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Snow Continues in the Great Lakes; Above Normal Temperatures in the West

Lake effect snow will continue into the weekend as two more quick moving systems will bring widespread snow to the Upper Great Lakes. High winds are expected across portions of Montana through the weekend. Below normal temperatures will remain in place across much of the southern and eastern U.S., while the western U.S. will experience above normal temperatures. Read More >

Overview

A low pressure system that developed in eastern Colorado during the afternoon of April 9th, 2019, produced heavy snowfall across the region on April 10-11th as it moved through the Central and Northern Plains. 

The initial wave of snow moved into portions of central and eastern South Dakota during the early morning hours of April 10th.  This snow fell at rates exceeding 1 inch an hour and produced anywhere from 3 to 12 inches of snow by the evening of April 10th.  The heaviest snow occurred between US Highway 12 and 14, stretching from Eagle Butte, eastward through northern Faulk County and to the Watertown area. 

The second wave of snow occurred as during the evening of April 10th through the early morning hours of April 12th, as the low moved from central Kansas to southwestern Minnesota.  Once again, snowfall rates exceeded 1 inch an hour in many locations on April 11th.  The heavy snow, combined with winds gusting between 40 and 50 mph, produced blizzard conditions across much of central and eastern South Dakota into the evening hours of April 11th. The poor weather conditions led to "No Travel Advised" across much of the eastern 2/3rds of South Dakota and closed Interstate 90 from Rapid City to Sioux Falls and Interstate 29 from Sioux Falls to Fargo, ND. 

Storm total snowfall amounts exceeded a foot for numerous locations and some locations even eclipsed the two foot mark. Finally, thundersnow was reported across portions of central and eastern South Dakota, and west central Minnesota especially in the Watertown area. Thunderstorms also produced pea-sized hail across portions of east central South Dakota on the 11th. 

Highest reported snowfall amounts across west central Minnesota and central and northeastern South Dakota. Values as of 11 AM CDT April 12, 2019
Some of the highest reported snowfall amounts across west central Minnesota and central and northeastern South Dakota. 
Loop of the surface low track from 10 AM CDT April 9, 2019 to 7 AM CDT April 12, 2019 Snowfall reports across central/eastern South Dakota and west central Minnesota (as of 1230 PM CDT on April 12, 2019) Snowfall reports across central/eastern South Dakota and west central Minnesota (as of 1230 PM CDT on April 12, 2019)
Radar loop from 1 PM CDT April 9, 2019 to 10 AM CDT April 12, 2019 Loop of the surface low track from 10 AM CDT April 9, 2019 to 7 AM CDT April 12, 2019 GOES-16 Infrared Satellite Imagery at 9am on April 11th, courtesy of the CIRA RAMMB-SLIDER Visible satellite imagery taken at 4pm on April 13th, showing the extent of the snowfall across the region. 
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