Storm Impacting the Northwest U.S.; Fire Weather Conditions in Southern California; Severe Weather in the South

A Pacific storm is bringing areas of low elevation rain, moderate to heavy mountain snow, and high winds to the Northwest. Strong Santa Ana winds and very dry conditions are producing elevated to critical fire weather conditions in southern California. Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible through early Wednesday morning across parts of northeast Texas into western Tennessee. Read More >

Overview

A strong winter storm brought widespread snow to the region on December 10, 2021. While light to moderate snow persisted much of the day, the region also experienced periods of heavy snow, as rates exceeded 1.0 inch per hour at times. Snowfall totals ranged anywhere from 2 inches to around foot of snow, with the highest amounts along the I-90 corridor in southeast South Dakota, and across portions of southwest Minnesota. A daily precipitation and snowfall record was set at both Mitchell and Sioux Falls during this event.

Fresh Snowfall across the region from the storm. Picture taken the following day on Saturday, December 11th.

Snow/Ice
Photos & Video
Daily Records
Storm Reports

Snow/Ice

Here's a closer look at the snow accumulations from December 10, 2021.

Observed snowfall for December 10-11, 2021

You can find specific snowfall amounts under the Storm Reports tab.

Photos & Video


12 AM - 6 AM December 10: Watch the first band of snow develop south of I-90 and slowly move northward.	6 AM - 12 PM December 10: As the first band of snow lifts north and weakens, a larger area of snow develops from south central South Dakota into southwestern Minnesota.	12 PM - 6 PM December 10: A large area of moderate to heavy snow remains nearly stationary across southeastern South Dakota into southern Minnesota. Some locations saw 6 or more inches of snow over this 6 hours.	6 PM Dec 10 - 12 AM Dec 11: The area of snow moves east with the heaviest snow moving into southeastern Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Spencer, Iowa (Photo credit: Sherri Webster)	Southwest Sioux Falls (Photo credit: Michelle Schnaidt)	Luverne, Minnesota (Photo credit: Jordon-Emily Papik)	A hawk near our office in Sioux Falls is watching the storm intensify on Friday morning.

Daily Records

A daily precipitation and snowfall record was set at both Mitchell and Sioux Falls during this event.


Daily Precipitation Records	Daily Snowfall Records

Storm Reports

Location	Amount	Time/Date	Provider
Hills 0.2 NW	12.0 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Larchwood	12.0 in	0730 AM 12/11	Public
Gregory	11.5 in	0700 AM 12/11	HADS
6 NNW Inwood	11.0 in	0807 AM 12/11	Public
Academy 2 NE	11.0 in	0700 AM 12/11	COOP
Lester	11.0 in	0850 AM 12/11	Public
1 SE Tea	11.0 in	0905 AM 12/11	Trained Spotter
2 SSW Sioux Falls	11.0 in	0909 AM 12/11	Public
Hurley 0.2 S	10.9 in	0600 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Harrisburg 0.8 NNE	10.8 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Sioux Falls 4.2 S	10.6 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
2.6 NW Windom	10.6 in	0800 AM 12/11	COOP
Tripp	10.5 in	0804 AM 12/11	Public
Sioux Falls 3.4 ESE	10.4 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Sioux Falls 5.2 E	10.3 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Sioux Falls	10.0 in	0730 AM 12/11	Public
Canton	9.7 in	0800 AM 12/11	COOP
Sioux Falls NWS	9.5 in	0600 AM 12/11	COOP
Dallas 8.8 S	9.0 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Worthington 4.0 S	8.6 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Hartford 6.4 S	8.4 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Mitchell 1.0 SE	8.3 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Worthington 2 NNE	8.0 in	0700 AM 12/11	COOP
Spencer	8.0 in	0700 AM 12/11	Public
Alexandria	8.0 in	0800 AM 12/11	Public
Spirit Lake	8.0 in	0800 AM 12/11	Public
2 E Sioux Falls	8.0 in	0941 AM 12/11	Public
Stickney 3.8 SW	8.0 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Burke 10.5 SSE	7.8 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Pickstown 4 SSW	7.3 in	0700 AM 12/11	COOP
Edgerton 0.2 WSW	7.0 in	0600 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Montrose 5.8 NW	7.0 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Dimock 10.2 W	7.0 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Parker 7.2 N	7.0 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Spencer	7.0 in	0700 AM 12/11	Public
1 ENE Flandreau	7.0 in	0800 AM 12/11	Public
Edgerton	7.0 in	0800 AM 12/11	Public
Salem	7.0 in	0800 AM 12/11	Public
Bonesteel 0.1 S	6.8 in	0800 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Renner 4.1 NW	6.7 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Alexandria 0.4 WNW	6.5 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
0.6 E Spirit Lake	6.3 in	0700 AM 12/11	COOP
Tyndall	6.2 in	0800 AM 12/11	COOP
Sheldon	6.0 in	0700 AM 12/11	COOP
Bigelow 1.8 NW	6.0 in	0800 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Sibley	6.0 in	0800 AM 12/11	COOP
Madison 2SE	5.7 in	0900 AM 12/11	COOP
Brookings 2 NE	5.4 in	0800 AM 12/11	COOP
Allen	5.3 in	0900 AM 12/11	Public
Vermillion 1.4 SE	5.0 in	0600 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Le Mars 1.0 E	5.0 in	0630 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Mitchell 0.9 SSE	5.0 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Burke 10.5 SSE	7.8 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Marshall	5.0 in	0800 AM 12/11	COOP
Akron	5.0 in	0815 AM 12/11	Public
Le Mars	5.0 in	0855 AM 12/11	Public
Howard	5.0 in	0857 AM 12/11	Public
1.1 NE Peterson	5.0 in	0900 AM 12/11	UCOOP
4 N Lynd	5.0 in	1011 AM 12/11	Trained Spotter
Lake Park 3.2 SSE	4.5 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Hendricks 8.0 SE	4.0 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Astoria 2.2 SSE	4.0 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Orange City 0.4 WNW	4.0 in	0800 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Pipestone	4.0 in	0800 AM 12/11	COOP
4 S Brookings	4.0 in	0900 AM 12/11	Public
2 N Spencer	4.0 in	0945 AM 12/11	Public
Orange City	3.6 in	0700 AM 12/11	COOP
Brookings 6.5 NNW	3.5 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Brookings 1.4 SW	3.0 in	0800 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Academy 2 NE	11.0 in	0900 AM 12/11	COOP
Bruce 0.2 SSW	2.8 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Elk Point 5.6 NNE	2.3 in	0900 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
Huron 1.3 S	1.7 in	0600 AM 12/11	COCORAHS
1 W Sergeant Bluff	1.5 in	1023 AM 12/11	Official NWS Obs
DeSmet	1.5 in	0700 AM 12/11	COCORAHS