South Dakota, 2020

Winter Storm and Winter Weather in South Dakota, March 13 to 14, 2020

March 13 to 14, 2020 · NWS UNR · 21 events in 21 counties and zones

A potent winter storm brought snow and gusty winds to much of western and south central South Dakota during the nighttime and morning hours. The heaviest snow generally fell across the eastern and southeastern slopes of the Black Hills and adjacent plains as gusty southeasterly upslope winds developed with the system.

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

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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 UNR wrote it up.

A potent winter storm brought snow and gusty winds to much of western and south central South Dakota during the nighttime and morning hours. The heaviest snow generally fell across the eastern and southeastern slopes of the Black Hills and adjacent plains as gusty southeasterly upslope winds developed with the system. Snowfall amounts of six to 12 inches fell in these areas, with amounts up to 15 inches from Hill City to Keystone and Mount Rushmore. Elsewhere across the Black Hills and southwestern South Dakota, amounts mostly ranged from four to eight inches. Snow amounts tapered off to the north and east from northwestern to south central South Dakota. The gusty winds produced blowing and drifting snow, especially across southwestern South Dakota.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 winter weather, 9 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Oglala Lakota

When
March 13, 12:00 PM MST to March 14, 9:00 AM MST
Where
Oglala Lakota forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
43.336, -102.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southern Foot Hills

When
March 13, 1:00 PM MST to March 14, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Southern Foot Hills forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
43.239, -103.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southern Black Hills

When
March 13, 1:00 PM MST to March 14, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Southern Black Hills forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.678, -103.451 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Fall River

When
March 13, 1:00 PM MST to March 14, 7:00 AM MST
Where
Fall River forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
43.239, -103.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hermosa Foothills

When
March 13, 1:00 PM MST to March 14, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Hermosa Foothills forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
43.678, -103.451 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Custer Co Plains

When
March 13, 1:00 PM MST to March 14, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Custer Co Plains forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.678, -103.451 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Rapid City

When
March 13, 2:00 PM MST to March 14, 7:00 AM MST
Where
Rapid City forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
44.004, -102.824 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Central Black Hills

When
March 13, 2:00 PM MST to March 14, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Central Black Hills forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
43.841, -103.137 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Bennett

When
March 13, 2:00 PM MST to March 14, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Bennett forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
43.195, -101.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Sturgis / Piedmont Foothills

When
March 13, 2:00 PM MST to March 14, 7:00 AM MST
Where
Sturgis / Piedmont Foothills forecast zone
Reported by
NWS Employee
Coordinates
44.567, -102.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northern Black Hills

When
March 13, 3:00 PM MST to March 14, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Northern Black Hills forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.310, -103.111 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Northern Foot Hills

When
March 13, 3:00 PM MST to March 14, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Northern Foot Hills forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
44.359, -103.792 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Pennington Co Plains

When
March 13, 3:00 PM MST to March 14, 9:00 AM MST
Where
Pennington Co Plains forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.004, -102.824 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Jackson

When
March 13, 3:00 PM MST to March 14, 10:00 AM MST
Where
Jackson forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.694, -101.628 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Butte

When
March 13, 3:00 PM MST to March 14, 7:00 AM MST
Where
Butte forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.906, -103.508 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Haakon

When
March 13, 3:00 PM MST to March 14, 10:00 AM MST
Where
Haakon forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.294, -101.540 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Southern Meade Co Plains

When
March 13, 4:00 PM MST to March 14, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Southern Meade Co Plains forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.567, -102.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Northern Meade Co Plains

When
March 13, 4:00 PM MST to March 14, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Northern Meade Co Plains forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.567, -102.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Todd

When
March 13, 6:00 PM CST to March 14, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Todd forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
43.193, -100.718 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Weather, Tripp

When
March 13, 6:00 PM CST to March 14, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Tripp forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
43.346, -99.884 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Mellette

When
March 13, 7:00 PM CST to March 14, 7:00 AM CST
Where
Mellette forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
43.581, -100.760 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
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

More

Every storm in South Dakota in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, March 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 876657, 876617, 876619, 876645, 876655, 876661, 876616, 876618, 876648, 876652, 876592, 876604, 876642, 876662, 876666, 876668, 876653, 876659, 876664, 876665, 876650.