South Dakota, 2025

Ice Storm and Winter Storm in South Dakota, March 29 to 30, 2025

March 29 to 30, 2025 · NWS ABR · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A weak system looping up across Iowa connected with some colder air coming down out of Canada to generate a mix of rain, snow and ice. 2 inches recorded by the Murdo COOP observer.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
4

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 weak system looping up across Iowa connected with some colder air coming down out of Canada to generate a mix of rain, snow and ice. A band of locally heavy snowfall developed across central South Dakota, with a peak measurement of 6.5 inches recorded by the COOP observer in Pierre and 6.2 inches recorded by the Murdo COOP observer. Meanwhile, the public and spotters submitted ice accumulation measurements of 0.5 inches 11 miles south of Vayland and 0.25 inches 2 miles southwest of Waverly. These conditions made for hazardous travel. A significant accident along Interstate 90 east of Draper in Jones County involved a bus flipping which resulted in multiple injuries that stressed local hospital resources and caused a temporary closure of Interstate 90.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 ice storm, 2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Hand

When
March 29, 7:00 AM CST to 10:51 PM CST
Where
Hand forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.548, -99.005 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Jones

When
March 29, 9:00 AM CST to 10:51 PM CST
Where
Jones forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
43.961, -100.690 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hughes

When
March 29, 11:00 AM CST to 10:51 PM CST
Where
Hughes forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.389, -99.996 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Codington

When
March 29, 2:00 PM CST to March 30, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Codington forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
44.978, -97.189 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Ice Storm
Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.
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 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, March 2025

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: 1237309, 1237311, 1237308, 1237310.