This Day in Weather History: March 15th

Weather History - March 15th

Local and Regional Events:

March 15th, 1941:

Beware the Ides of March. The most severe blizzard in modern history struck North Dakota and Minnesota. The blizzard began on a Saturday night while many were traveling and thus claimed 71 lives. Winds gusted to 75 mph at Duluth, Minnesota, and reached 85 mph at Grand Forks, North Dakota. Snow drifts twelve feet high were reported in north-central Minnesota. A cold front traveling 30 mph crossed Minnesota in just seven hours.

March 15th, 2010:

Snowmelt runoff from an extensive snow cover flooded many creeks and roads, along with thousands of acres of pasture and cropland throughout northeast South Dakota. There were numerous road closures. The flooding lasted through the end of the month and for many locations in April. Brown, Marshall, Day, Spink, and Roberts were the most affected counties. Numerous communities were affected, including Aberdeen, Claremont, Waubay, Amherst, Kidder, and Richmond Lake. The Claremont, Amherst, and Britton areas were the hardest hit with flooded land and roads. Several farms were surrounded by water, with some people stranded. Between Aberdeen and Britton, sixty percent of the area was underwater. Thousands of acres of cropland will not be planted due to too much water, with estimates that 20 to 25 percent of Brown County cropland would not be planted. Many people in northeast South Dakota have had too much water for years. The road damage was extensive, and repairs will cost millions of dollars. Many roads across the area will also have to be raised. Many people had extra-long commutes due to flooded streets, with some moving out of their homes. Across Day and Marshall Counties, rising lakes threatened many homes and cabins with sandbagging taking place. Most lakes and rivers across northeast South Dakota were at or near record levels. Click HERE for pictures around northeastern South Dakota.