Overview
A large storm system and strong Arctic cold front brought accumulating snow, gusty northwest winds and dangerously cold wind chills to the region. This resulted in widespread ground blizzard conditions to much of the Northern Plains. Dangerously cold wind chills below -35F were also in place resulting in life-threatening travel conditions for the days leading up to Christmas. Numerous highways and interstates were closed with some travelers becoming stranded, requiring rescue. This front pushed southward through the entire southern United States, bringing multiple weather hazards and abnormally cold temperatures to the eastern 2/3rds of the CONUS. |
Minimum Wind Chills and Timeline | Maximum Wind Gusts and Timeline | Observed Snowfall |
Wind and Wind Chill Reports
...HIGHEST WIND REPORTS FROM DECEMBER 21ST THRU 23RD... Location Speed Time/Date Provider SD RWIS Platte-Winner Bridge 59 MPH 0911 PM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS Ft. Randall Dam 57 MPH 0422 PM 12/22 SDDOT Sioux Gateway Airport 56 MPH 1212 PM 12/23 ASOS Sioux County Regional Airpor 55 MPH 1235 PM 12/23 MESOWEST Spencer Municipal Airport 54 MPH 1128 AM 12/23 ASOS T.h.71 - Jeffers - Mp 43 54 MPH 0250 PM 12/23 MESOWEST SD RWIS Montrose 53 MPH 0725 PM 12/22 SDDOT Storm Lake Airport 52 MPH 0115 PM 12/23 AWOS T.h.60 - Mountain Lake - Mp 52 MPH 0840 PM 12/23 MESOWEST SD RWIS Beresford 51 MPH 0645 PM 12/23 SDDOT SD RWIS Parker 51 MPH 0128 PM 12/23 SDDOT Windom Municipal Airport 51 MPH 1235 PM 12/23 AWOS SD RWIS Dell Rapids 50 MPH 1139 AM 12/23 SDDOT SD RWIS Dixon 50 MPH 0305 PM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS Corsica 50 MPH 0547 AM 12/23 SDDOT SD RWIS Freeman 49 MPH 0309 PM 12/23 SDDOT SD RWIS Davis 49 MPH 0809 PM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS Alexandria 49 MPH 1108 AM 12/23 SDDOT SD RWIS Kimball 49 MPH 0731 PM 12/22 SDDOT TERRIL 49 MPH 1209 PM 12/23 CWOP SD RWIS Tripp 48 MPH 0844 PM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS Lane 48 MPH 1009 PM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS Dallas 48 MPH 0820 PM 12/22 SDDOT Huron Regional Airport 48 MPH 0506 PM 12/22 ASOS Tracy Airport 48 MPH 0155 PM 12/23 AWOS Lake Andes RAWS 48 MPH 0941 PM 12/22 RAWS Storm Lake 48 MPH 0230 PM 12/23 MESOWEST SD RWIS Gayville 47 MPH 1208 PM 12/23 SDDOT SD RWIS Plankinton 47 MPH 0113 AM 12/23 SDDOT Sioux Falls Airport 47 MPH 1245 PM 12/23 ASOS Marshall Municipal Airport 47 MPH 1228 PM 12/23 AWOS I-90 - Rushmore - Mp 35 47 MPH 0140 PM 12/23 MESOWEST T.h.30 - Dovray - Mp 49 47 MPH 0120 PM 12/23 MESOWEST White Lake (SD Mesonet) 47 MPH 0225 PM 12/23 SDSMESO SD RWIS Wolsey 46 MPH 0149 PM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS North Sioux City 46 MPH 0855 PM 12/22 SDDOT Sioux City 46 MPH 1208 PM 12/23 CWOP Hawarden 46 MPH 0155 AM 12/23 CWOP Mitchell Municipal Airport 46 MPH 0427 PM 12/22 ASOS Worthington Airport 46 MPH 0325 PM 12/23 AWOS Yankton Municipal Airport 46 MPH 1007 AM 12/22 AWOS T.h.68 - Taunton - Mp 22.9 46 MPH 1215 PM 12/23 MESOWEST SD RWIS Arlington 45 MPH 0329 PM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS Forestburg 45 MPH 0309 PM 12/22 SDDOT Flandreau 3 NNE (SD Mesonet) 45 MPH 1125 AM 12/23 SDSMESO Luverne 45 MPH 1115 AM 12/23 CWOP Slayton Municipal Airport 45 MPH 1233 PM 12/23 AWOS Madison Airport 45 MPH 0735 AM 12/23 AWOS I-90 - Lakefield - Mp 67 45 MPH 0135 PM 12/23 MESOWEST I-90 - Magnolia - Mp 21.6 45 MPH 0135 PM 12/23 MESOWEST SD RWIS Cavour 44 MPH 0444 PM 12/22 SDDOT Milford 44 MPH 1230 PM 12/23 CWOP Mitchell 44 MPH 0129 PM 12/22 CWOP Chamberlain Municipal Airpor 44 MPH 1215 PM 12/22 ASOS Le Mars Airport 44 MPH 1235 PM 12/23 AWOS Luverne Airport 44 MPH 0115 PM 12/23 AWOS Sheldon Airport 44 MPH 1235 PM 12/23 AWOS Spencer 44 MPH 0255 PM 12/23 MESOWEST SD RWIS Tyndall 43 MPH 0947 PM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS Howard 43 MPH 0502 PM 12/22 SDDOT Beresford 7 WSW (SD Mesonet) 42 MPH 0340 PM 12/23 SDSMESO Concord 2E 42 MPH 1055 PM 12/22 NE-MESO Sioux City 42 MPH 1225 PM 12/23 MESOWEST Scotland 41 MPH 1215 PM 12/23 DAVIS Canova 41 MPH 1200 PM 12/23 CWOP South Sioux City 41 MPH 0415 PM 12/23 CWOP Brookings Municipal Airport 41 MPH 0532 PM 12/23 AWOS U.s.14 - Florence - Mp 21.2 41 MPH 1035 AM 12/23 MESOWEST Alton 41 MPH 0125 PM 12/23 MESOWEST Sioux Falls 10 WSW (SD Meson 41 MPH 0225 PM 12/23 SDSMESO Lake Park 40 MPH 1230 PM 12/23 CWOP Colton 2 ESE (SD Mesonet) 40 MPH 0935 PM 12/22 SDSMESO Remsen 40 MPH 0240 PM 12/23 DAVIS Butte 8NNW 40 MPH 0830 PM 12/22 CWOP Wagner 40 MPH 0555 AM 12/23 AWOS Cherokee Municipal Airport 40 MPH 1255 PM 12/23 AWOS Moville 40 MPH 1105 PM 12/22 MESOWEST Sibley 40 MPH 0240 PM 12/23 MESOWEST
...MINIMUM WIND CHILL REPORTS FROM DECEMBER 21ST THROUGH 24TH... Location WC Temp. Time/Date Provider Madison Airport -53 F 0915 AM 12/22 AWOS White Lake (SD Mesonet) -53 F 0445 AM 12/22 SDSMESO SD RWIS Platte-Winner Bridge -52 F 0359 AM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS Davis -52 F 0958 AM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS Alexandria -52 F 0549 AM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS Ft. Randall Dam -52 F 0631 AM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS Parker -52 F 0844 AM 12/22 SDDOT I-90 - Rushmore - Mp 35 -52 F 0850 AM 12/22 MESOWEST Colton 2 ESE (SD Mesonet) -51 F 0940 AM 12/22 SDSMESO Scotland -51 F 1030 AM 12/22 DAVIS Sioux County Regional Airpor -51 F 0955 AM 12/22 MESOWEST I-90 - Magnolia - Mp 21.6 -51 F 0835 AM 12/22 MESOWEST Concord 2E -51 F 0815 AM 12/22 NE-MESO Sioux City -51 F 0800 AM 12/22 MESOWEST Spencer -51 F 0910 AM 12/22 MESOWEST Sioux Falls 10 WSW (SD Meson -51 F 0955 AM 12/22 SDSMESO SD RWIS Gayville -50 F 0829 AM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS Howard -50 F 0550 AM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS North Sioux City -50 F 0828 AM 12/22 SDDOT 2 N Bonesteel -50 F 0740 AM 12/22 AWS Beresford 7 WSW (SD Mesonet) -50 F 0755 AM 12/22 SDSMESO Remsen -50 F 0700 AM 12/22 DAVIS Flandreau 3 NNE (SD Mesonet) -50 F 1030 AM 12/22 SDSMESO Brookings Municipal Airport -50 F 0826 AM 12/22 AWOS Huron Regional Airport -50 F 0355 AM 12/22 ASOS Mitchell Municipal Airport -50 F 0616 AM 12/22 ASOS Worthington Airport -50 F 0837 AM 12/22 AWOS Sheldon Airport -50 F 0910 AM 12/22 AWOS Yankton Municipal Airport -50 F 0756 AM 12/22 AWOS T.h.30 - Dovray - Mp 49 -50 F 0830 AM 12/22 MESOWEST T.h.71 - Jeffers - Mp 43 -50 F 0855 AM 12/22 MESOWEST U.s.14 - Florence - Mp 21.2 -50 F 0845 AM 12/22 MESOWEST Lake Andes RAWS -50 F 0541 AM 12/22 RAWS Volga (SD Mesonet) -50 F 0950 AM 12/22 SDSMESO SD RWIS Cavour -49 F 0908 AM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS Forestburg -49 F 0628 AM 12/22 SDDOT Slayton Municipal Airport -49 F 0933 AM 12/22 AWOS Sioux Falls Airport -49 F 0856 AM 12/22 ASOS Sioux Gateway Airport -49 F 0756 AM 12/22 ASOS Alton -49 F 0850 AM 12/22 MESOWEST SD RWIS Arlington -48 F 0838 AM 12/22 SDDOT SD RWIS Tyndall -48 F 0344 AM 12/22 SDDOT Sioux City -48 F 0638 AM 12/22 CWOP Ethan -48 F 0835 AM 12/22 AWS Butte 8NNW -48 F 0215 AM 12/22 CWOP Luverne -48 F 0830 AM 12/22 CWOP Chamberlain Municipal Airpor -48 F 0255 AM 12/22 ASOS Luverne Airport -48 F 1015 AM 12/22 AWOS Storm Lake Airport -48 F 0915 AM 12/22 AWOS I-90 - Lakefield - Mp 67 -48 F 1030 AM 12/22 MESOWEST T.h.60 - Mountain Lake - Mp -48 F 0255 AM 12/23 MESOWEST Baltic 3 SE (SD Mesonet) -47 F 1045 AM 12/22 SDSMESO Milford -47 F 1015 AM 12/22 CWOP Canova -47 F 0545 AM 12/22 CWOP TERRIL -47 F 1019 AM 12/22 CWOP Marshall Municipal Airport -47 F 1131 AM 12/22 AWOS Tracy Airport -47 F 0955 AM 12/22 AWOS Vermillion -47 F 0655 AM 12/22 AWOS Parkston (SD Mesonet) -47 F 0600 AM 12/22 SDSMESO Storm Lake -47 F 0915 AM 12/22 MESOWEST Sibley -47 F 1145 AM 12/22 MESOWEST 6 NW Orleans -46 F 0905 AM 12/22 AWS Lake Park -46 F 0815 AM 12/22 CWOP Ivanhoe -46 F 0735 AM 12/22 CWOP Armour -46 F 0900 AM 12/22 DAVIS Canton -46 F 0915 AM 12/22 AWOS Gregory -46 F 1155 PM 12/21 AWOS Le Mars Airport -46 F 0855 AM 12/22 AWOS Windom Municipal Airport -46 F 1215 PM 12/22 AWOS Spencer Municipal Airport -45 F 0953 AM 12/22 ASOS Redstone RAWS -45 F 0821 AM 12/22 RAWS Moville -45 F 0915 AM 12/22 MESOWEST 1 S Centerville -44 F 0950 AM 12/22 AWS South Sioux City -44 F 0715 AM 12/22 CWOP Hawarden -44 F 0905 AM 12/22 CWOP Mitchell -44 F 1158 AM 12/22 CWOP T.h.68 - Taunton - Mp 22.9 -44 F 1050 AM 12/22 MESOWEST Ethan -43 F 0230 AM 12/22 DAVIS Spirit Lake -43 F 1026 AM 12/22 CWOP Tea -43 F 0955 AM 12/22 AWOS Elkton -42 F 0916 AM 12/22 CWOP Wagner -42 F 1255 PM 12/22 AWOS Sioux Falls (SD Mesonet) -42 F 1015 AM 12/22 SDSMESO Sioux Falls -41 F 1110 AM 12/22 CWOP Cherokee Municipal Airport -41 F 1015 AM 12/22 AWOS Marshall -41 F 1035 AM 12/22 AWS Wahpeton -41 F 1029 AM 12/22 AWS 3.2 S Correctionville (SCAN) -41 F 0800 AM 12/22 MESOWEST Loess Hills Tnc Broken -40 F 0811 AM 12/22 RAWS Harrisburg -40 F 0345 AM 12/23 DAVIS Hartley -40 F 0755 AM 12/22 DAVIS
National Impact
Coldest Forecast Wind Chills (Weather Prediction Center) |
Temperature Forecast (Weather Prediction Center) |
Temperature Drop (Weather Prediction Center) |
National Weather Watches/Warnings/Advisories |
Photos
Sanborn, IA (Dan Gottschalk) |
Hartford, SD (Deb Adams Johnson) |
Melvin, IA (Christy Year) |
Sheldon, IA (Patty Dillon Wiarda) |
Doon, IA (Mark Maassen) |
Moe, SD (Dylan Paulson) |
Ruthton, MN (Pete Bouman) |
Marshall, MN (Kaylynn Cath) |
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