High Wind — Hanson, South Dakota

2026-01-16 · Hanson, South Dakota

Event narrative

Sustained winds reached 40 to 42 mph at times with a peak gust of 55 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site 4 miles east-northeast of Alexandria.

Wider weather episode

Northwest winds surged behind a strong arctic cold front which moved across the region early on January 16. The strongest winds were generally west of the James River Valley where gusts to 60 to 70 mph were common. While areas of light snowfall generally on the order from a dusting to an inch fell before and concurrent with the strong winds, there were only very spotty and brief instances of visibility below one mile.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1313979. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.