By Carleen Wild
Moody County Enterprise
After months of drier-than-normal conditions and warmer-than-average winter temperatures, winter finally showed up across eastern South Dakota this past weekend — right on cue for state basketball tournament time, locals will tell you.
A powerful late-season storm between Friday and Saturday brought blizzard and ground-blizzard conditions that kept most families at home and roads largely empty. Strong winds and blowing snow quickly reduced visibility across much of the region, creating dangerous travel conditions.
Officials closed portions of the interstate system and advised against travel across much of the state. Many secondary highways were also impacted as drifting snow made roadways difficult to navigate.
The storm forced the closure of businesses and services throughout the region. Flights were disrupted as well, with the Sioux Falls Regional Airport temporarily halting operations during the height of the storm.
With travel conditions deteriorating quickly, state and local officials urged residents to stay home and allow plow crews to work safely once conditions improved.
While snowfall totals varied, it was the combination of high winds and dry snow that created widespread blowing and drifting — leading to the near whiteout conditions that defined much of the storm.
Leave a Reply