Minnehaha storm history

A deceased woman was found outdoors on January 19 just outside the city limits of Sioux Falls to the north of Family Park. Law enforcement noted the cause of death was exposure to the cold weather. Wind chill values throughout the day generally ranged from 10 to 30 below zero at …

A thunderstorm wind gust of 81 mph was measured by South Dakota State University mesonet site CTNS2 2 miles east-southeast of Colton. Wind-driven debris went through the windshield of a vehicle and caused the (direct) fatality to the passenger near Colton.

A tree was blown down onto a house. A large tree was also blown down on a car which resulted in the fatality of the driver.

A period of freezing drizzle produced a thin glaze of ice on surfaces during the late afternoon and early evening of February 21. Slick roads caused a two-car accident in the northern portion of Sioux Falls which resulted in the fatality (indirect) of one driver. Precipitation ch…

Snowfall, heavy at times between 1200-1600CST, accumulated to 7.0 inches on the west side of Sioux Falls, 6.5 inches 2 miles west southwest of Garretson, and 6.0 inches 4 miles northwest of Renner and 6 miles south of Hartford. Poor road conditions at the onset led to numerous ac…

Light freezing rain created a glaze of ice on roadways late in the evening of November 5. One fatality (indirect) occurred when a vehicle lost control on an ice-covered bridge on Interstate 229 in Sioux Falls, rolled down an embankment and struck a tree. A 16-year-old passenger i…

Periods of light freezing rain and freezing drizzle resulted in a glaze of ice on roadways and treacherous driving conditions. A 54-year-old male was killed (indirect) when his vehicle lost control on an icy bridge, left the roadway and rolled near Humboldt around 1350CST.

After a very brief period of light snow, periods of light freezing rain and freezing drizzle resulted in treacherous road conditions with up to a few hundredths of an inch accumulation. One fatality and four injuries (indirect) occurred the following morning when a vehicle lost c…

Snowfall of 4 to 6 inches, including 6 inches at Sioux Falls, was accompanied by light to moderate winds. A 70 year old woman died of exposure in Sioux Falls after wandering away from her assisted living facility at night. Wind chills at the time varied from zero to 5 above.

Freezing rain and freezing drizzle, mixed at times with snow, produced a light glazing of ice, making driving and walking surfaces very slick. A man from Minnesota was killed when his vehicle slid off Interstate 90 near Brandon and rolled in a ditch.

High winds destroyed several farm buildings in the Baltic and Dell Rapids area. There were also numerous reports of funnel clouds in the area. The storm was blamed for a two vehicle crash on a road west of Interstate 29 killing one driver and injuring the other. Roads were closed…

Winds gusted as high as 63 mph near Dell Rapids and 62 mph at Sioux Falls, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 4.5 inches 6 miles south of Hartford, 3.0 inches at Colton and 2.8 inches at Sioux Falls resulted in widespread whiteout conditions…

Temperatures reaching the 90s to a few degrees above 100, and high humidity with dew points in the 70s, caused an extended period of excessive heat. The heat index peaked at 100 to 110 degrees each day, and did not fall enough at night to provide much relief to indoor locations t…

Snow melt and heavy rainfall (measured 2.74 inches at Hartford, 2.25 inches at Colton, and 2.49 inches at Sioux Falls) resulted in extensive flooding of the Sioux Falls park system near the natural channel of the Big Sioux River around the southern side of Sioux Falls. Water, and…

Numerous flooding reports across the city of Sioux Falls and Minnehaha County, with several closed roads. Reports through social media as well as law enforcement. Other flooding resulted in extensive damage to public infrastructure including numerous county and township roads, cu…

Thunderstorm winds estimated at 100 mph caused widespread damage to trees and power lines and damaged several homes. Many trees were blown over or completely uprooted. At least one house was completely destroyed, and others had parts of their roofs blown off. Windows were broken …

Large hail caused widespread damage to vehicles, windows, roofs, and siding.

Large hail broke windows and damaged many vehicles, as well as siding and roofs. One automobile dealer with a large temporary outdoor display reported four thousand vehicles were damaged.

An extended period of precipitation began with freezing rain quickly producing heavy ice accumulations, ranging up to more than a half inch in Sioux Falls. The precipitation then changed to sleet and then snow, with sleet and snow accumulations reaching 10 inches near Wall Lake. …

Rainfall of 3 to 8 inches caused flooding of numerous basements. Structural damaged was caused to several of the basements as walls caved in. Ground floors of several residences, businesses, and schools were flooded, including a dentists office. There was significant damage to co…

Flash flooding of streams, roads, lowlands, homes, and other buildings was especially severe in the Valley Springs area. Most of the town was flooded, with widespread damage to basements and first floors of homes. The flooding left a layer of mud over much of the town. The sewer …

Large hail severely damaged vehicles and also broke windows and damaged siding in some buildings. The hail was reported at several places around the city, but the damage was greatest in the southeast part of Sioux Falls.One insurance company expected about three thousand claims f…

Nearly stationary thunderstorms dumped five to seven one-half inches of rain and hail within three hours on the southwest side of Sioux Falls causing major urban flooding and a flash flood on an area creek. At least 200 basements were flooded by water and sewage as the storm and …

Short duration near-blizzard conditions occurred, divided by a longer improvement in conditions as falling snow ended for a time during the afternoon and early evening. Gusty northwest winds from 35 to 50 mph were concurrent with light snowfall, which totaled 1.5 to 2.5 inches ar…

Northwest winds were sustained between 40 and 43 mph at times, with gusts as high as 59 mph 3 miles west of Dell Rapids and at Sioux Falls.

Wind chills reached as low as -26 degrees at a South Dakota Mesonet site 2 miles east-southeast of Colton and -25 degrees at a South Dakota Mesonet site at Wall Lake and near Dell Rapids.

Snowfall totaled 4.5 inches at Sioux Falls, 3.8 inches 7 miles west of Garretson, 3.5 inches 6 miles east-northeast of Sioux Falls, and 3.1 inches 5 miles east of Sioux Falls.

Synoptic northwest winds were sustained from 40 to 48 mph with a peak gust of 71 mph at an Automated Surface Observing System site at Sioux Falls and a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site 3 miles west of Dell Rapids. The high winds collapsed an incomplete wood-frame…

Snowfall totaled 7.1 inches at Hartford and 5 to 7 inches across Sioux Falls. The official snowfall total at Sioux Falls Regional Airport was 4.9 inches.

A long-duration snowfall totaled 6.6 inches at Crooks and 3 miles east of Sioux Falls, 6.3 inches 5 miles east of Sioux Falls, and 6.2 inches 5 miles west-southwest of Sioux Falls.

Snowfall totaled 5.0 inches 4 miles northwest of Renner, 4.5 inches 2 miles west-southwest of Garretson, and 4.0 inches 5 miles southeast of Sioux Falls.

Significant street flooding was reported near the Sioux Empire Mall on South Louise Avenue as well as areas west of Interstate 29 near Marion Road south of 41st Street.