Dry eyes in Rapid City, South Dakota

Rapid City’s eyes contend with wind more than anything. The National Weather Service recorded a 10.3 mph average wind at the airport in 2025 and a 94 mph gust on December 18. Late-summer afternoons dry out too, near 39 percent humidity in August by NOAA’s table. Wraparound eyewear, moist indoor air and a lubricating drop used as labeled are the practical answers.

How windy is Rapid City?

The NWS office in Rapid City issues an annual climate summary for the regional airport. The 2025 edition, issued January 1, 2026, lists an average wind speed of 10.3 mph for the year. On December 18 the highest sustained wind reached 70 mph and the peak gust 94 mph, both from the northwest. Those are December numbers, in the season when furnaces already have indoor air at its driest, so people got the outdoor and indoor versions of dry eyes in the same week.

Wind thins the tear film quickly. The oil layer on top normally slows evaporation from the watery layer beneath it, and a steady wind across the face overwhelms that. Eyes often water in response, but reflex tears are mostly water and drain away; once you’re back indoors, your eyes can feel drier than before you went out.

Rapid City humidity through the year

The same 2025 NWS summary put the year’s average relative humidity at 60 percent. NOAA’s Comparative Climatic Data table, which breaks humidity into morning and afternoon averages for each month, shows where the dry stretches fall:

• August afternoons average 39 percent, the lowest of the year.
• July and September afternoons run 42 and 41 percent.
• April and May afternoons sit near 48 to 49 percent as spring winds pick up.
• Winter afternoons climb to the 60s outdoors, but heated indoor air drops far below that.
• Across the year, mornings average 68 percent and afternoons 52 percent.

Black Hills weather swings

Rapid City sits where the plains meet the Black Hills, and NOAA lists the airport station at 963.2 meters, about 3,160 feet. Temperature ranges here are wide. The NWS summary for 2025 recorded a high of 106°F on June 20 and a low of minus 26°F on February 19. NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals give January highs of 36.0°F and lows of 12.7°F, with about 174 nights a year at or below freezing.

Snow arrives later than people expect. NOAA’s normals put April as the snowiest month at 10.1 inches, out of a 48.5-inch season. A spring storm followed by bright sun off fresh snow is a recipe for squinting, and squinting cuts down on full blinks. Sunglasses with side coverage handle glare and wind at the same time.

Visiting Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills

The National Park Service says just over two million people visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial each year, and its busiest months are June, July and August. Many of those visitors stay in Rapid City and spend whole days driving scenic routes, hiking and standing at overlooks in the wind, often after a long flight or road trip that already left their eyes tired.

• Pack the bottle in a day bag, not the car. A parked car in a sunny lot in July can get far warmer than the label allows.
• Keep car vents off your face on long scenic drives.
• Bring sunglasses that wrap around for overlooks and trails.
• Plan a drop at your midday stop rather than in the wind at a viewpoint.

Traveling with eye drops covers flights and packing in more detail.

Using Quell around Rapid City

The label lists Quell’s Uses as: For use as a protectant against further irritation or to relieve dryness of the eye. It is designed to reinforce the tear film’s oil layer to help reduce moisture loss, which is exactly what wind keeps stripping away. The directions read: Apply 1 drop 3 times per day in each eye. A windy day doesn’t change that number; better eyewear and timing make the bigger difference.

The label’s storage range is: Store between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F). Rapid City summers routinely pass the top of it in a closed car, and winter nights fall far below the bottom. Carry the bottle in a pocket or bag that comes inside with you. Check it before each use against the line: If this product changes color, and keep to the label’s handling rule: Do not touch tip of bottle to any surface to avoid contamination.

Ordering Quell to Rapid City

Quell ships from Brentwood, Tennessee, to addresses across the US, and Rapid City orders go out the same way. Shipping is $10.00, free on 3 or more bottles. No delivery date is promised, so if you’re planning a summer trip into the Hills, order before you leave. The Rapid City page and the South Dakota page have more.

Eyes that still hurt after a day out of the wind are a reason to stop and check the label: Stop use and ask a doctor if you feel eye pain or changes in your vision, if irritation or redness continues, or if the condition worsens or persists for 72 hours. The self-check can help you put what you’re noticing into words for an eye doctor. It is not a diagnosis.