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Heavy Snow in the Central/Southern Rockies; Below Average Temperatures in the Central and Eastern US

Moderate to heavy snowfall is expected in the central/southern Rockies and adjacent High Plains today. Lake-enhanced snowfall is expected downwind of the Great Lakes today. Showers and thunderstorms will be possible this evening into tonight across the western Gulf Coast states. Temperatures across much of the central and eastern CONUS will remain below average and chilly to end the week. Read More >

Overview

May of 2019 rewrote the record books across western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming. Continuing the cold and wet trend of early spring, May was characterized by repeated bouts with well below normal temperatures and heavy snow, including snow on some days in late May for the first time on record. Rapid snowmelt and heavy rain late in the month also contributed to widespread flooding issues, including record crests on portions of the Cheyenne and White rivers in western South Dakota.

Here, we provide statistics on the monthly average temperatures and precipitation totals for downtown Rapid City and several cooperative observer sites across the area, including where May 2019 ranks in the record books. On the other tabs, we provide lists of all daily temperature and precipitation records set at these sites throughout May and a list of the preliminary record river crests during the month.

 

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