WINTER CONDITIONS CONTINUE INTO THE SPRING SEASON

PUSHES SISSETON SNOWFALL TOTALS TO RECORD LEVEL

While the winter season of 2010-2011 has technically come to and end, March 2011 will go down as a brutal reminder that weather doesn't always follow the calendar.  Not only have spring conditions failed to arrive, but additional snow accumulation has moved several sites up the rankings, many of which are into the top ten snowiest of all-time. The seasonal snowfall amounts across the region now range from around 60 inches at Kennebec and Pierre to near 83 inches at Sisseton.  In fact, the 83.1 inches of snowfall at Sisseton is now their snowiest season on record.  

Below is a tabular listing of the seasonal snowfall totals through the end of March 2011, the current ranking compared to snowiest season on record, as well as the amount and year of the record seasonal snowfall.  While most sites recorded snowfall at or above normal for March, the trend for abnormally high amounts seems to have ended. Its always possible that a late season April snowstorm will send us higher in the rankings, however.  Note: due to several years of missing data at Watertown (including 1996-1997), rankings were deemed unreliable.

 DAILY SNOWFALL COMPARISON FOR THE WINTER SEASON

Not only have seasonal snowfall amounts been extreme to this point, but the number of days when snowfall was recorded were also numerous.  Looking back since November 15^th, there were many days that locations across the region recorded a trace or more of snowfall.  The number of days from November 15^th through March 31^st is 137.  For most of the locations listed below, 40% to almost 60% of the 137 days snow had been reported.  In the table, Mobridge recorded the most days throughout the season so far with snow occurring with 79 out of the 137 days or 58%.  Wheaton and Aberdeen also reported many days with snowfall occurring.  Wheaton had a total of 73 days out of 137 (53%) with Aberdeen experiencing 70 days out of 137 (51%).  Watertown and Pierre also had a high percentage of their days since November 15^th with snowfall occurring with 47% and 43%, respectively.  Kennebec and Timber Lake still had many days with snowfall occurring but, had the lowest percentage of days with snowfall reported with 31% and 36%, respectively.

The individual months tell a different story for snowfall daily occurrences for many locations.  December and January had some of the highest daily snowfall percentages.  In December, Mobridge reported snow 20 out of 31 days or 65% of the month.  Wheaton snowed 19 of the 31 days in December or 61%.  In January, the percentages were the highest for all locations except for Kennebec.  Aberdeen had 22 of the 31 days in January with snowfall or 71%.  Mobridge had 23 of the 31 days in January with snowfall occurring or 74%.  Wheaton had the highest monthly percentage of the season for days with snowfall occurring with 25 of the 31 days in January or 81% where a trace or more of snowfall was reported.