Blizzard in South Dakota, December 23, 2020

Name: Blizzard in South Dakota, December 23, 2020
Start: 2020-12-23T03:00
End: 2020-12-23T17:30
Location: South Dakota

December 23, 2020 · NWS FSD · 24 events in 24 counties and zones

Conditions with temperatures at record or near-record warm levels on December 22 underwent a drastic change over a brief 24 hour period, as a sharp upper-level trough in westerly flow amplified while translating from the Pacific Northwest to the Plains. Low pressure developed and deepened rapidly while moving from South Dakota around 0000CST December 23 to the northern Great Lakes by 0600CST…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 24 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: 11
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 24

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 FSD wrote it up.

Very steep lower to mid-level lapse rates and lift focused within a 200-250hPa deep layer supportive of effective dendritic growth resulted in intense precipitation banding over a 5 to 8 hour period. Winds in the lower mixed layer reached 40 to 60 knots as Arctic air surged into the area behind the system, producing numerous hours of widespread whiteout conditions.

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 Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 22, 10:49 PM CST, 4 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 22, 10:49 PM CST, 4 hours 11 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 22, 8:35 PM CST, 6 hours 25 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

24 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Gregory

When: December 23, 3:00 AM CST to 12:30 PM CST
Where: Gregory forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 43.192, -99.186 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 66 mph near Dixon and 60 mph at Gregory, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 4.0 inches at Gregory and 4 miles south southwest of Pickstown and 3.5 inches 8 miles south southwest of Herrick and 4 miles southwest of Burke resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Jerauld

When: December 23, 4:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Jerauld forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 44.066, -98.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 52 mph at Wessington Springs, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 3.0 inches at Wessington Springs resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Beadle

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where: Beadle forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 44.415, -98.278 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 66 mph at Huron, 62 mph near Wolsey and 60 mph near Cavour, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 2.9 inches at Huron and 2.3 inches 2 miles southeast of Wessington resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Brule

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Brule forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 43.718, -99.081 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 66 mph at Kimball and 53 mph at Chamberlain, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 4.5 inches 2 miles south of Pukwana and 3.5 inches at Chamberlain resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Charles Mix

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where: Charles Mix forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 43.208, -98.588 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 69 mph 10 miles west of Platte and 66 mph 5 miles west of Geddes, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 4.0 inches at Platte and 3.0 inches 2 miles northeast of Academy resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Aurora

When: December 23, 6:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Aurora forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 43.718, -98.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 53 mph at White Lake, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 3.0 inches 4 miles southwest of Stickney and 1.5 inches at White Lake resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Douglas

When: December 23, 6:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where: Douglas forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 43.387, -98.366 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 59 mph at Platte and 54 mph at Parkston, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 1.1 inches 11 miles west of Dimock resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Kingsbury

When: December 23, 7:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where: Kingsbury forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 44.370, -97.491 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 57 mph near Arlington and 46 mph 3 miles north northwest of De Smet, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 3.0 inches at De Smet and 2.5 inches at Iroquois resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Sanborn

When: December 23, 7:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where: Sanborn forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 44.023, -98.091 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 61 mph near Forestburg, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 5.0 inches at Woonsocket and 3.0 inches 4 miles north northeast of Forestburg resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Davison

When: December 23, 7:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where: Davison forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 43.675, -98.146 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 66 mph at Mitchell, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 2.2 inches at Mitchell resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Hutchinson

When: December 23, 7:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 43.335, -97.754 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 67 mph at Freeman and 54 mph at Parkston, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 4.5 inches 11 miles south of Emery and 4.0 inches at Menno resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Bon Homme

When: December 23, 7:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Bon Homme forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 42.988, -97.885 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 60 mph at Tyndall, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 4.5 inches at Tyndall and 4.0 inches 8 miles west northwest of Springfield resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Miner

When: December 23, 8:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where: Miner forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 44.022, -97.610 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 66 mph near Howard and 56 mph at Canova, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 1.5 inches at Howard resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Hanson

When: December 23, 8:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where: Hanson forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 43.675, -97.787 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 69 mph near Alexandria, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 1.1 inches at Alexandria resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, McCook

When: December 23, 8:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: McCook forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 43.674, -97.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 67 mph near Montrose, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 4.0 inches at Bridgewater and Montrose resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Brookings

When: December 23, 9:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where: Brookings forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 44.370, -96.790 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 56 mph at Brookings and 52 mph at Volga, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 4.5 inches at Brookings and 3.0 inches 6 miles west of Bruce resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Lake

When: December 23, 9:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where: Lake forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 44.022, -97.129 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 64 mph at Madison, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 4.2 inches 2 miles north of Chester and 2.8 inches at Madison resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not recommended during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Moody

When: December 23, 9:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Moody forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 44.022, -96.671 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 68 mph 5 miles west of Ward and 54 mph at Flandreau, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 3.0 inches 11 miles north of Colman and 2.8 inches at Flandreau resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not recommended during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Minnehaha

When: December 23, 9:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Minnehaha forecast zone
Injuries: 0 direct, 11 indirect
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 43.674, -96.791 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 63 mph near Dell Rapids and 62 mph at Sioux Falls, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 4.5 inches 6 miles south of Hartford, 3.0 inches at Colton and 2.8 inches at Sioux Falls resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD. At 1141CST, fifteen vehicles collided in whiteout conditions on northbound Interstate 29 around mile marker 99 which closed the road for 7 hours and resulted in 6 indirect injuries. At 1252CST, another 30 vehicles crashed on westbound Interstate 90 three miles west of Sioux Falls (mile marker 393) which closed the roadway for 8 hours and resulted in 5 indirect injuries. Another multi-car collision occurred on Interstate 29 in Sioux Falls, which was just one of several dozen other accidents. All air traffic was cancelled for December 23 at Joe Foss Field in Sioux Falls.

Blizzard, Turner

When: December 23, 9:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Turner forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 43.311, -97.149 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 67 mph at Freeman and 63 mph near Davis, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 2.8 inches at Hurley resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Lincoln

When: December 23, 9:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 43.279, -96.722 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 63 mph near Davis and 45 mph at Tea, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 5.8 inches at Canton and 2.5 in southern Sioux Falls resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Clay

When: December 23, 9:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 42.915, -96.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 67 mph at Yankton and 64 mph 5 miles south of Beresford, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 2.5 inches at Vermillion and 6 miles southeast of Centerville resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Yankton

When: December 23, 9:00 AM CST to 5:30 PM CST
Where: Yankton forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 43.009, -97.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 70 mph near Gayville and 67 mph at Yankton, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 5.0 inches at Yankton resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

Blizzard, Union

When: December 23, 10:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Union forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 42.833, -96.656 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted as high as 64 mph 5 miles south of Beresford and 57 mph at North Sioux City, and despite a lack of pre-storm snow cover, snowfall which accumulated to 5.2 inches 6 miles north northeast of Elk Point resulted in widespread whiteout conditions for several hours. Travel was not advised during the blizzard across all of southeast SD.

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 2020 Every state in 2020 This day in weather history Warnings in South Dakota, December 2020

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 934471, 934375, 934372, 934447, 934470, 934448, 934461, 934373, 934376, 934449, 934463, 934469, 934377, 934454, 934457, 934374, 934378, 934439, 934458, 934464, 934465, 934467, 934468, 934466.