Blizzard in Pennington Co Plains, South Dakota

A powerful winter storm moved slowly across the central and northern Plains to the upper Midwest; bringing heavy snow, some mixed precipitation, strong winds, and periods of blizzard or near blizzard conditions across the plains for a multi-day period. Snowfall was heaviest from northwestern to south central South Dakota and across the northern Black Hills. Precipitation started as a mix in the form of rain, freezing rain, and freezing drizzle across much of the plains, then changed to snow in most areas by the daytime hours on the 13th. Bands of snow were moderate to heavy at times in many areas, with a very prolonged period of upslope enhanced snowfall across the northern Black Hills. Amounts across the area ranged from one foot to over two feet across much of the plains, with the highest amounts generally from Oglala Lakota County into parts of south central South Dakota. Lesser amounts were noted over portions of southwestern South Dakota, from Rapid City and the central Black Hills to Fall River County, due to predominant downslope winds. The highest amounts were noted across the northern Black Hills area, where 18 to 36 inches were recorded in many areas, with favored locations across the higher elevations received three to four feet or more over several days. Wind gusts of 40 to over 60 mph caused considerable blowing and drifting snow, with drifts to ten feet noted on the plains. Interstate 90 was closed from the Wyoming/South Dakota state line to the Missouri River for more than three days, with travel on many secondary roads becoming very difficult to impossible on the plains and the northern Black Hills area. Six deaths reported in Todd and Mellette counties, mostly due to medical emergencies in which emergency services were unable to reach these people in time. However, two people died due to hypothermia from exposure to the cold.