Winter Storm in South Dakota, February 25 to 26, 2009

Name: Winter Storm in South Dakota, February 25 to 26, 2009
Start: 2009-02-25T22:00
End: 2009-02-26T19:00
Location: South Dakota

February 25 to 26, 2009 · NWS ABR · 21 events in 21 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 21 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: 21

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.

A vigorous, but relatively fast moving winter storm tracked across South Dakota and brought impressive snowfall amounts to northern South Dakota. During part of the storm, snowfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches an hour were observed. The heaviest snow fell across north central and northeast South Dakota with a few locations picking up 12 to 16 inches of snow. Over central South Dakota, freezing rain and sleet mixed in with the snow limiting accumulations there. In fact, Lyman, Jones, and Stanley counties had significant icing and sleet accumulations. Glaze accumulations were from a quarter to a half inch along with sleet accumulations of up to 3 inches. Ice covered highways and sidewalks made driving and walking treacherous. There were many reports of cars going into the ditch.

Many area schools were cancelled on the 26th due to the heavy snow and icing. Several flights were also cancelled along with no postal delivery for some rural areas due to 3 to 4 foot drifts.

Some storm total snowfall amounts included; 8 inches at Miller, Orient, Seneca and Faulkton; 9 inches at Aberdeen, Columbia, Ree Heights; 10 inches at Ipswich, Turton, Webster, and Westport; 11 inches at Onaka; 12 inches at Redfield, Bowdle, and Leola; 13 inches at Sisseton, Mobridge, Roscoe and northeast of Isabel; 14 inches at Eureka, Selby, and northeast of Victor; 15 inches southeast of McIntosh and 16 inches at Pollock and Artas.

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 Feb 25, 9:00 PM CST, 1 hour earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 25, 9:00 PM CST, 1 hour before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 25, 5:04 AM CST, 16 hours 56 minutes 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

21 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Lyman

When: February 25, 10:00 PM CST to February 26, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Lyman forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.896, -99.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Dewey

When: February 25, 11:00 PM CST to February 26, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Dewey forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.157, -100.872 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Jones

When: February 25, 11:00 PM CST to February 26, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Jones forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 43.961, -100.690 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Corson

When: February 25, 11:30 PM CST to February 26, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Corson forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.709, -101.197 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Campbell

When: February 25, 11:30 PM CST to February 26, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Campbell forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.771, -100.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Walworth

When: February 25, 11:30 PM CST to February 26, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Walworth forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.430, -100.032 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Potter

When: February 25, 11:30 PM CST to February 26, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Potter forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.065, -99.957 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, McPherson

When: February 26, 1:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: McPherson forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.766, -99.221 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Edmunds

When: February 26, 1:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Edmunds forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.419, -99.215 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hand

When: February 26, 1:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Hand forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 44.548, -99.005 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Faulk

When: February 26, 2:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Faulk forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.071, -99.145 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Brown

When: February 26, 2:00 AM CST to 4:30 PM CST
Where: Brown forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.590, -98.352 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Spink

When: February 26, 2:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Spink forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 44.938, -98.346 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Marshall

When: February 26, 2:30 AM CST to 5:30 PM CST
Where: Marshall forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.759, -97.598 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Day

When: February 26, 2:30 AM CST to 5:30 PM CST
Where: Day forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.367, -97.607 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Clark

When: February 26, 3:00 AM CST to 5:30 PM CST
Where: Clark forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.858, -97.729 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Roberts

When: February 26, 3:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Roberts forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.630, -96.946 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Codington

When: February 26, 3:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Codington forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 44.978, -97.189 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hamlin

When: February 26, 3:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Hamlin forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 44.674, -97.188 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Grant

When: February 26, 3:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Grant forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.172, -96.768 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Deuel

When: February 26, 3:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Deuel forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 44.760, -96.668 (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

Every storm in South Dakota in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in South Dakota, February 2009

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: 155302, 155300, 155301, 155299, 155303, 155304, 155315, 155317, 155318, 155320, 155319, 155321, 155323, 155324, 155325, 155326, 155327, 155328, 155329, 155331, 155333.