Overview
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A strong low pressure system moved across the area January 21st and 22nd, 2026. An initial dusting of up to 1 inch of snow fell on Tuesday January 21st. An Arctic front brought strong wind gusts, peaking up to 80 mph, on Wednesday January 22nd. Combined with scattered light snow falling into the winds and snow already on the ground, areas of blowing snow brought periodic whiteout conditions to portions of the region. The entire two-day period brought snowfall amounts up to nearly 3 inches. Some area schools, especially in southwest Minnesota, closed early due to poor visibility. |
 Map of Snowfall Jan 20-21, 2026 |
Snow
| City, State | 2-Day Snow Total |
| Madison, SD | 2.9" |
| Canton, SD | 1.7" |
| Sibley, IA | 1.6" |
| Montrose, SD | 1.5" |
| Sioux Falls Airport, SD | 1.5" |
| Spirit Lake, IA | 1.3" |
| Bridgewater, SD | 1.0" |
| Lake Park, IA | 1.0" |
| Marshall, MN | 1.0" |
| Wessinton Springs, SD | 1.0" |
| Windom, MN | 1.0" |
| Worthington, MN | 1.0" |
| Brookings, SD | 0.9" |
| Rock Rapids, IA | 0.6" |
| Sheldon, IA | 0.5" |
| Sioux Rapids, IA | 0.4" |
| Centerville, SD | 0.2" |
| Tyndall, SD | 0.2" |
| Cherokee, IA | Trace |
Wind
Peak Winds Wednesday January 21st, 2026
Afternoon wind gusts peaked 60-80 mph in portions of south central and southeast South Dakota, prompting a High Wind Warning.
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| Map of peak observed wind gusts from Wednesday January 23, 2026 |
...HIGHEST WIND REPORTS ENDING AT 4 PM CST JAN 21 2026... Location Speed Time/Date Provider ...Iowa... ...Buena Vista County... Storm Lake Airport 63 MPH 0215 PM 01/21 AWOS Storm Lake 53 MPH 0225 PM 01/21 MESOWEST ...Cherokee County... Cherokee Municipal Airport 47 MPH 0358 PM 01/21 AWOS Marcus 46 MPH 0215 PM 01/21 DAVIS ...Clay County... Spencer Municipal Airport 49 MPH 0301 PM 01/21 ASOS Spencer 41 MPH 0200 PM 01/21 MESOWEST ...Dickinson County... TERRIL 49 MPH 0239 PM 01/21 CWOP Lake Park 43 MPH 0330 PM 01/21 CWOP Spirit Lake 40 MPH 0241 PM 01/21 CWOP ...Ida County... Battle Creek 49 MPH 0255 PM 01/21 DAVIS Ida Grove 45 MPH 0140 PM 01/21 MESOWEST ...Lyon County... Larchwood 43 MPH 0125 PM 01/21 DAVIS ...OBrien County... Sheldon Airport 51 MPH 0155 PM 01/21 AWOS Hartley 40 MPH 0145 PM 01/21 DAVIS ...Osceola County... Sibley 65 MPH 0115 PM 01/21 MESOWEST ...Plymouth County... Le Mars Airport 55 MPH 0215 PM 01/21 AWOS Remsen 49 MPH 0205 PM 01/21 DAVIS Sioux City 47 MPH 0105 PM 01/21 DAVIS Loess Hills Tnc Broken RAWS 43 MPH 0311 PM 01/21 RAWS ...Sioux County... 1 NE Maurice 61 MPH 1255 PM 01/21 AWOS Hawarden 55 MPH 0200 PM 01/21 CWOP ...Woodbury County... Sioux Gateway Airport 68 MPH 0121 PM 01/21 ASOS Moville 60 MPH 0215 PM 01/21 MESOWEST Sioux City 58 MPH 0130 PM 01/21 MESOWEST ...Minnesota... ...Cottonwood County... T.h.60 - Mountain Lake - Mp 52 MPH 0200 PM 01/21 MESOWEST T.h.71 - Jeffers - Mp 43 48 MPH 0355 PM 01/21 MESOWEST Windom Municipal Airport 43 MPH 0335 PM 01/21 AWOS ...Jackson County... I-90 - Lakefield - Mp 67 46 MPH 0335 PM 01/21 MESOWEST Jackson Airport 44 MPH 0236 PM 01/21 AWOS ...Lincoln County... U.s.14 - Lake Benton - Mp 7 49 MPH 0120 PM 01/21 MESOWEST T.h.19 - Hendricks - Mp 2 46 MPH 0250 PM 01/21 MESOWEST ...Lyon County... U.s.14 - Florence - Mp 21.2 57 MPH 0210 PM 01/21 MESOWEST Tracy Airport 47 MPH 0300 PM 01/21 AWOS T.h.68 - Taunton - Mp 22.9 46 MPH 0230 PM 01/21 MESOWEST Marshall Municipal Airport 45 MPH 0251 PM 01/21 AWOS ...Murray County... Slayton Municipal Airport 46 MPH 0233 PM 01/21 AWOS T.h.30 - Dovray - Mp 49 44 MPH 0250 PM 01/21 MESOWEST ...Nobles County... I-90 - Rushmore - Mp 35 47 MPH 0220 PM 01/21 MESOWEST Worthington Airport 46 MPH 0224 PM 01/21 AWOS ...Pipestone County... U.s.75 - Trosky - Mp 30.3 51 MPH 0250 PM 01/21 MESOWEST Redstone RAWS 44 MPH 0321 PM 01/21 RAWS ...Rock County... I-90 - Beaver Creek Mp 4 64 MPH 1240 PM 01/21 MESOWEST I-90 - Magnolia - Mp 21.6 45 MPH 0130 PM 01/21 MESOWEST Luverne Airport 41 MPH 0115 PM 01/21 AWOS ...Nebraska... ...Dakota County... South Sioux City 59 MPH 0115 PM 01/21 CWOP D3-Rwis 35 48.65 46 MPH 0107 PM 01/21 MESOWEST ...Dixon County... Ponca 44 MPH 0125 PM 01/21 DAVIS ...South Dakota... ...Aurora County... SD RWIS Plankinton 71 MPH 1129 AM 01/21 SDDOT White Lake (SD Mesonet) 64 MPH 1120 AM 01/21 SDSMESO ...Beadle County... SD RWIS WOLSEY 56 MPH 1037 AM 01/21 SDDOT Huron Regional Airport 54 MPH 1104 AM 01/21 ASOS SD RWIS Cavour 51 MPH 1052 AM 01/21 SDDOT ...Bon Homme County... SD RWIS Tyndall 65 MPH 1139 AM 01/21 SDDOT Scotland 60 MPH 1205 PM 01/21 DAVIS ...Brookings County... Brookings Municipal Airport 48 MPH 0153 PM 01/21 AWOS Volga (SD Mesonet) 47 MPH 0155 PM 01/21 SDSMESO Brookings 2NE (SD Mesonet) 44 MPH 0200 PM 01/21 SDSMESO Astoria 4 SSE (SD Mesonet) 40 MPH 0300 PM 01/21 SDSMESO ...Brule County... SD RWIS Kimball 66 MPH 1109 AM 01/21 SDDOT Chamberlain Municipal Airpor 58 MPH 1015 AM 01/21 ASOS ...Charles Mix County... SD RWIS Platte-Winner Bridge 73 MPH 1129 AM 01/21 SDDOT SD RWIS WAGNER 67 MPH 1208 PM 01/21 SDDOT Lake Andes RAWS 66 MPH 1141 AM 01/21 RAWS Wagner 62 MPH 1230 PM 01/21 AWOS ...Clay County... Vermillion 61 MPH 1215 PM 01/21 AWOS Beresford 7 WSW (SD Mesonet) 55 MPH 1245 PM 01/21 SDSMESO ...Davison County... Mitchell Municipal Airport 61 MPH 1136 AM 01/21 ASOS Mount Vernon (SD Mesonet) 58 MPH 1050 AM 01/21 SDSMESO ...Douglas County... SD RWIS Corsica 69 MPH 1148 AM 01/21 SDDOT Armour 41 MPH 1245 PM 01/21 DAVIS ...Gregory County... SD RWIS Dixon 68 MPH 1103 AM 01/21 SDDOT SD RWIS Dallas 66 MPH 1113 AM 01/21 SDDOT Gregory 16N (SD Mesonet) 65 MPH 1055 AM 01/21 SDSMESO Bonesteel 56 MPH 1125 AM 01/21 DAVIS Gregory 7SSW (SD Mesonet) 56 MPH 1135 AM 01/21 SDSMESO Butte 8NNW 55 MPH 1145 AM 01/21 CWOP Herrick 51 MPH 1115 AM 01/21 DAVIS ...Hanson County... SD RWIS Alexandria 63 MPH 1209 PM 01/21 SDDOT ...Hutchinson County... SD RWIS Freeman 65 MPH 1154 AM 01/21 SDDOT SD RWIS Tripp 64 MPH 1127 AM 01/21 SDDOT Menno 7ESE (SD Mesonet) 59 MPH 1145 AM 01/21 SDSMESO Parkston (SD Mesonet) 49 MPH 1115 AM 01/21 SDSMESO Ethan 48 MPH 1100 AM 01/21 DAVIS ...Jerauld County... SD RWIS Lane 62 MPH 1112 AM 01/21 SDDOT ...Kingsbury County... De Smet 7N (SD Mesonet) 54 MPH 1145 AM 01/21 SDSMESO 3 NNW De Smet 51 MPH 1155 AM 01/21 AWOS SD RWIS Arlington 46 MPH 0118 PM 01/21 SDDOT ...Lake County... Madison 6S (SD Mesonet) 59 MPH 1155 AM 01/21 SDSMESO SD RWIS MADISON 52 MPH 1240 PM 01/21 SDDOT Madison Airport 48 MPH 1235 PM 01/21 AWOS ...Lincoln County... SD RWIS Davis 60 MPH 1258 PM 01/21 SDDOT HARRISBURG 43 MPH 0339 PM 01/21 CWOP Tea 41 MPH 0135 PM 01/21 AWOS ...McCook County... SD RWIS Montrose 64 MPH 1228 PM 01/21 SDDOT SD RWIS STANLEY CORNER 60 MPH 0100 PM 01/21 SDDOT Canova 56 MPH 1210 PM 01/21 CWOP Salem 44 MPH 1230 PM 01/21 DAVIS Montrose 43 MPH 1225 PM 01/21 DAVIS ...Miner County... SD RWIS Howard 53 MPH 1205 PM 01/21 SDDOT Winfred 40 MPH 1145 AM 01/21 DAVIS ...Minnehaha County... Sioux Falls Airport 56 MPH 0119 PM 01/21 ASOS SD RWIS DELL RAPIDS 51 MPH 1234 PM 01/21 SDDOT Sioux Falls 10 WSW (SD Meson 43 MPH 1240 PM 01/21 SDSMESO Baltic 3 SE (SD Mesonet) 42 MPH 1255 PM 01/21 SDSMESO ...Moody County... Flandreau 3 NNE (SD Mesonet) 50 MPH 1255 PM 01/21 SDSMESO Colman 38 MPH 0145 PM 01/21 DAVIS ...Sanborn County... SD RWIS ALPENA 62 MPH 1124 AM 01/21 SDDOT Letcher 2ENE (SD Mesonet) 56 MPH 1205 PM 01/21 SDSMESO Woonsocket 4NNW (SD Mesonet) 56 MPH 1110 AM 01/21 SDSMESO SD RWIS Forestburg 55 MPH 1203 PM 01/21 SDDOT ...Turner County... SD RWIS IRENE 68 MPH 1222 PM 01/21 SDDOT SD RWIS Parker 64 MPH 1244 PM 01/21 SDDOT Parker 7NNE (SD Mesonet) 57 MPH 1235 PM 01/21 SDSMESO ...Union County... SD RWIS Beresford 68 MPH 0105 PM 01/21 SDDOT SD RWIS North Sioux City 61 MPH 0138 PM 01/21 SDDOT ...Yankton County... SD RWIS Gayville 69 MPH 1248 PM 01/21 SDDOT Yankton Municipal Airport 61 MPH 1237 PM 01/21 AWOS SD RWIS VELDIN CORNER 57 MPH 1233 PM 01/21 SDDOT Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.
Photos & Video
Impacts
Strong wind gusts of up to 80 mph on Wednesday January 21, 2026 brought periods of whiteout conditions, mainly while snow was falling, across much of the region. Conditions were particularly treacherous in portions of southeast SD, southwest MN, and northwest IA where a blizzard warning was issued.
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| Webcam Near Trosky, MN at 1:06 PM CST Jan 21, 2026 (Courtesy of MNDOT) |
Webcam Near Howard, SD at 1:03 PM CST Jan 21, 2026 (Courtesy of SDDOT) |
Webcam Near Pheasant City at 1:04 PM CST Jan 21, 2026 (Courtesy of SD DOT) |
Webcam Near Dell Rapids, SD at 1:02 PM CST Jan 21, 2026 (Courtesy of SD DOT) |
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| High Wind Warning in effect January 21st | Winter Weather Advisory and Blizzard Warning in effect January 21st | Special Weather Statement for Blowing Dust in effect January 21st |
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