National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Heavy Snow and Gusty Winds in the North-Central US; Freezing Rain Possible in the Northern Plains and Appalachians

Areas of moderate to heavy snow and gusty to high winds are expected across the Northern Plains, Upper Midwest and Great Lakes. Patchy areas of light rain/freezing rain may develop along the rain-snow line over parts of the Northern Plains into the morning. A mix of light snow and freezing rain or drizzle is possible in the central Appalachians that may impact the morning commute. Read More >

A potent late spring snow storm crossed the Northern Plains May 9-10th, 2015, bringing heavy snowfall and strong winds to the region. Reports of a foot of snow were common across western South Dakota, with the highest report being 20.8 inches in Lead. Mother's Day travel delays occurred.

Records Broken

The National Weather Service Office recorded 13.6 inches of total snowfall from the storm. This was the second highest snowfall total for a May snowstorm. The most snow that the Rapid City area has ever received in a single May snow storm is 14.6 inches on May 3-4, 1905. Below you will find a snowfall map, preliminary snowfall totals, a satellite image depicting the heaviest snow cover at 130 PM MDT for May 11, 2015, and a few storm pictures.

May 9-10, 2015 Storm Total Snowfall
May 9-10, 2015 Storm Total Snowfall Amount (click for larger version)

May 11, 2015 130 PM MDT Showing Heaviest Snow

 

1km Visible Image from May 11, 2015 at 130PM MDT Depicting Area of Heaviest Snow (click for larger version)

 

A Few Pictures from the Event

Snow Over Southwest Rapid City
Snow May 10, 2015 over southwest Rapid City, SD

May 10, 2015 near Wall, SD
May 10, 2015 near Wall, SD


May 10, 2015 Box Elder, SD
May 10, 2015 Box Elder, SD

Preliminary Table of Storm Total Snowfall Amounts

Location Snowfall (inches) Report Date Time
Lead 20.8 5/10/2015 900 PM
2 SSE Deerfield 17 5/10/2015 750 AM
5 E Porcupine 16 5/10/2015 700 PM
Lead 3.1 NNW 15 5/11/2015 801 AM
Fort Meade (Sturgis) 15 5/10/2015 600 PM
Silver City 14.5 5/10/2015 700 AM
Kyle 2 E 14.2 5/11/2015 700 AM
3 NNE Creighton 14 5/10/2015 1245 PM
4 NNW Whitewood 14 5/11/2015 700 AM
Deadwood 14 5/11/2015 700 AM
Wall 13.0 SSE 13.9 5/10/2015 700 AM
Spearfish 13.7 5/11/2015 700 AM
1E Downtown Rapid City 13.6 5/10/2015 600 PM
2 E Kyle 13 5/10/2015 700 AM
Hill City 13 5/11/2015 700 AM
Interior 13 5/10/2015 500 PM
Rapid City Regional Airport 13 5/10/2015 1200 AM
Rapid City 6.3 SW 12.8 5/11/2015 700 AM
Oglala 12.4 5/11/2015 700 AM
Rapid City 5.4 SW 12.1 5/11/2015 700 AM
Martin 19.6 ENE 12 5/10/2015 700 AM
Box Elder 8.0 NNE 12 5/10/2015 700 AM
Rapid City 3.3 SSW 12 5/11/2015 700 AM
Rapid City 3.8 S 12 5/10/2015 700 AM
Rapid City 2.4 WNW 12 5/11/2015 700 AM
2 NNW Saint Onge 12 5/10/2015 700 PM
1 S Oglala 12 5/10/2015 800 AM
22 SSE Wall 12 5/10/2015 758 AM
Martin 12 5/10/2015 700 PM
Dupree 15 SE 11.7 5/11/2015 800 AM
Kadoka 11.5 5/10/2015 700 AM
Hot Springs 0.5 SSW 11.5 5/10/2015 700 AM
Piedmont 4.6 E 11.5 5/11/2015 700 AM
Pactola Reservoir 11.3 5/10/2015 700 AM
Rapid City 9.6 WNW 11.2 5/11/2015 700 AM
Lead 5.5 SSW 11 5/11/2015 700 AM
2 NNW Black Hawk 11 5/10/2015 655 AM
Wind Cave Visitors Center 11 5/10/2015 100 PM
1 NNW Piedmont 10.5 5/10/2015 1011 AM
2 NE Box Elder 10.5 5/10/2015 700 AM
2 SSE Downtown Rapid City 10.3 5/10/2015 700 AM
4 SE Folsom 10 5/10/2015 400 PM
8 WNW Usta 10 5/10/2015 1134 AM
1 W Hermosa 10 5/10/2015 824 AM
3 SSW Downtown Rapid City 10 5/10/2015 700 AM
Red Owl 10 5/10/2015 645 AM
Milesville 10 5/10/2015 900 PM
Bison 10 5/10/2015 500 PM
5 SW Downtown Rapid City 9.9 5/10/2015 700 AM
10 WNW Downtown Rapid City 9.5 5/10/2015 700 AM
6 ESE Box Elder 9 5/10/2015 700 AM
Oral 9 5/10/2015 700 AM
Hot Springs 5.2 NW 9 5/10/2015 700 AM
Oral 9 5/11/2015 800 AM
Mount Rushmore 8.7 5/10/2015 1200 AM
3 WNW Downtown Rapid City 8.5 5/10/2015 700 AM
Sundance 8.4 5/10/2015 1200 AM
Philip 18 N 8 5/10/2015 700 AM
Wright 8 5/10/2015 400 PM
Aladdin 8 5/10/2015 1140 AM
5 SE South Eagle Butte 8 5/10/2015 1003 AM
3 WNW Kadoka 8 5/10/2015 926 AM
Opal 8 5/10/2015 700 AM
Maurine 12 SW 8 5/11/2015 700 AM
Belle Fourche 7.4 5/11/2015 800 AM
Edgemont 7.2 5/10/2015 700 AM
Edgemont 7.2 5/11/2015 700 AM
Hermosa 0.3 ENE 7 5/10/2015 700 AM
5 NE Aladdin 7 5/10/2015 1145 AM
8 W Downtown Spearfish 7 5/10/2015 1046 AM
3 SSW Norris 7 5/10/2015 700 AM
Harding 3 SE 7 5/11/2015 700 AM
Beulah 6.1 SW 6 5/10/2015 700 AM
3 ESE Nisland 6 5/10/2015 400 PM
9 NW Creighton 6 5/10/2015 1242 PM
2 W Glad Valley 6 5/10/2015 954 AM
9 WSW Red Elm 6 5/10/2015 826 AM
Hoover 6 5/11/2015 700 AM
Dupree 6 5/10/2015 600 PM
Hot Springs 6 5/10/2015 400 PM
8 ESE Meadow 5 5/10/2015 951 AM
12 W Wright 5 5/10/2015 840 AM
Camp Crook 5 5/10/2015 400 PM
Lemmon 5 5/11/2015 500 PM
13 SSW Downtown Newcastle 4 5/10/2015 700 PM
5 SE Pine Haven 4 5/10/2015 400 PM
16 SW Savageton 4 5/10/2015 400 PM
12 SSE Downtown Newcastle 3.5 5/10/2015 700 PM
Gillette 0.5 ENE 3 5/10/2015 757 AM
Cedar Butte 3 5/11/2015 800 AM
Faith 36.3 W 2.8 5/11/2015 700 AM
Lemmon 11.2 SW 2.5 5/11/2015 700 AM
9 SSE Downtown Gillette 2 5/10/2015 634 AM
Upton 18.8 SW 2 5/10/2015 700 AM
Gillette 4 SE 2 5/10/2015 430 PM
Hullett 2 5/11/2015 800 AM
Mission 14 S 0 5/10/2015 700 PM