South Dakota, 2015

Heavy Snow in South Dakota, May 9 to 11, 2015

May 9 to 11, 2015 · NWS ABR · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A strong low pressure system moving across the region brought widespread rainfall along with snow to the northwest part of the region. Snow fell across much of north central South Dakota with heavy wet snow occurring west of the Missouri River across Corson and Dewey counties.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
2

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 strong low pressure system moving across the region brought widespread rainfall along with snow to the northwest part of the region. Snow fell across much of north central South Dakota with heavy wet snow occurring west of the Missouri River across Corson and Dewey counties. Snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 12 inches. Some snowfall amounts included, 6 inches at Timber Lake; 7 inches 10 miles southwest of McLaughlin; 8 inches 5 miles south of Morristown, and 14 miles northeast of Isabel with 12 inches 5 miles northwest of Firesteel. Travel problems occurred as a result of the heavy snow along with some power outages and tree branches downed. The system also brought some severe weather in the form of large hail to parts of northeast South Dakota.

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 May 9, 9:04 PM CST, 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 9, 9:04 PM CST, 56 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, May 9, 3:09 AM CST, 18 hours 51 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

2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Corson

When
May 9, 10:00 PM CST to May 11, 7:00 AM CST
Where
Corson forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.709, -101.197 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Dewey

When
May 9, 10:00 PM CST to May 11, 7:00 AM CST
Where
Dewey forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.157, -100.872 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Dakota in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, May 2015

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: 580410, 580411.