Overview
March 13-14, 2019, a powerful winter storm brought heavy snow and strong winds to northeastern Wyoming and western South Dakota. Snow amounts across the area varied widely, ranging from around an inch across northwestern SD and the downsloped Newcastle area, to 16 inches in the central Black Hills, and 18 inches near Kadoka. Wind gusts reached 60 to 70 mph, which created a blizzard. Less than one quarter-mile visibility was reported across the area and drifts several feet deep resulted, even in areas that received only a few inches of snow. Below is the radar imagery of the storm. As you can see, there was a hole in the snow around Rapid City for a while, depicting the pocket of dry air Wednesday morning that kept snow at bay for several hours. This resulted in lowered snow amounts for Rapid City and the surrounding areas. Nonetheless, travel was hazardous to impossible due to the icing and drifting on roads and zero visibility.
Snowfall
Given the very strong winds that occurred with this blizzard, these snowfall totals are very preliminary.
The storm reports listed below are in descending order and may not necessarily be the final storm reports. Snow reports listed by amount INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME ------ ----------------------- -- -------------- ------- 18.30 KADOKA SD JACKSON 0700 AM 18.00 8 SE INTERIOR SD JACKSON 0600 AM 16.00 2 ESE OKREEK SD TODD 1100 AM 16.00 7 NW CEDAR BUTTE SD MELLETTE 0600 AM 16.00 4 SE DEERFIELD SD PENNINGTON 0529 AM 15.00 2 SW NORRIS SD MELLETTE 0800 AM 14.70 JOHNSON SIDING SD PENNINGTON 1117 AM 14.70 5 ESE NORRIS SD MELLETTE 1109 PM 13.50 3 ESE CHEYENNE CROSSING SD LAWRENCE 0800 AM 13.00 FOUR CORNERS WY WESTON 0809 PM 11.00 1 NNW DOWNTOWN SPEARFIS SD LAWRENCE 0900 AM 9.00 DOWNTOWN GILLETTE WY CAMPBELL 0706 AM 9.00 WASTA SD PENNINGTON 0500 AM 8.50 3 NNE JOHNSON SIDING SD PENNINGTON 0700 AM 8.10 1 NNE SUNDANCE WY CROOK 1200 AM 8.00 7 NNE ELLSWORTH AFB SD MEADE 0700 AM 8.00 5 ESE ELM SPRINGS SD MEADE 0626 AM 8.00 SUNDANCE WY CROOK 0600 AM 8.00 2 SW DOWNTOWN RAPID CIT SD PENNINGTON 0246 AM 7.80 3 SE SAINT ONGE SD LAWRENCE 0515 AM 7.50 1 SSE DOWNTOWN SPEARFIS SD LAWRENCE 0800 AM 7.50 5 NE ROCKERVILLE SD PENNINGTON 0700 AM 7.00 3 NE WHITEWOOD SD LAWRENCE 1009 AM 7.00 FOUR CORNERS WY WESTON 0518 PM 6.30 14 SSE DUPREE SD ZIEBACH 0800 AM 6.00 8 E SMITHWICK SD FALL RIVER 1228 PM 5.50 1 NNW PIEDMONT SD MEADE 1041 AM 5.00 8 WSW GLAD VALLEY SD ZIEBACH 0700 AM 5.00 3 ESE DEVILS TOWER WY CROOK 0600 AM 5.00 1 E DOWNTOWN RAPID CITY SD PENNINGTON 0600 AM 5.00 9 N CEDAR BUTTE SD MELLETTE 0600 AM 4.50 1 S DOWNTOWN BELLE FOUR SD BUTTE 0700 AM 4.50 2 S DOWNTOWN RAPID CITY SD PENNINGTON 0700 AM 4.20 1 ESE PACTOLA RESERVOIR SD PENNINGTON 0930 AM 4.10 TILFORD SD MEADE 0700 AM 4.00 9 WSW RED ELM SD ZIEBACH 0830 AM 4.00 9 W DOWNTOWN SPEARFISH SD LAWRENCE 0819 AM 4.00 4 SE USTA SD PERKINS 0700 AM 4.00 HILL CITY SD PENNINGTON 0700 AM 4.00 11 NE MORRISEY WY WESTON 0700 AM 4.00 DOWNTOWN STURGIS SD MEADE 0500 AM 4.00 UPTON WY WESTON 0811 PM 4.00 4 S DOWNTOWN RAPID CITY SD PENNINGTON 0700 PM 4.00 DOWNTOWN GILLETTE WY CAMPBELL 0330 PM 3.40 6 NNW DOWNTOWN SPEARFIS SD LAWRENCE 0700 AM 3.40 3 NE HISEGA SD PENNINGTON 0700 AM 3.00 HERMOSA SD CUSTER 0829 AM 3.00 4 NNE SUMMERSET SD MEADE 0730 AM 3.00 8 WNW USTA SD PERKINS 0700 AM 2.50 14 NNW DOWNTOWN GILLETT WY CAMPBELL 0700 AM 2.00 8 WSW LODGEPOLE SD PERKINS 0755 AM 2.00 ORAL SD FALL RIVER 0700 AM 2.00 1 NNE EDGEMONT SD FALL RIVER 0700 AM 1.40 6 WNW SHADEHILL SD PERKINS 0700 AM 1.20 8 SE MUD BUTTE SD MEADE 0900 AM 1.00 6 ENE NEWELL SD BUTTE 0700 AM 1.00 1 WSW DOWNTOWN NEWCASTL WY WESTON 0700 AM 1.00 6 SSW FAIRPOINT SD MEADE 0700 AM 1.00 3 E DOWNTOWN NEWCASTLE WY WESTON 0600 AM 1.00 2 E DOWNTOWN STURGIS SD MEADE 0600 PM 1.00 ARGYLE SD CUSTER 0443 PM 1.00 DOWNTOWN HOT SPRINGS SD FALL RIVER 0400 PM
Strong Winds
Here is a preliminary look at the highest wind reports received and recorded.
Wind gust reports listed by speed (mph) SPEED LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME ------ ----------------------- -- -------------- ------- 70.00 1 E DOWNTOWN RAPID CITY SD PENNINGTON 0500 AM 68.00 RAPID CITY AIRPORT SD PENNINGTON 0121 AM 66.00 3 ESE PINE RIDGE SD OGLALA LAKOTA 0449 AM 65.00 6 W ROCHFORD SD PENNINGTON 0408 AM 64.00 3 E PHILIP SD HAAKON 0100 AM 64.00 JEWEL CAVE SD CUSTER 0855 AM 61.00 4 NNW FAIRBURN SD CUSTER 0500 PM 60.00 5 NE PORCUPINE SD OGLALA LAKOTA 0441 AM 60.00 1 NE WINNER SD TRIPP 0210 AM 59.00 8 S WALL SD PENNINGTON 1220 AM 58.00 1 NNE FAITH SD MEADE 0721 PM 56.00 1 ESE MARTIN SD BENNETT 0215 AM 54.00 6 W PARMELEE SD TODD 0428 AM 53.00 8 S WALL SD PENNINGTON 0420 PM 53.00 5 SSE BEAR BUTTE STATE SD MEADE 0255 PM
Photos & Video
Videos of our Weather Balloon Releases
March 13, 2019 around 500 PM Evening Launch
March 14, 2019 around 500 AM Morning Launch
Photos from Around the Area
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| 1 N Hisega (Susan Rudge) |
Allen (Caitlin Young) |
Rapid Valley (Kayleigh Schmidt) |
Rapid Valley (Kayleigh Schmidt) |
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| Rapid Valley (Kayleigh Schmidt) |
Rapid Valley (Shannon) |
Rapid Valley (Shannon) |
Wall (Jim Kitterman) |
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| Wall (Jim Kitterman) |
MM71 on I-90 (Mike Carlson) |
Rapid City (DG) |
Caputa, SD (Pennington County EM) |
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