Potent Winter Storm Poised to Hit the Great Plains

Winter Storm Set to Pummel Black Hills Region

A major winter storm is brewing over the Great Plains, with the Black Hills region in western South Dakota and eastern Wyoming expected to bear the brunt of the snowfall. A Winter Storm Watch has been issued for the entire Newscenter1 viewing area, with heavy snow expected from Monday evening through Wednesday morning.

Some areas could see 6-12 inches of snow, while many areas will likely see over 12 inches. High winds on Tuesday could gust over 55 MPH, leading to blizzard conditions. Temperatures on Tuesday will likely struggle to climb above the high teens/low 20s.

Ranchers and those in calving season should complete preparations no later than noon on Monday. The National Weather Service has warned that roads will likely be shut down and/or undrivable for 24-72 hours, and preparations to protect life and property should be taken seriously.

Potent April Snowstorm to Hit Northern Plains

Further east, a potent late-season winter storm is set to bring severe winter weather conditions to much of the northern plains from Tuesday through Thursday morning. Heavy snow, possibly more than a foot in some areas, along with strong winds will likely shut down much of the region for a couple of days.

The snow will move in from south to north on Tuesday and it will hit the I94 corridor first before reaching Highway 2 and areas north until midday. Winds will be increasing during the day from the northeast at 20-30mph, gusting to 40mph on Tuesday creating low visibility in areas with snow.

Blizzard conditions, with heavy blowing and drifting along with extremely low visibility are likely to develop on Tuesday and may last into Thursday morning. Snow will be likely across the valley on Tuesday, Tuesday night, and Wednesday with mixed precipitation for southeastern portions of the region resulting in lesser snowfall totals.

The area of low pressure will also bring windy conditions with gusts over 40 mph looking likely for many places, leading to areas of blowing and drifting snow across the Red River Valley, possibly greatly impacting travel.

Potent Winter Storm to Hit Western South Dakota, Eastern Wyoming, and Northern Nebraska

A potent winter storm is expected to bring blizzard conditions to much of western South Dakota, eastern Wyoming, and northern Nebraska from early Monday morning through Wednesday evening. Blizzard warnings have been issued by the Rapid City National Weather Service that will last through Wednesday evening.

The highest impacts of this storm are expected to be seen in the northern Black Hills, eastern foothills, and western plains. Snow is expected to move into the region from the south-southwest early Monday morning, with the heaviest snow likely to occur between 12:00 am and 6:00 am on Tuesday.

Widespread accumulations greater than 12 inches are expected, with the highest totals being in, and east of the Black Hills. Upslope winds will likely lead to enhanced snowfall over the northeastern Black Hills. Winds gusting up to 65 mph on Tuesday will lead to blizzard conditions for western South Dakota, with visibility likely to drop to zero at times.

The snow is expected to taper off starting with the western portion of the region on Wednesday morning but blizzard conditions will persist through Wednesday evening. Roads will likely be shut down and/or undrivable for 24-72 hours, and preparations to protect life and property should be taken seriously and finished up no later than noon on Monday.

The Newscenter1 weather app for iOS and Android can be downloaded to stay up-to-date on the most current weather information.

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons