Daily Weather Discussion

It is going to be a very active week of weather. We are keeping an eye on at least two potential winter storm systems that could impact travel this holiday week. The first system will arrive Tuesday and continue into Wednesday morning, the second system will impact the region late this week into the weekend.

I hope you were able to enjoy the mild temperatures yesterday, because we won’t have weather like that again for quite some time. A cold front blasted across the plains last night and that will bring cooler, breezy weather today. Today will be mostly sunny with highs in the mid to upper 40s. Wind will be from the northwest gusting to around 30 mph this morning, decreasing a bit this afternoon.

A Winter Storm Watch is in effect late Tuesday, Tuesday night into Wednesday morning for southeastern South Dakota, southern Minnesota, northwestern Iowa, and northeastern Nebraska. Sioux Falls is included in the Watch. Snow will develop across western and central Nebraska late tonight and move northeast on Tuesday and continue Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Snowfall amounts of 4 to 7 inches will be possible. In addition to the snow, strong northwesterly wind gusts to between 30 and 40 mph will create areas of blowing snow Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. Snow will end late Tuesday night with wind decreasing during the day Wednesday. Travel conditions will gradually improve Wednesday morning. 

We will get a bit of a break from the wintry weather late Wednesday into Thanksgiving morning, but another relatively weak system will bring light snow and areas of freezing rain on Thursday afternoon into Thursday evening.

Another winter storm system will impact the region on Friday into Saturday. This one will have the potential to bring rain, freezing rain and more measurable snow to much of our region. This one is still almost a week away, so stay tuned for updates as we get closer.   

The weekend is almost here and we are off to a really nice start. Today will be sunny, warm and breezy. High temperatures will range from the low 70s in Sioux Falls and across the southeast to the 60s along and west of the James Valley. There is a cold front that will be moving across the plains today and that’s why temperatures will be a bit cooler west of I-29. Wind gusts to between 25 and 35 mph are likely throughout the day. Gusts from 45 to 50 mph are possible across parts of southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa later this morning through this afternoon. The wind will shift from the south to the northwest as the front passes.  

Tomorrow will be sunny and not as windy with highs in the low to mid 60s. That’s a bit cooler than today, but still above average for this time of year.

A second front is looming and will bring more significant changes late Sunday into Monday. On Sunday before the front passes, it will be cloudy and windy with scattered showers. High temps will still climb into the upper 50s to low 60s on Sunday afternoon. On Monday after the front has passed, it will be cloudy, windy and much colder. Highs will only reach the upper 40s on Monday afternoon.

We will rebound a bit on Tuesday and Wednesday with another front bringing even colder air by Thursday. We’re talkin’ high temps in the low to mid 40s by late next week.

If you have outdoor stuff to do, you have about three days before some really big changes make things a little more difficult. It is true… Parts of our region will get snow later this week.

After a very windy weekend, things are going to calm down a bit as we start the week. Today will be mostly sunny with highs in the upper 60s. Central and western South Dakota will climb into the low 70s this afternoon. The wind will hold to about 5 to 15 mph through this afternoon. 

The next couple of days will be mild but breezier. High temps will stay in the upper 60s to low 70s with south wind gusts to between 25 and 35 mph both Tuesday and Wednesday. 

A powerful fall/winter storm system will move into the region late this week into this weekend. Rain, snow and much colder temperatures are likely. Rain and cold will arrive throughout the day Thursday with rain mixing with and changing to snow Thursday night into Friday. It’s still too early to get specific, but some minor snow accumulation is possible in Sioux Falls and places along and west of I-29. More significant snow accumulation is possible along and west of the James River with even higher amounts possible along and west of the Missouri River. Again, it’s too early to get specific, but accumulating snowfall is very possible across central, western and northern South Dakota.  

In addition to the rain and snow, there will be very strong wind gusts and near record cold temperatures. On Friday and Saturday, high temps will only reach the mid to upper 30s with lows dropping into the 20s this weekend. 

Stay tuned for updates on this developing storm. We will have the latest and get more specific with potential snow amounts as we get closer.