🌨️ March 2026 Blizzard
South Dakota & Upper Midwest Under Siege
🔴 BLIZZARD EXPIRING WEST OF I-29 — COLD WEATHER ADVISORY OVERNIGHT — WARMING TREND AHEAD
As of 3:00 PM CDT Sunday (NWS FSD 2:57 PM AFD): The blizzard is "on a declining trend from west to east." NWS Sioux Falls has decided to expire the Blizzard Warning early at 7 PM CDT this evening for most locations west of I-29. A Winter Weather Advisory replaces it from 7 PM to 1 AM CDT for continued blowing and drifting snow. The Blizzard Warning remains in effect until 1 AM CDT Monday along/east of I-29 (Minnehaha, Turner, Lincoln, Union, Bon Homme, Yankton, Clay counties) and until 7 AM CDT Monday for SW Minnesota.
🥶 NEW: Cold Weather Advisory (1 AM – 11 AM Monday): Wind chills of -20°F to -30°F expected overnight into Monday morning. Coldest wind chills across SW Minnesota and adjacent portions of SE South Dakota and NW Iowa. Frostbite possible on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes. Advisory covers the vast majority of locations along and east of I-29, plus NW Iowa and NE Nebraska.
⚡ NWS ABR (2:18 PM CDT): Northern SD Blizzard Warnings expired. Mix of sun and clouds; all falling snow has departed. Winter Weather Advisory continues along/east of I-29 for blowing snow through 1 AM Monday. Wind chills dropping further — teens below to 20s below zero overnight. Tuesday: 60-85% chance of wintry mix across N-central/NE SD into W-central MN (snow most likely, then freezing rain).
📅 Looking ahead: Monday will be cold — highs only upper single digits to low 20s. Dry conditions and a warming trend for mid-to-late week: 40s-50s-60s, with 70s possible by Friday-Saturday.
Along & south of I-90: 1-3 inches • North of I-90 (central SD): 2-6 inches • Northern SD (NWS Aberdeen area): Snow done — warnings expired, sunshine returning • East-central SD (Prairie Coteau): Highest SD totals — 5+ inches from upslope enhancement • Southwest Minnesota: 6-12 inches (bull's-eye of the storm, Blizzard Warning until 7 AM Monday) • Key change this update: Blizzard Warning expiring early (7 PM) west of I-29, replaced by Winter Weather Advisory. Cold Weather Advisory issued for -20°F to -30°F wind chills overnight into Monday morning. Storm winding down but dangerous cold follows. Tuesday outlook (NWS ABR): 60-85% chance of a wintry mix — snow most likely (NE SD, W-central MN), freezing rain second (central/N-central SD).
Current observations from NWS weather stations. Auto-refreshes every 5 minutes.
Live warnings and advisories from the National Weather Service for SD & MN. Click to expand details.
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Blizzard conditions are active across northern and east-central SD with visibilities dropping below 1 mile. Travel is extremely dangerous or impossible in affected areas. Check these sources for real-time road status before any travel:
The NWS warns that whiteout conditions will make travel extremely dangerous or impossible from late Saturday night through Sunday. Travel should be restricted to emergencies only once blizzard conditions begin. If you must travel, carry a winter survival kit. If stranded, stay with your vehicle.
A light snowband moved through, depositing 0.5 to 1.5 inches before lifting north of the area. Partly sunny skies and temps in the mid-30s to 50°F caused some melting.
UPDATE (8:40 PM NWS Aberdeen): Snow has become more widespread across the NWS Aberdeen area. Moderate to heavy snow is already falling in a band from Edmunds/Faulk counties eastward across NE and east-central SD. Visibilities have dropped to 1 mile or less across north-central and NE SD with wind gusts of 30-40 mph. Farther south, snow expected to develop along the Highway 14 corridor during late evening.
Blizzard Warnings are now active across northern SD. Heavy snow band tracking southeast, setting up from Buffalo County northeastward through east-central SD. Walworth, Sully, and Potter counties added to Blizzard Warning. Winds gusting 40-55 mph. MVFR/IFR/LIFR conditions at all NWS stations. NWS Aberdeen confirms heaviest snowfall rates (1-2 in/hr) expected in this band. Freezing rain is occurring across parts of NW Iowa, far eastern SD, and far southern MN (confirmed 1:33 AM CDT by NWS FSD). Up to a tenth of an inch of ice possible from Sheldon-Spencer to Lake Okoboji area. Transition to all snow expected by 3-4 AM. Elevated power outage risk where icing combines with 35-55 mph gusts.
Blizzard Warning takes effect for Minnehaha, Turner, Lincoln, Lyon (MN), Sioux (IA), and Rock (MN) counties. Whiteout conditions expected across the entire region. Snow totals up to 3" along/south of I-90 but winds gusting to 60 mph make travel extremely dangerous.
Blizzard conditions active across the region. Widespread IFR/LIFR conditions at NWS stations. Snow continuing through east-central SD and SW Minnesota; winding down across northern SD as the main band tracked south faster than expected. Winds sustained 25-35 mph with gusts 40-60 mph (strongest south of I-90). NWS Aberdeen (2:24 AM): Surface low tracked farther south across KS into MO/IA, pushing the heavy snow band south. 60-90% chance of 5+ inches additional from Spink to Roberts counties south along the Prairie Coteau (upslope enhancement). NWS Sioux Falls (1:33 AM): Freezing rain confirmed across NW Iowa, far eastern SD, far southern MN — up to 0.10" ice possible near Sheldon-Spencer to Lake Okoboji. Transitioning to all snow by 3-4 AM. Elevated power outage risk where icing combines with 35-55 mph gusts. High Wind Warning expanded: 10 AM Sunday to 1 AM Monday for most zones south of I-90.
NWS Aberdeen (2:18 PM): Skies are a mix of sun and clouds across northern SD. Temps hovering upper single digits to mid-teens. All remaining falling snow has departed the far SE forecast zones — now just ground-level blowing/drifting snow from strong north winds (20-35 mph sustained, gusts 35-50 mph). Winter Weather Advisory for blowing snow continues through 1 AM Monday along/east of I-29 corridor. Wind chill values "dropping 2-3 degrees with each forecast shift" — a few pixels of -25°F in Hand County and -30°F in Deuel County appearing in guidance (marginal for headlines). NWS Sioux Falls (12:35 PM): Full Blizzard Warning remained — snow band stretching Marshall MN to Sioux City IA. Central SD seeing improvements; blowing snow still causing intermittent IFR visibility. Peak winds (60 mph gusts) south of I-90. High Wind Warning until 1 AM Monday (7 PM for Gregory/Charles Mix/Bon Homme/Yankton).
⚡ UPDATE (NWS FSD 2:57 PM): Blizzard "on a declining trend from west to east." NWS has decided to expire the Blizzard Warning early at 7 PM CDT for most locations west of I-29 (was 1 AM Monday). Winter Weather Advisory replaces it from 7 PM to 1 AM CDT for continued blowing/drifting snow. Blizzard Warning continues until 1 AM Monday for zones along/east of I-29, until 7 AM Monday for SW Minnesota. High Wind Warning expires 7 PM CDT for Gregory/Charles Mix/Bon Homme/Yankton; 1 AM Monday for remaining zones south of I-90. NEW: Cold Weather Advisory issued 1 AM – 11 AM Monday — wind chills -20°F to -30°F.
Blizzard Warning expires 7 PM west of I-29, replaced by Winter Weather Advisory until 1 AM. Winds decline but remain gusty (20-35 mph along/east of I-29), contributing to continued blowing/drifting snow. Temperatures drop to single digits (positive and negative). Cold Weather Advisory in effect 1 AM – 11 AM Monday — wind chills of -20°F to -30°F expected. Coldest wind chills across SW Minnesota and adjacent SE South Dakota / NW Iowa.
Blizzard Warning expires 1 AM CDT for most of southern SD/MN/IA/NE (NWS Sioux Falls area), 7 AM CDT for SW Minnesota zones. Winter Weather Advisory expires 1 AM CDT. Cold Weather Advisory in effect 1 AM – 11 AM CDT — frostbite possible in as little as 30 minutes on exposed skin. Surface high pressure slides through the Northern Plains. Cold day — highs only upper single digits to low 20s, coldest across SW Minnesota where deepest snowpack is. Wind chills remain in positive and negative teens despite weakening winds. Strongest winds near/east of I-29 due to steeper pressure gradient. Monday morning commute likely impacted by blowing/drifting snow and dangerous wind chills.
Tuesday: Upper-level ridging begins building across southwestern CONUS. A weak shortwave trough on the downwind side brings warm air advection (WAA) aloft. NWS Aberdeen (2:18 PM CDT) now puts chances at 60-85% for a wintry mix over north-central into NE South Dakota and west-central Minnesota. Most likely precipitation type is snow (NE SD, W-central MN) followed by freezing rain (central and north-central SD), with sleet and rain trailing a "rather distant 3rd and 4th." NWS Sioux Falls shows a broader 20-60% chance for 1+ inch of snow along/northeast of a Huron–Sioux Falls–Storm Lake line. Some uncertainty remains in exact locations and precipitation types. Dramatic warming trend mid-to-late week: Upper-level ridge continues building over western CONUS. Northwest flow regime over the Northern Plains. Dry and warm conditions. Highs near seasonal to well above average — 40s, 50s, 60s, even into the 70s. Warmest temperatures Thursday-Saturday — potentially 20-30°+ above climate normal for mid-March. Rapid snowmelt expected — how fast the new snow field melts will influence how warm it gets (NWS Aberdeen notes 60s-70s possible Thursday-Friday if snowpack melts quickly). Dry conditions and NW flow aloft should keep the latter half of the week precipitation-free. Weekend cold front possible, bringing temps closer to climate normal.
⚡ UPDATE (2:57 PM): NWS has decided to expire the Blizzard Warning early at 7 PM CDT this evening for most locations west of I-29 (originally 1 AM Monday). Winter Weather Advisory replaces it 7 PM – 1 AM CDT for continued blowing/drifting snow. Blizzard Warning continues until 1 AM CDT Monday for zones along/east of I-29 (Minnehaha, Turner, Lincoln, Union, Bon Homme, Yankton, Clay).
ⓦ = Blizzard Warning expires 7 PM, replaced by Winter Weather Advisory 7 PM – 1 AM | High Wind Warning in effect south of I-90 (expires 7 PM for Gregory/Charles Mix/Bon Homme/Yankton; 1 AM Monday for remaining zones).
Wind chills of -20°F to -30°F expected. Coldest wind chills across SW Minnesota and adjacent portions of SE South Dakota and NW Iowa (as low as -29°F). Frostbite possible on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes. Advisory covers the vast majority of locations along and east of I-29.
Wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves when outside. Limit time outdoors.
⚡ UPDATE (NWS ABR 2:18 PM): Blizzard Warnings have expired. Mix of sun and clouds, upper single digits to mid-teens. All falling snow has exited the area. Winter Weather Advisory continues for blowing snow through 1 AM CDT Monday along/east of I-29 corridor. Earlier advisories for McPherson/Brown/Edmunds/Faulk (until 4 PM), Hand/Clark/Spink (until 7 PM) still in effect. Winds sustained 20-30 mph, gusts up to 40 mph tonight across I-29 corridor. Wind chills overnight: teens below to 20s below zero — "dropping 2-3 degrees with each forecast shift." ★ = was added to Blizzard Warning overnight (now expired)
Western SD: 2-4 inches with gusts up to 55-60 mph. Until noon MDT Sunday. Winter Weather Advisory for Rapid City area (1-3 inches). ⓘ = Stanley, Hughes, Jones, Lyman, Buffalo counties also under Winter Weather Advisory (NWS ABR) until 4 AM CDT, then Blizzard Warning until 4 PM CDT with gusts to 45 mph.
5-11 inches with gusts up to 55 mph. Blizzard conditions from 10 PM Sat through 7 AM Mon CDT.
5-10 inches, locally up to 12" near the SD border. Gusts up to 45 mph. Near-blizzard conditions possible in open country.
Blizzard Warning from 4 AM–7 AM Sunday through 1 AM–7 AM Monday CDT (varies by zone). Wind gusts up to 60 mph. High Wind Warning also in effect for much of NW Iowa. Freezing rain is actively occurring (as of 1:33 AM CDT) — up to a tenth of an inch of ice possible before transition to all snow by 3-4 AM. Elevated power outage risk.