No travel advised as blizzard and wind chill warnings remain in effect Friday

Our area, as well as most of the state, remains under a blizzard warning Friday.  The National Weather Service has a blizzard warning in effect until 6:00 Saturday morning.  Along with that, our area is also in a Wind Chill Warning through Saturday at noon.  Winds will continue to gust upwards of 40-miles per hour, causing blowing snow and whiteout conditions, along with dangerous wind chills.  

NWS forecast

Officials advise people not to travel if at all possible.  Interstate-29 is currently closed from Watertown to the North Dakota state line.  Interstate-90 is closed across the state from the Minnesota state line west to Rapid City.  This includes both east and westbound lanes of I-90.  

Because of the sustained strong winds causing near zero visibility and drifting snow, the state Department of Transportation anticipates that both interstates will remain closed Friday. 

Along with the interstate closures, the state DOT reminds people that no travel is advised on most other state highways and secondary highways.   

Road conditions can be found by dialing 511 or visiting sd511.org or by using the SDDOT 511 app.  

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Gov. Kristi Noem signed Executive Order 2022-12, which declares an emergency for the winter storms that have been impacting South Dakota. Governor Noem also activated the South Dakota National Guard.

“My administration has been assisting county and tribal governments in the local response to the ongoing winter storms across the state,” said Governor Kristi Noem.   “Under the direction of the Office of Emergency Management, we will continue to help all of South Dakota’s communities get through these storms, together.”

The South Dakota National Guard has been activated pursuant to the statewide emergency, and resources are needed to provide additional assistance to the tribes. When the tribes request help, it is evaluated to see if it is an appropriate use for our National Guard. The Guard’s immediate mission is hauling available firewood from the Black Hills Forest Service to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. Other missions may be necessary as coordination between tribal and local governments and State Emergency Management continues.

The Noem Administration had already been responding to the various needs of South Dakota’s tribes throughout these storms, and those are detailed in this release by the South Dakota of Public Safety.

These actions are in addition to the ongoing steps being taken by numerous state agencies, especially the South Dakota Department of Public Safety and the South Dakota Department of Transportation.

December 23, 2022