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Today’s forecast includes more cold and a possible winter storm for the upcoming weekend.

After an incredibly windy day yesterday, the wind has decreased through the night. It will still be a bit breezy this morning with gusts to around 25 mph through midday, but the wind should decrease to about 5 to 15 mph by late afternoon. We will start today with plenty of sunshine, clouds will increase a bit this afternoon with a few flurries possible later today. It will be a bit warmer than yesterday, but today’s high of 14 degrees in Sioux Falls and 15 degrees in Aberdeen is still about 25 degrees below average for this time of year.

After another dry, slightly warmer day tomorrow we have another chance of snow in the forecast for Wednesday night and Thursday. This system will primarily impact Southern and Southwestern South Dakota with snow along and south of a line that runs from Spencer, IA to Sioux Falls to Pierre to the Northern Black Hills. Sioux Falls, Mitchell and Pierre could get a couple of inches with heavier amounts to the South and West. 3 to 5 inches is possible from Sioux City to Yankton to Chamberlain to Murdo to Winner.

It wouldn’t be basketball tournament time without the possibility of a major winter storm looming over the weekend, right? The big weather story this week is the possibility of a powerful winter storm system that could have a widespread, significant impact on our region late Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Heavy snow and strong wind will be possible across much of South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. Temperatures will be a bit warmer this weekend, so there is also the possibility of some rain and even some ice, especially to the south. We are still several days away and we will be making a lot of tweaks and adjustments to this forecast. This system hasn’t even developed yet and there is a lot to be determined regarding storm track, amount of moisture, and precipitation type. I wouldn’t change plans at this point, but definitely check the forecast and check it often. We will keep the updates coming, getting more specific with the storm track and potential snowfall amounts as we get closer.

Colder than average temperatures will continue through the rest of the week, the weekend and beyond with several chances of snow this week.

Today will be cloudy with flurries in Sioux Falls and light snow across northern South Dakota. Accumulation will be light with the exception of extreme Northeastern South Dakota. Locations along and north of US Highway 212 (Watertown, Clark, Redfield areas) could get around an inch with slightly higher amounts as you head north. Around an inch or two is possible in Aberdeen with 2 to 3 inches possible along the SD/ND state line. Today will also be cold with high temps only reaching the mid-to-upper single digits.

High pressure will slide across the region tomorrow and that will kick out the clouds and bring on the sunshine. It will stay cold however, with high temps only a few degrees warmer than today.

Our next system will bring about an inch (maybe up to two inches in a few places) of snow late Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Another, slightly stronger system will have the potential to produce 2 to 3 or more inches of snow on Friday.

As of now it looks like the weekend will be mostly dry, but it will be bitterly and dangerously cold. High temperatures will only reach the low single-digits on Saturday and Sunday with morning lows dropping to between 15 and 25 below zero by Sunday morning.

Everywhere I go people keep asking when it’s going to warm up. Unfortunately, I don’t think you’re going to like my answer. Our long-range models are suggesting that the cold will last – it could actually be even colder – through most of next week. There is some hope, however. All of our data is hinting at somewhat warmer temperatures by the end of next week. Stay tuned. I’m on the hunt for warmer temperatures, too and will let you know the moment I have some good news.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA INCLUDING SIOUX FALLS TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW.

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA, SOUTHERN MINNESOTA, NORTHERN IOWA AND NORTHEASTERN NEBRASKA TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW.

Our next system is gearing up and getting ready to bring more snow to the region later today, tonight and tomorrow. Light snow will develop across portions of Central and Southern South Dakota this afternoon and continue to develop and intensify this evening and overnight tonight. Snow will continue tomorrow morning, gradually ending from Southwest to Northeast tomorrow afternoon.

There is quite a bit of moisture feeding into the system and that will help push snowfall amounts into the 5 to 8 inch range across parts of Northwestern Iowa and Southern Minnesota. Amounts will be lighter to the north and west. Sioux Falls, Brookings and Yankton will likely be in the 3 to 6 inch range, Watertown and Mitchell will get slightly less. Huron, Mitchell and Chamberlain could get to 2 to 3 inches with around 2 inches posible in Aberdeen and around an inch or less in Pierre.

While there could be a few gusts to between 15 and 20 mph, the wind should stay fairly light behind this system and that means blowing snow will not be a big issue. That said, visibility could still be reduced during times of heavier snowfall. Roads will also become snow covered and slippery. Once again, snow will end and travel conditions will improve Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night.

We will get a brief break from the snow on Thursday and then yet another system will bring more snow on Friday with more snow chances through the weekend. Accumulation will be possible this weekend, especially across Southeastern South Dakota, Southwestern Minnesota and Northwestern Iowa. Stay tuned for updates. We will Get more specific with storm track and snow totals as we get closer.