South Dakota, 2016

Blizzard in South Dakota, November 18, 2016

November 18, 2016 · NWS ABR · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A strong surface low pressure area moved northeast across the region and brought snowfall from 2 to 7 inches to northeast South Dakota. Along with the snow, strong northwest sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 60 to 70 mph brought blizzard conditions to all of the region from the morning into the afternoon hours.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
8

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 surface low pressure area moved northeast across the region and brought snowfall from 2 to 7 inches to northeast South Dakota. Along with the snow, strong northwest sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 60 to 70 mph brought blizzard conditions to all of the region from the morning into the afternoon hours. The highest snowfall amount was near Watertown with 7 inches and the highest wind gusts were 61 mph near Estelline and 71 mph at Summit. There was a No Travel Advisory issued for a few counties with whiteout conditions reported along I-29. Many schools were also cancelled. The snowfall began between 4 and 6 in the morning and ended by 4 in the afternoon.

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 Nov 18, 2:47 AM CST, 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 18, 2:47 AM CST, 13 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

8 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Marshall

When
November 18, 3:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Marshall forecast zone
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
45.759, -97.598 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Codington

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Codington forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
44.978, -97.189 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Roberts

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Roberts forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
45.630, -96.946 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Grant

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Grant forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
45.172, -96.768 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Deuel

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where
Deuel forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
44.760, -96.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Day

When
November 18, 7:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Day forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
45.367, -97.607 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Clark

When
November 18, 7:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Clark forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
44.858, -97.729 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Hamlin

When
November 18, 7:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Hamlin forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
44.674, -97.188 (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 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, November 2016

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: 665885, 665888, 665890, 665891, 665892, 665886, 665887, 665889.