Blizzard in South Dakota, April 13 to 14, 2018

Name: Blizzard in South Dakota, April 13 to 14, 2018
Start: 2018-04-13T08:00
End: 2018-04-14T12:00
Location: South Dakota

April 13 to 14, 2018 · NWS ABR · 18 events in 18 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 18 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: 18

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 rare mid-April blizzard affected most of central and northeast South Dakota from April 13th into April 15th. Heavy snowfall along with high winds brought widespread blizzard conditions to the region. Snowfall amounts from 6 to as much as 20 inches along with wind gusts to over 60 mph brought hazardous, if not impossible travel. In fact, both Interstate-29 and Interstate-90 were closed due to the heavy snow and blizzard conditions. Parts of both Interstates were re-opened on the 14th, while the rest opened on the morning of the 15th.

Dozens of schools were closed on the 13th along with many state government offices. Many activities and events were also postponed or cancelled. Despite the cancellations and delays, the South Dakota Highway patrol still responded to hundreds of calls for service to assist stranded motorists. The wet conditions/mud, snow, and wind greatly affected cattle producers trying to protect newborn calves. As a result of the blizzard there were some calf losses across the region. The winds subsided on the 14th for many locations, leading to improved visibility, while periods of snow continued into the 15th across eastern South Dakota.

Snowfall amounts include 6 inches at Onida and Watertown, 7 inches at Murdo, Highmore, and Pierre, 8 inches at Clark and 6 miles east of Hayes, 9 inches at Milbank and Orient, 10 inches at Seneca and 12 miles north of Highmore, and 11 inches at Castlewood and near Vivian. Locations with a foot or more include 12 inches at Presho, 13 inches at Miller, 14 inches at Gann Valley, 17 inches at Kennebec, 18 inches at Clear Lake, and 20 inches near Gary. The highest measured wind gust was 66 mph at Danforth in southern Hand county.

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 Apr 12, 5:38 PM CST, 14 hours 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 12, 5:38 PM CST, 14 hours 22 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

18 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Hyde

When: April 13, 8:00 AM CST to April 14, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Hyde forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 44.547, -99.487 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Dewey

When: April 13, 9:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Dewey forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.157, -100.872 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Sully

When: April 13, 9:00 AM CST to April 14, 1:00 AM CST
Where: Sully forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 44.716, -100.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Faulk

When: April 13, 9:00 AM CST to April 14, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Faulk forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.071, -99.145 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Deuel

When: April 13, 9:00 AM CST to April 14, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Deuel forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 44.760, -96.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Stanley

When: April 13, 10:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Stanley forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 44.412, -100.736 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Jones

When: April 13, 10:00 AM CST to April 14, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Jones forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 43.961, -100.690 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Potter

When: April 13, 10:00 AM CST to April 14, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Potter forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.065, -99.957 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Hughes

When: April 13, 10:00 AM CST to April 14, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Hughes forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 44.389, -99.996 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Lyman

When: April 13, 10:00 AM CST to April 14, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Lyman forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 43.896, -99.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Hand

When: April 13, 10:00 AM CST to April 14, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Hand forecast zone
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 44.548, -99.005 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Buffalo

When: April 13, 10:00 AM CST to April 14, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Buffalo forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 44.076, -99.205 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Spink

When: April 13, 10:00 AM CST to April 14, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Spink forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 44.938, -98.346 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Clark

When: April 13, 11:00 AM CST to April 14, 11:00 AM 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, Codington

When: April 13, 1:00 PM CST to April 14, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Codington forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 44.978, -97.189 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Hamlin

When: April 13, 1:00 PM CST to April 14, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Hamlin forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 44.674, -97.188 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Grant

When: April 13, 2:00 PM CST to April 14, 11:00 AM 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, Day

When: April 13, 5:00 PM CST to April 14, 11:00 AM CST
Where: Day forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 45.367, -97.607 (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

Every storm in South Dakota in 2018 Every state in 2018 This day in weather history Warnings in South Dakota, April 2018

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: 752029, 752017, 752022, 752026, 752427, 752018, 752019, 752021, 752023, 752024, 752032, 752033, 752035, 752042, 752043, 752044, 752045, 752041.