We are watching a powerful winter/spring storm system that will impact much of our region today, tonight and tomorrow. Areas of rain will develop today and then mix with and eventually change to snow tonight. Most places will get mostly rain, however parts of northeastern South Dakota and much of Minnesota could get heavy snow later today, tonight into tomorrow morning.

There will be plenty of moisture with the system. Most places will get one-half inch to an inch of liquid precipitation over the next couple of days. Unfortunately in some places that precip will come in the form of snow. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Aberdeen, Watertown, Brookings, Pipestone, Worthington and the Lake Okoboji area. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for areas east of that line and include Sisseton, Milbank, Clear Lake, Marshall, Redwood Falls, Windom and Jackson. Warnings and advisories will go into effect later this morning across northeastern South Dakota, this afternoon across parts of Minnesota. Check our WEATHER ALERTS page for details on your area.

Stay tuned for updates, there could still be changes to this forecast depending on the temperature profile and when and if rain changes to snow in some of these locations.

Here’s a breakdown for places that will be impacted by winter weather over the next 24 hours:

SIOUX FALLS
Cloudy and windy with rain today. Rainfall amounts of up to one-quarter inch will be possible by the end of the day. Rain will continue into this evening eventually mixing with then changing to snow late tonight. An additional one-half inch or more of liquid precipitation is possible with around an inch of snow accumulation. Snow will continue into tomorrow morning with some areas of light freezing drizzle possible as well.

ABERDEEN
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from 7 AM today through 7 AM Saturday. Today will be cloudy, windy and colder with snow that will mix with rain at times during the day. Snow will continue into tonight. Total accumulation amounts of 3 to 7 inches will be possible. Amounts will depend on when the rain changes to snow.

WATERTOWN
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from 10 AM today through 7 AM Saturday. Areas of snow will mix with rain at times today with snow continuing into tonight. Snowfall accumulation amounts of 4 to 8 inches will be possible. Heavier amounts are likely north and east of Watertown. Amounts will depend on when the rain changes to snow.

MARSHALL
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 4 PM today through 10 AM Saturday. Light snow will mix with rain this morning and continue into this afternoon. Snowfall accumulation of around in inch is possible through today. Snow, rain and freezing rain is likely this evening with snow becoming heavy by late evening and continuing through the night. Snow accumulation amounts of 6 to 10 inches will be possible. Light snow mixed with freezing rain will continue into tomorrow morning, ending by early afternoon.

We continue to monitor a winter storm system that will bring areas of rain, freezing rain and snow to the region late tonight through Friday night. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Sioux Falls area and parts of central and east central South Dakota from tomorrow morning through tomorrow night. Winter Storm Watch is in effect for much of southern South Dakota.

Freezing rain will develop by tomorrow morning with freezing rain changing to sleet and snow tomorrow afternoon. Ice accumulation of one-tenth of an inch or more is possible tomorrow with snow accumulation amounts ranging from around 2 to 5 inches by late tomorrow afternoon. Wind gusts to between 25 and 35 mph will create areas of blowing snow during the day tomorrow. Snow will end and the wind will decrease tomorrow night.

South and west of Sioux Falls, in the Winter Storm Watch area, there’s a greater potential for freezing rain and significant icing. 0.10″ to 0.30″ or more of ice will be possible late tonight through tomorrow, followed by 2-4 inches of snow. Ice will make travel difficult and could cause problems with power lines and trees.  

Stay tuned for updates. This forecast could change depending on when rain changes to snow.

A powerful winter/spring storm will impact much of the region over the next couple of days. Scattered thunderstorms are moving across parts of the tri-state region early this morning. That will quickly change later this morning as cold air rolls in and rain changes to snow.

A Blizzard Warning is in effect for much of central and southern South Dakota, a Winter Storm Warning is in effect for much of eastern and northeastern South Dakota and much of Minnesota and a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Sioux Falls area today, tonight and tomorrow.

The most treacherous conditions will occur across central and southern South Dakota where 6 to 10 inches of snow will be accompanied by 50 to 60 mph wind gusts that will create white-out blizzard conditions. Because the system will impact each part of our region differently, I’m going to break the forecast down by region:

Sioux Falls:
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from 9 AM today through 6 PM Tuesday

Areas of rain and freezing rain this morning will quickly mix with and then change to snow. Snow will continue today, tonight into tomorrow, ending tomorrow afternoon.

Total snow accumulation 3 to 6 inches. Heavier amounts west.

Wind gusts to between 25 and 35 mph will create blowing snow that will reduce visibility.

Aberdeen and Watertown:

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect until 6 PM Tuesday

Rain will mix with snow this morning, changing to all snow by noon. Heavy snow is likely through this afternoon and tonight with snow ending by around noon tomorrow.

Total snow accumulation of 6 to 10 inches with some places getting up to 12 inches.

Wind gusts to between 20 and 30 mph will create blowing snow.

Pierre:

A Blizzard Warning is in effect through 6 PM Tuesday

Snow is likely today and tonight. 6 to 10 inches of accumulation is possible through tomorrow morning with localized areas of 12 inches or more. Snow will be heavy at times with extreme wind gusts to between 40 and 60 mph. White out blizzard conditions are likely today, tonight and tomorrow. Snow will end and the wind will gradually decrease tomorrow afternoon. The strongest wind gusts of 50+ mph are likely this afternoon and this evening however, wind gusts to between 40 and 50 mph will continue through tonight and into tomorrow morning. Wind will decrease to between 15 and 25 mph tomorrow afternoon.