South Dakota, 2021

Heavy Snow in South Dakota, March 14 to 15, 2021

March 14 to 15, 2021 · NWS ABR · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A large upper-level low pressure area moved across the Central Plains and produced heavy snow across central South Dakota from the afternoon of the 14th through the morning of the 15th. The heaviest snowfall amounts included 8 inches near Kennebec, Okaton, Pierre and Reliance, and 12 inches at the Chantler Creek Recreation Area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
7

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 large upper-level low pressure area moved across the Central Plains and produced heavy snow across central South Dakota from the afternoon of the 14th through the morning of the 15th. The heaviest snowfall amounts included 8 inches near Kennebec, Okaton, Pierre and Reliance, and 12 inches at the Chantler Creek Recreation Area. Vehicle accidents resulted from the deteriorated road conditions. Additionally, snow accretion on power lines combined with gusty winds to knock out power to hundreds of customers. Outages lasted into the 16th in some cases.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Stanley

When
March 14, 1:15 PM CST to March 15, 9:15 AM CST
Where
Stanley forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.412, -100.736 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Jones

When
March 14, 1:30 PM CST to March 15, 9:30 AM CST
Where
Jones forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
43.961, -100.690 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Lyman

When
March 14, 1:30 PM CST to March 15, 9:30 AM CST
Where
Lyman forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
43.896, -99.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Buffalo

When
March 14, 1:45 PM CST to March 15, 9:45 AM CST
Where
Buffalo forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.076, -99.205 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Hughes

When
March 14, 2:30 PM CST to March 15, 9:30 AM CST
Where
Hughes forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
44.389, -99.996 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Hyde

When
March 14, 10:00 PM CST to March 15, 9:50 AM CST
Where
Hyde forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
44.547, -99.487 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Hamlin

When
March 14, 11:00 PM CST to March 15, 10:10 AM CST
Where
Hamlin forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
44.674, -97.188 (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 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, March 2021

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: 950937, 950934, 950935, 950936, 950938, 950939, 950940.