Weather History Archive

Weather History - February 29th

Local and Regional Events:

February 29, 2004:

Heavy snow of 6 to 9 inches fell across parts of central and north-central South Dakota. Some snowfall amounts included 6 inches at Isabel and Ree Heights, 7 inches at Gettysburg and Eagle Butte, 8 inches at Murdo, and 9 inches northeast of Isabel in southern Corson County. The snowfall ended during the late morning of March 1st.

February 29, 2012:

An intense area of low pressure moved across the region, bringing blizzard conditions to much of central and northeast South Dakota. Snowfall amounts of 4 to 14 inches along with northwest winds gusting over 40 mph brought widespread low visibilities to less than a quarter of a mile at times. Most schools were closed on both the 28th and 29th. Interstates 29 and 90 were also closed for a while during the storm. There were several cars and semis stranded along with a few accidents. The power was out for a time for several hundred customers. Some snowfall amounts included, 6 inches at McLaughlin, Timber Lake, Pollock, Eureka, Seneca, and Murdo; 7 inches at Selby, Bowdle, Roscoe, and Webster; 8 inches at Aberdeen, Doland, and Gettysburg; 9 inches at Kennebec and Roy Lake; 10 inches at Miller and Victor; 11 inches southeast of Faulkton; 12 inches at Highmore and Little Eagle; 12 inches at Sisseton; and 14 inches west of Turton and west of Gann Valley.

U.S.A and Global Events for February 29th:

1884: San Diego, California, saw its wettest February in history with 9.05 inches. February 1884 is currently the third wettest month on record (wettest: 9.26 inches in 12/1921). The year of 1884 ended as the wettest in San Diego history with 25.97 inches.

1964: Thompson Pass in Alaska finishes the month with 346.1 inches of snow, the highest monthly total ever for Alaska.  

2008: The world's tallest snowman, actually a snowwoman, is unveiled in the western Maine town of Bethel. "Olympia," named for Maine Senator Olympia Snowe, is about 122 feet tall, 10 feet taller than "Angus, King of the Mountain," which has held the tallest snowman record since 1999. He was named for Angus King, Maine's governor at the time. 

2012: A tornado outbreak occurred across the central plains and the Ohio River valley region on the 28^th and 29^th. The most destructive tornado struck Harrisburg, Illinois, killing 8 people in one neighborhood. This tornado had EF4 strength with winds of 166 - 200 mph. 

Click HERE for more This Day in Weather History from the Southeast Regional Climate Center.