Blizzard in South Dakota, December 25 to 26, 2023

A strong low pressure system developing close to the Gulf of Mexico lifted north and then west into southeast South Dakota, resulting in heavy precipitation and strong winds. While initially snow and freezing drizzle, warm and humid air pushing into the region from the east resulted in precipitation changing over to more widespread freezing rain and rain east of the Missouri, while along and just west of the Missouri, precipitation remained mainly in the form of snow.

Snowfall amounts peaked in central South Dakota, with the COOP observer 7 miles east of Hayes measuring a foot of snow while just over 10 inches was observed 1 mile north northwest of Kennebec. The COOP observer for the city of Pierre measured snow at 7 inches.

Wind gusts were also extreme, with a peak wind gusts of 63 mph observed by the Reliance Road Weather Information System (RWIS), 62 mph at the Mac's Corners RWIS, 61 mph at the Bowdle RWIS and 60 mph at the Herried RWIS. An additional 28 other weather stations recorded wind gusts in excess 50 mph.

The combination of snow and strong winds resulted in blizzard conditions, with a quarter-mile visibility observed with the Pierre Regional Airport Automated Surface Observing System. Additionally, low visibility to near whiteout conditions were observed at many of the DOT weather stations in central and north central South Dakota. The impacts and scope of these blizzard conditions was highly dependent whether it was snowing at the time of strong winds, as there was little snowpack in the area prior to the storm. Additionally, blizzard conditions were also limited at times due to intermittent transitions back and forth between snow and freezing rain as the main precipitation type.

The blizzard was just one component of a highly impactful winter storm that occurred during a major travel holiday. Travel was severely impacted due to the combination of freezing rain, heavy snow and/or blizzard conditions from December 25th through early on December 27th. Interstate 90 from Wall to Mitchell was closed for a period with this system starting on the afternoon of December 25th, and remained closed through the morning of December 26th. Even after the interstate opened, it was blocked by at least one semi rollover. In addition to the interstate closure, no travel advised was posted for many area highways by county emergency management and the DOT.