...PAST AUTUMN SNOWSTORMS IN SIOUX FALLS...
SIGNIFICANT SNOWS HAVE OCCURRED FAIRLY FREQUENTLY IN NOVEMBER AND
OCCASIONALLY IN OCTOBER IN PAST HISTORY IN THE SIOUX FALLS AREA.
THE HEAVIEST SNOWSTORM IN OCTOBER/NOVEMBER HISTORY WAS THE THANKSGIVING
WEEKEND SNOWSTORM OF NOVEMBER 27/28 IN 1983 IN WHICH UP TO 15 INCHES OF
SNOWFALL ALONG WITH THUNDER AND LIGHTNING OCCURRED IN THE SIOUX FALLS
AREA BUT WITH THE AIRPORT ONLY MEASURING 11.4 INCHES. A SIMILAR STORM
TO THIS WAS THE WET BLIZZARD OF NOVEMBER 10TH 1998...ALSO STARTING WITH
THUNDER AND LIGHTNING...AND OFFICIALLY DUMPING 12.6 INCHES OF SNOW.
THIRD AND FOURTH PLACES GO TO THE FAMOUS HALLOWEEN SNOWSTORM OF OCT.
31ST/ NOV. 1ST IN 1991 IN WHICH 12.1 INCHES FELL FOLLOWED BY BLIZZARD
CONDITIONS...AND THE LATE NOVEMBER 2001 STORM OF THE 26-27TH WITH A
STORM TOTAL OF 12.6 INCHES OF HEAVY WET SNOW.
THE HALLOWEEN SNOWSTORM OF 1991 TOOK THE PRIZE FOR THE HEAVIEST SNOW SO
EARLY IN THE SEASON FOR SIOUX FALLS. THE EARLIEST SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL
SINCE RECORDS BEGAN IN 1893 WAS 5.1 INCHES ON OCTOBER 8/9 IN 1970.
IT SHOULD BE MENTIONED ONE OF THE WORST WINTER STORMS IN OCTOBER/
NOVEMBER HISTORY WAS NOT A SNOWSTORM BUT AN ICESTORM. ON NOVEMBER
15TH/16TH 1996 BETWEEN 2 AND 3 INCHES OF FREEZING RAIN...SLEET...AND
SOME SNOW OCCURRED IN THE SIOUX FALLS AREA....CAUSING CONSIDERABLE
DAMAGE TO TREES AND POWER LINES.
THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF SIGNIFICANT OCTOBER TO NOVEMBER SNOWFALLS
OF THE PAST IN SIOUX FALLS...
DATE AIRPORT SNOWFALL COMMENTS
...INCHES IN 24 HRS
SEP 18 1929 TRACE EARLIEST SNOWFLAKES
SEP 25 1939 .3 EARLIEST MEASURABLE SNOWFALL
SEP 28 1985 .9 NEXT EARLIEST MEASURABLE SNOWFALL...
UP TO 18 INCHES OF SNOW REPORTED
IN TRIPP COUNTY IN SOUTHCENTRAL
SOUTH DAKOTA WITH THIS SYSTEM
OCT 1 1999 2.7
OCT 8/9 1970 5.0
OCT 17/18 1898 6.1
OCT 19 1982 3.3 5.5 INCHES MEASURED IN SOUTHERN
SIOUX FALLS WITH UP TO 12 INCHES
SNOW IN THE NEWTON HILLS 25 MILES
SOUTH OF SIOUX FALLS
OCT 20 1905 5.0
OCT 26 1918 4.0
OCT 28 1925 4.5
OCT 31/NOV 1 1991 11.2 12.1 INCHES STORM TOTAL...
HEAVIEST SNOW SO EARLY IN SEASON
NOV 1 1928 5.0
NOV 2 1992 2.8 4.1 INCHES TOTAL NOV 1-3
NOV 3 1990 4.6
NOV 7 1924 5.5
NOV 8 1985 8.0 2ND HEAVIEST SNOW SO EARLY
NOV 8/9 1977 5.6 6.1 INCHES STORM TOTAL
NOV 9 1932 5.0
NOV 9/10 1946 7.9
NOV 9/10 1896 6.0 7.8 INCHES STORM TOTAL
NOV 10 1998 12.6 13.4 INCHES STORM TOTAL
NOV 11/12 2000 5.7
NOV 12 1959 7.5
NOV 14/15 1947 6.4 7.0 INCHES STORM TOTAL
NOV 14/15 1926 5.0
NOV 15/16 2000 5.3
NOV 18/19 1948 9.1 11.8 INCHES STORM TOTAL
NOV 19/20 1975 9.2
NOV 21 1909 6.0 7.0 INCHES STORM TOTAL
NOV 21/22 1979 11.8
NOV 24/25 1993 7.5
NOV 26/27 2001 12.1 12.6 INCHES STORM TOTAL
NOV 27 1994 9.6
NOV 27/28 1983 11.0 15.0 INCHES IN SOUTHERN SIOUX FALLS
NOV 28/29 2005 5.9 ICESTORM AND BLIZZARD JUST WEST OF SIOUX FALLS
NOV 30 1954 7.6
NOV 30 2005 6.6
NOV 30/DEC 1 1981 7.0 9.0 INCHES IN SOUTHERN SIOUX FALLS
RYRHOLM 10/17/2008
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