05-02-2008, 10:47 PM
By The Associated Press
A storm that produced a foot or more of snow and 60 mph winds brought things to a halt in western South Dakota Friday and then raised worries about flooding from a rapid melt.
Interstate 90 was closed between Wall and the Wyoming border. Officials in Spearfish, Belle Fourche and Butte County declared snow emergencies. All roads were closed to travel except for emergency vehicles.
Blizzard warnings and winter storm warnings were lifted at mid-afternoon and replaced by a flood watch.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch starting Sunday morning for Butte and Harding counties, the northern Black Hills, the northern foothills, the southern Meade County plains and the Sturgis/Piedmont foothills.
The storm produced the equivalent of 2-5 inches of precipitation as rain or wet snow, the NWS said.
"Temperatures will be warm enough over the weekend to cause rapid snowmelt and potential minor to moderate flooding," the NWS said.
There were unconfirmed reports of 30 inches of snow in the Lead-Deadwood area, and 4 feet near Harding in the far northwest corner of the state.
The storm knocked down power poles in Harding County, and several counties were experiencing intermittent power outages, according to the state Department of Public Safety.
"This is a serious situation and we need the public's cooperation to keep South Dakotans, emergency workers, and travelers safe for the next 24 hours," Gov. Mike Rounds said in a midday statement. "Right now the severe weather is making our response and recovery efforts very difficult. As the weather clears, we'll have more resources ready to clear the roads and help with the power concerns."
Winds up to 66 miles per hour were blowing snow around in Rapid City Friday morning, when Mayor Alan Hanks told people to stay home.
"There are very few businesses that are going to open, so take a day off and enjoy it," Hanks said.
Mount Rushmore, Ellsworth Air Force Base and the School of Mines and Technology were among the places that closed on Friday.
The weather service said final snowfall amounts would be 15-25 inches in the northwest plains, 12-18 inches in the Rapid City area and plains to the east, and 10-18 inches in the southern Black Hills.
Numerous highways in southern and eastern Wyoming also were closed, and the storm was affecting traffic in the Nebraska Panhandle.
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/storms/w...snow_N.htm
A storm that produced a foot or more of snow and 60 mph winds brought things to a halt in western South Dakota Friday and then raised worries about flooding from a rapid melt.
Interstate 90 was closed between Wall and the Wyoming border. Officials in Spearfish, Belle Fourche and Butte County declared snow emergencies. All roads were closed to travel except for emergency vehicles.
Blizzard warnings and winter storm warnings were lifted at mid-afternoon and replaced by a flood watch.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch starting Sunday morning for Butte and Harding counties, the northern Black Hills, the northern foothills, the southern Meade County plains and the Sturgis/Piedmont foothills.
The storm produced the equivalent of 2-5 inches of precipitation as rain or wet snow, the NWS said.
"Temperatures will be warm enough over the weekend to cause rapid snowmelt and potential minor to moderate flooding," the NWS said.
There were unconfirmed reports of 30 inches of snow in the Lead-Deadwood area, and 4 feet near Harding in the far northwest corner of the state.
The storm knocked down power poles in Harding County, and several counties were experiencing intermittent power outages, according to the state Department of Public Safety.
"This is a serious situation and we need the public's cooperation to keep South Dakotans, emergency workers, and travelers safe for the next 24 hours," Gov. Mike Rounds said in a midday statement. "Right now the severe weather is making our response and recovery efforts very difficult. As the weather clears, we'll have more resources ready to clear the roads and help with the power concerns."
Winds up to 66 miles per hour were blowing snow around in Rapid City Friday morning, when Mayor Alan Hanks told people to stay home.
"There are very few businesses that are going to open, so take a day off and enjoy it," Hanks said.
Mount Rushmore, Ellsworth Air Force Base and the School of Mines and Technology were among the places that closed on Friday.
The weather service said final snowfall amounts would be 15-25 inches in the northwest plains, 12-18 inches in the Rapid City area and plains to the east, and 10-18 inches in the southern Black Hills.
Numerous highways in southern and eastern Wyoming also were closed, and the storm was affecting traffic in the Nebraska Panhandle.
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/storms/w...snow_N.htm