Heavy Snow — Sully, South Dakota

2022-12-13 to 2022-12-16 · Sully, South Dakota

Event narrative

Eight inches of snow was recorded by 7am on the 14th in Onida. Additional accumulating snow fell thereafter.

Wider weather episode

A strong area of low pressure brought strong winds and periods of snow and heavy snow over a 4 plus day period. The bulk of the snow across central South Dakota fell between 6am on December 13th through 6am on December 14th, with more variability across northeastern South Dakota. Some of the highest snowfall totals by December 16th include 23 inches 4 miles north of Victor, 22.5 inches 2.6 miles NW of Okaton, 22 inches 14 miles NNE of Isabel and in Kennebec, 21 inches in Faulkton, 20.5 inches 7.1 miles WNW of Hecla, and 20 inches in Highmore and 8.3 miles SSW of Seneca.

The South Dakota Department of Transportation placed nearly the entire state under No Travel Advised or had road closures by Thursday December 15th, as numerous roads had become impassable. I90 closed from Chamberlain to Rapid City from 10am CST on December 13th through mid-day December 17th (from Kadoka to Chamberlain), and I29 closed from Watertown to the ND border from 7pm December 14th through 9am December 17th. Several dozens of semi drivers were stranded for consecutive days and nights at the Coffee Cup Fuel Stop in Vivian, and numerous other vehicle accidents and rescues occurred as well. Additionally, school was cancelled for multiple consecutive days at numerous locations.

The snow and heavy snow was just one component of a highly impactful, major winter storm. This storm was severe, widespread and prolonged in nature, and produced freezing rain, heavy snow and/or blizzard conditions from December 12th-16th across the region. A Major Disaster Declaration was declared on February 27th by Governor Noem for several counties across central and northeastern South Dakota for winter weather from December 12-25th.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1073718. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.