Forecasters are tracking a severe winter storm that’s expected to reach the state overnight. Sioux Falls meteorologist Philip Schumacher says snowfall will be significant, but there shouldn’t be any strong winds. He says 15 to 20-mile-per-hour winds will cause some blowing snow so travelers should keep an eye on the storm before making any plans.
Schumacher says, "What we’re expecting is snow to move into the southern part of the state, mainly the southwest later today and then that snow will gradually spread north and east through the night, reaching the I-29 area late tomorrow morning or early tomorrow afternoon.
Schumacher says, "the heaviest snow right now looks like it will be near the Nebraska border from south-central South Dakota into far southeast South Dakota, where there could be as much as six to nine inches of snow. And then amounts will decrease as you go north and east towards Sioux Falls and Brookings and Aberdeen. And then the snow is expected to be the heaviest in the area late tonight through Thursday evening and then sometime late Thursday night or Friday morning."
But people shouldn’t put away their winter coats after this storm blows through. Schumacher says another potential storm should pass through the state early next week. He says it’s still too early to tell the magnitude of the storm, but people should keep an eye on it for travel purposes.