an hour make it feel like minus 13 around 5 A.M. — that's the kind of cold that finds every gap in your coat. Tonight? You drop to 1 degree by 4 A.M. Monday. Cover that skin if you're heading out early. Central South Dakota gets a slightly gentler version. You'll wake up to 5 degrees around 7 A.M., then climb to 25 by 4 P.M. Still chilly, with winds at 8 miles an hour making it feel like minus 11 early on. Partly cloudy skies tonight, but no snow. Western South Dakota? You're the warm spot today. Lows hit 9 degrees around 6 A.M., then you'll reach 32 by 3 P.M. — that's 10 degrees above normal for late February. Winds shift southwest around 6 A.M., easing the bite. Mostly clear tonight, with lows around 14. Monday brings a dramatic warmup — highs jump to the 40s and 50s statewide. Midweek, a storm system rolls in with rain and snow chances, especially Wednesday when eastern regions could see a wintry mix. Then? Another twist: 60 degrees by Friday, followed by a sharp cooldown next weekend. Sunrise today at 7:16 A.M., sunset at 6:07 P.M. — we're gaining nearly 3 minutes of daylight. Quick favor: if this helps you plan your Sunday, share it with a friend who could use the heads up. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.