Record Warm Autumn

The climatological fall (September through November) of 2015 across central and northeast South Dakota was one of the warmest across the region since records began. In fact, Watertown had its warmest fall on record with 51.8 degrees, which is 7 degrees above normal. Aberdeen, Timber Lake, and Kennebec all had their second warmest fall on record. Sisseton and Mobridge were ranked third in the all-time warmest falls, while Pierre was the tenth warmest. You have to go back over 50 years to 1963 to find a fall comparable to this fall.

The fall of 2015 was also drier than normal across central and northeast South Dakota with Kennebec the only location with above normal precipitation. Precipitation amounts were anywhere from nearly an inch below normal at Pierre and Mobridge to nearly 3 inches below normal at Sisseton. Kennebec was nearly a half inch above normal.

Location	2015 Fall Temp	Normal Fall Temp	Dep from Normal	2015 Ranking	Record Warmest	Year
Watertown	51.8	44.8	+7.0	Warmest	51.8	2015
Aberdeen	51.0	44.5	+6.5	2^nd	52.9	1931
Pierre	52.2	48.4	+3.8	10^th	54.5	1963
Sisseton	51.5	45.6	+5.9	3^rd	53.6	1963
Mobridge	52.3	46.6	+5.7	3^rd	53.1	1963
Timber Lake	51.2	46.7	+4.5	2^nd	52.0	1963
Kennebec	54.2	49.4	+4.8	2^nd	54.6	1963