Watertown weather in July

In July, Watertown sees average daytime highs of 80°F and overnight lows near 62°F, with 3.1 in of rain across 9.4 wet days and about 15.1 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 4th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 80°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time in July, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 15 h 24 min at the start of July to 14 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, July is Watertown's 1st-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Watertown's year-round climate.

Daytime high
80°
1st warmest
Overnight low
62°
12th coldest
Rainfall
3.1 in
9.4 wet days
Daylight
15 h 06 min
5:01 AM – 8:07 PM
Cloud cover
44%
1st clearest
Wind
9 mph
11th windiest
Solar energy
6.64 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.9
out of 10

Watertown is city in and county seat of Codington County, South Dakota, United States.

Density
329/km²
people per km²
Founded
1879

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in July

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 80°F through the month.

A typical July day in Watertown reaches about 80°F in the afternoon and slips back to 62°F overnight — a 19°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 72°F and 89°F. Set against its neighbours, July runs about 5°F warmer than June and about 2°F warmer than August.

50°60°70°80°90°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
17960
27961
37961
48061
58061
68061
78061
88062
98062
108062
118162
128162
138162
148162
158162
168162
178162
188162
198162
208162
218162
228162
238162
248162
258062
268061
278061
288061
298061
308061
318061

How July really feels in Watertown

Once humidity and wind are folded in, July averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

July sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Watertown weather by month

How July compares with the rest of the year at a glance. July is the 1st-warmest and 4th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan21° / 0.95.25.490.0
Feb25° / 10°0.84.64.610.10.0
Mar38° / 21°1.663.811.60.2
Apr53° / 33°2.89.5313.23.0
May66° / 46°3.411.40.114.65.7
Jun75° / 57°4.412.2015.36.5
Jul80° / 62°3.19.4015.16.9
Aug78° / 59°3.29.3013.97.1
Sep71° / 50°2.58012.37.0
Oct56° / 37°2.26.91.210.74.1
Nov40° / 24°1.353.69.40.4
Dec26° / 13°0.955.48.70.0

Cloud cover in July

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 48% of the time in July, the clearest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 20% of July, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 32%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16337
26436
36436
46436
56535
66535
76535
86535
96634
106634
116733
126733
136832
146832
156832
166832
176931
186931
196931
206931
217030
227030
237129
247129
257129
267129
277129
287228
297129
307129
317030

Chance of precipitation in July

Any precipitation

Watertown gets around 3.1 in of rain over 9.4 wet days in July. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 30% and peaks near 34% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
134
234
333
433
533
632
732
831
931
1030
1130
1230
1329
1429
1529
1629
1729
1829
1929
2029
2129
2229
2329
2429
2530
2630
2730
2830
2931
3031
3131

Humidity in July

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of July feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, July lands in the comfortable band about 26% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 27% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)Miserable (%)
12924271820
22824271930
32724271930
42624271930
52525282030
62425282030
72225282140
82126282140
92026282240
101927282240
111926272350
121826272350
131826262461
141826262461
151826252471
161826252471
171826252371
181826242381
191826242381
201827242281
211927242281
221927242281
232027242181
242028232170
252128232070
262128242070
272129241970
282229241960
292229251960
302229251950
312229261850

Wind in July

Winds average 9 mph in July.

Across July, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 9 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
19light breeze
29light breeze
39light breeze
49light breeze
59light breeze
69light breeze
79light breeze
89light breeze
99light breeze
109light breeze
119light breeze
129light breeze
139light breeze
149light breeze
159light breeze
169light breeze
179light breeze
189light breeze
199light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze
298light breeze
308light breeze
318light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in July

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 15 h 24 min at the start of July to 14 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 48 minutes over July. Sunrise moves from 4:51 AM to 5:17 AM, and sunset from 8:13 PM to 7:52 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
115.44:518:13
215.44:518:13
315.34:528:13
415.34:528:12
515.34:538:12
615.34:548:12
715.34:548:11
815.34:558:11
915.34:568:11
1015.24:568:10
1115.24:578:10
1215.24:588:09
1315.24:598:09
1415.15:008:08
1515.15:018:07
1615.15:018:07
1715.15:028:06
1815.05:038:05
1915.05:048:05
2015.05:058:04
2114.95:068:03
2214.95:078:02
2314.95:088:01
2414.85:098:00
2514.85:107:59
2614.85:117:58
2714.75:127:57
2814.75:137:56
2914.75:157:55
3014.65:167:54
3114.65:177:52

Solar energy in July

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in July, about 6.64 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.56 kWh/m² to a high of 6.64 kWh/m² in July across the year — July's 6.64 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.7Intense
26.7Intense
36.7Intense
46.7Intense
56.7Intense
66.7Intense
76.7Intense
86.7Intense
96.7Intense
106.7Intense
116.7Intense
126.7Intense
136.7Intense
146.7Intense
156.7Intense
166.7Intense
176.7Intense
186.6Intense
196.6Intense
206.6Intense
216.6Intense
226.5Intense
236.5Intense
246.5Intense
256.5Intense
266.5Intense
276.4Intense
286.4Intense
296.3Intense
306.3Intense
316.3Intense
Planning a trip in July

Hazard calendar for Watertown

In seasonPeak

In July, Watertown sits inside its atlantic hurricane and rainy season season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Watertown sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.

Watertown's rainy season runs April–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Atlantic hurricane
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is July a good time to visit Watertown?

Our two travel scores rate July for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.9
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
6.9
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

July is a reasonable time to visit Watertown for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Watertown in July

From July's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In July, Watertown sees daytime highs around 80°F and nights near 62°F. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

sun protectionlight clothesrain gear

UV index in Watertown in July

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in July peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Watertown peaks around June 19 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJun 19UV 9Jan 1UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5Moderate
May6High
Jun9Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low
Location & terrain

Where is Watertown?

Watertown sits at 44.9°N, 97.1°W, 1,732 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Brookings, 43 mi away.

Topography around Watertown

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Watertown.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Watertown has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 115 ft around an average of 1,736 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 344 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,237 ft.

The land around Watertown is covered by grassland (38%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 2 miles, cropland (58%) and grassland (28%) within 10 miles, and cropland (62%) and grassland (29%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
115 ft
10 miles
344 ft
50 miles
1,237 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
July weather nearby: Brookings 43 mi · Aberdeen 78 mi · Mitchell 94 mi · Sioux Falls 96 mi · Willmar 103 mi · West Fargo 137 mi · Moorhead 137 mi · Fargo 137 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Watertown (44.8994°, -97.1151°, elevation 1,732 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).