South Dakota, 2001

Winter Storm in South Dakota, February 6 to 8, 2001

February 6 to 8, 2001 · NWS UNR · 16 events in 16 counties and zones

A digging upper level trough over the Southwestern United States supported an overrunning/warm front pattern to develop over the northern plains and along the front range of the central and northern Rockies. Strong low level, moisture laden warm air moved over cold air already in place over the northern plains.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 16 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
16

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 UNR wrote it up.

A digging upper level trough over the Southwestern United States supported an overrunning/warm front pattern to develop over the northern plains and along the front range of the central and northern Rockies. Strong low level, moisture laden warm air moved over cold air already in place over the northern plains. Snowfall developed quickly over western South Dakota during the afternoon and evening of Feb. 6. By early the morning of the 7th, heavy snow had fallen over much of western South Dakota. Nearly every county in western South Dakota reported 6 to 9 inches. The heaviest snow fell in a wide swath from the northern and central Black Hills, across Meade, and into Ziebach counties. In this area of heaviest snow, most reported snowfall was 8 to 12 inches. A significant area in the Central and Northern Black Hills recieved more than 18 inches.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Meade Co. Plains

When
February 6, 3:30 PM MST to February 7, 7:00 AM MST
Where
Meade Co. Plains forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.567, -102.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northern Black Hills

When
February 6, 3:30 PM MST to February 7, 5:30 AM MST
Where
Northern Black Hills forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.310, -103.111 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Central Foot Hills

When
February 6, 3:30 PM MST to February 7, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Central Foot Hills forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.004, -102.824 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southern Foot Hills

When
February 6, 3:30 PM MST to February 7, 7:00 AM MST
Where
Southern Foot Hills forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.239, -103.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Central Black Hills

When
February 6, 3:30 PM MST to February 7, 1:00 AM MST
Where
Central Black Hills forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.841, -103.137 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southern Black Hills

When
February 6, 3:30 PM MST to 11:30 PM MST
Where
Southern Black Hills forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.678, -103.451 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Custer Plains

When
February 6, 3:30 PM MST to February 7, 7:00 PM MST
Where
Custer Plains forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.678, -103.451 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Butte

When
February 6, 3:30 PM MST to February 7, 2:15 AM MST
Where
Butte forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.906, -103.508 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Harding

When
February 6, 3:30 PM MST to February 7, 11:45 AM MST
Where
Harding forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.580, -103.496 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Perkins

When
February 6, 3:30 PM MST to February 8, 12:00 PM MST
Where
Perkins forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.491, -102.476 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Haakon

When
February 6, 3:30 PM MST to February 7, 9:00 AM MST
Where
Haakon forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.294, -101.540 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northern Foot Hills

When
February 6, 3:30 PM MST to February 7, 1:50 AM MST
Where
Northern Foot Hills forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.359, -103.792 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Pennington Plains

When
February 6, 7:00 PM MST to February 7, 9:00 PM MST
Where
Pennington Plains forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.004, -102.824 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Oglala Lakota

When
February 6, 7:00 PM MST to February 7, 7:00 PM MST
Where
Oglala Lakota forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.336, -102.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Jackson

When
February 6, 7:00 PM MST to February 7, 6:30 PM MST
Where
Jackson forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.694, -101.628 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Ziebach

When
February 6, 7:00 PM MST to February 7, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Ziebach forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.980, -101.666 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Dakota in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, February 2001

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: 5230449, 5230450, 5230451, 5230452, 5230453, 5230454, 5230542, 5230546, 5230548, 5230549, 5230550, 5230551, 5230543, 5230544, 5230545, 5230547.