National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Heavy Rainfall to Bring Flooding Threat to California; Heavy Snow in the Sierra

A strong atmospheric river will bring heavy rainfall to California through the holiday week. The heaviest rainfall is expected on Wednesday in the Los Angeles Basin. Flash and urban flooding is possible. A prolonged heavy snowfall is expected in the Sierra Nevada from the atmospheric river, raising concerns for major snow‐load impacts. Travel may be difficult to impossible over the passes. Read More >

Overview

A low pressure system and attached cold front triggered storms in a ripe environment across southern North Dakota during the mid-afternoon, and these storms quickly became strong to severe. Through the remainder of the afternoon and evening, these storms maintained their strong to severe intensity and even became destructive in some areas as they drifted southeast across the border into South Dakota. Extensive crop and property damage resulted from up to 80 mph wind gusts and/or large hail to baseball sized plus across portions of Corson, Dewey, Walworth, Potter, Sully, Hughes and Lyman Counties. Two rounds of severe storms about an hour apart affected those roughly from Blunt to Lower Brule to Iona.

As storms continued south of the NWS Aberdeen forecast area into Gregory county in south central South Dakota, a tornado rapidly developed in the town of Burke.  This EF-1 tornado produced significant damage to portions of the city center. For more information, visit this summary page from NWS Sioux Falls. 

2.3" Hail one mile west of Blunt, SD (Credit Derek Thompson)
2.3" Hail one mile west of Blunt, SD (Credit Derek Thompson)
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