South Dakota, 2002

Winter Storm in South Dakota, March 14, 2002

March 14, 2002 · NWS ABR · 14 events in 14 counties and zones

Heavy snow of 6 to 16 inches fell across parts of central and northeast South Dakota from the early morning to the evening hours. Some freezing rain fell across parts of the area before changing over to snow.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 14 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
14

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.

Heavy snow of 6 to 16 inches fell across parts of central and northeast South Dakota from the early morning to the evening hours. Some freezing rain fell across parts of the area before changing over to snow. Also, the winds increased from the north resulting in blowing snow and reduced visibilities. The combination of ice, heavy snow, and blowing snow resulted in very difficult travel conditions. There were several accidents across the area along with many vehicles sliding off the road. Schools either started late or were closed. Some snowfall amounts included, 6 inches at Blunt, 7 inches at Murdo, 8 inches at Stephan and Clark, 9 inches at Gann Valley and Miller, and 11 inches at Highmore and Watertown. Locations with a foot or more of snowfall included, 12 inches at Hayti and Milbank, 14 inches at Castlewood and Presho, 15 inches at Clear Lake, and 16 inches at Kennebec.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Aberdeen, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 13, 9:00 PM CST, 6 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 13, 9:00 PM CST, 6 hours before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Jones

When
March 14, 3:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Jones forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.961, -100.690 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Stanley

When
March 14, 3:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Stanley forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.412, -100.736 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lyman

When
March 14, 4:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Lyman forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
43.896, -99.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Sully

When
March 14, 4:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Sully forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.716, -100.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Buffalo

When
March 14, 5:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Buffalo forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.076, -99.205 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hyde

When
March 14, 5:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Hyde forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.547, -99.487 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hand

When
March 14, 6:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Hand forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.548, -99.005 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hughes

When
March 14, 7:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Hughes forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.389, -99.996 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Clark

When
March 14, 7:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where
Clark forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.858, -97.729 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hamlin

When
March 14, 7:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Hamlin forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.674, -97.188 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Spink

When
March 14, 7:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Spink forecast zone
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
44.938, -98.346 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Codington

When
March 14, 8:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where
Codington forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.978, -97.189 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Deuel

When
March 14, 8:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where
Deuel forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.760, -96.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Grant

When
March 14, 8:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where
Grant forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.172, -96.768 (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 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, March 2002

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: 5285872, 5285967, 5285873, 5285968, 5285871, 5285966, 5285874, 5285965, 5285969, 5285973, 5285974, 5285970, 5285971, 5285972.