South Dakota, 1996

Blizzard in South Dakota, March 24, 1996

March 24, 1996 · NWS ABR · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

On the morning of the 24th, north winds of 30 to 40 mph, gusting to 55 mph, combined with the falling snow and the previous day's snowfall to create blizzard conditions into the late evening of the 24th. Travel was extremely difficult.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS ABR wrote it up.

On the morning of the 24th, north winds of 30 to 40 mph, gusting to 55 mph, combined with the falling snow and the previous day's snowfall to create blizzard conditions into the late evening of the 24th. Travel was extremely difficult. Several cars went into the ditch and flights out of Aberdeen were canceled on the 24th. Also, several activities were canceled and some schools were delayed or canceled on the 25th. Some of the more significant two day snowfall amounts include, 6 inches at Sisseton and Aberdeen, 7 inches at Sand Lake NWR, 8 inches 3E 4S Veblen, 9 inches at Britton, and 10 inches 4N 2E Victor.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Brown

When
March 24, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Brown forecast zone
Coordinates
45.590, -98.352 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Marshall

When
March 24, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Marshall forecast zone
Coordinates
45.759, -97.598 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Roberts

When
March 24, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Roberts forecast zone
Coordinates
45.630, -96.946 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Day

When
March 24, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Day forecast zone
Coordinates
45.367, -97.607 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Spink

When
March 24, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Spink forecast zone
Coordinates
44.938, -98.346 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Grant

When
March 24, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where
Grant forecast zone
Coordinates
45.172, -96.768 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Blizzard
Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Dakota in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, March 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5548215, 5548216, 5548217, 5548218, 5548219, 5548220.