National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Powerful Pacific System Impacting the West; First Significant Snow for Portions of the East

Power Pacific system will continue to bring significant impacts for Pacific Northwest into northern California the remainder of the week. Dangerous coastal affects, heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, and higher elevation mountain snow continues. Meanwhile, a storm across the east is set to bring the first accumulating snow to many higher elevations of the Catskills into the central Appalachians. Read More >

Overview

On April 3, 2023 a potent winter storm developed over the Four Corners region. The low strengthened as it moved northeast into Wyoming and then through western South Dakota on April 4. The strength of the storm was sufficient to efficiently wring out significant moisture in the form of snow. Heavy snow fell for most of the day on the 3rd over far southwest South Dakota. The storm plodded northward the next day, dropping heavy snow across most of western South Dakota and the Black Hills. The storm exited the region on the 5th.

The heaviest snow fell over far southwest South Dakota where a location 2 miles west of Hot Springs recorded 30" of fresh snow. Snow totals of 18-24" were common from Custer to Hermosa to Hot Springs. 12" reports were common across much of west-central South Dakota.

Northwest winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph caused blowing and drifting snow on the 4th. Blizzard conditions occurred on the open plains of South Dakota where these winds were the strongest. During the height of the storm, I-90 was shut down over western South Dakota due to the blizzard conditions.

Image
1E Custer State Park Airport, SD
Courtesy Mary Frances
nws logo Media use of NWS Web News Stories is encouraged!
Please acknowledge the NWS as the source of any news information accessed from this site.
nws logo