December 15-16, 2015: Heavy snow fell over parts of northeastern Wyoming and western South Dakota Tuesday, December 15 and Wednesday, December 16. Gusty winds caused blowing snow, which reduced visibility and produced noticeable drifts in open areas. Daily snowfall records were set at both the National Weather Service Office in Rapid City and the Rapid City Regional Airport.  The Rapid City National Weather Service measured 5.5 inches of snow on December 15, which breaks the previous record for the day of 1.8 inches in 1908.  The Rapid City Airport received 4.3 inches of snow on December 15, which surpasses the old record of 1.7 inches set in 1981. The total snowfall for the storm at the NWS office was 5.9" and 4.9" at the Rapid City Regional Airport.

NWS Office Rapid City, SD December 16, 2015 around 300 AM

NWS Office Rapid City, SD Parking Lot December 16, 2015 around 300 AM

A list of snowfall reports gathered Wednesday, December 16, listed by amount:

 INCHES  LOCATION                 ST  COUNTY           TIME
 ------  -----------------------  --  --------------   -------
 18.00   LEAD                     SD  LAWRENCE         1056 AM
 16.00   11 ENE WANBLEE           SD  JACKSON          0933 AM
 15.00   5 E PORCUPINE            SD  OGLALA LAKOTA    0815 AM
 14.70   2 SE LEAD                SD  LAWRENCE         0700 PM
 14.00   PARMELEE                 SD  TODD             0932 AM
 12.00   MARTIN                   SD  BENNETT          0823 AM
 12.00   12 E MARTIN              SD  BENNETT          0700 AM
 12.00   7 SW BROWNSVILLE         SD  LAWRENCE         0300 AM
 12.00   2 S DOWNTOWN BELLE FOUR  SD  BUTTE            0204 AM
 12.00   6 NE DOWNTOWN STURGIS    SD  MEADE            0200 AM
 12.00   DEADWOOD                 SD  LAWRENCE         0151 AM
 11.00   20 ENE MARTIN            SD  BENNETT          0700 AM
 10.00   2 NNW SAINT ONGE         SD  LAWRENCE         1251 PM
 10.00   3 WNW KADOKA             SD  JACKSON          0627 AM
  9.30   2 E COTTONWOOD           SD  JACKSON          0700 PM
  9.30   2 SE COTTONWOOD          SD  JACKSON          0700 AM
  9.20   14 SSE DUPREE            SD  ZIEBACH          0700 PM
  9.10   WSW DOWNTOWN SPEARFISH   SD  LAWRENCE         0700 AM
  9.00   WOOD                     SD  MELLETTE         1245 PM
  9.00   6 WSW LONG VALLEY        SD  JACKSON          0937 AM
  8.00   WHITE RIVER              SD  MELLETTE         0946 AM
  8.00   1 N CEDAR BUTTE          SD  MELLETTE         0927 AM
  8.00   DOWNTOWN SPEARFISH       SD  LAWRENCE         0145 AM
  7.80   4 NNW WHITEWOOD          SD  LAWRENCE         0627 AM
  7.20   1 NW PIEDMONT            SD  MEADE            0630 AM
  7.00   HULETT                   WY  CROOK            0700 PM
  7.00   6 NW CLEARFIELD          SD  TRIPP            1216 PM
  7.00   WINNER                   SD  TRIPP            0955 AM
  7.00   HULETT                   WY  CROOK            0700 AM
  7.00   9 NW DEERFIELD           SD  PENNINGTON       0600 AM
  7.00   PORCUPINE                SD  OGLALA LAKOTA    0207 AM
  7.00   BLACK HAWK               SD  MEADE            0200 AM
  6.50   1 SSW DOWNTOWN HOT SPRI  SD  FALL RIVER       0628 AM
  6.00   3 SSE HARDING            SD  HARDING          0700 PM
  6.00   6 SW BEULAH              WY  CROOK            0700 AM
  6.00   KYLE                     SD  OGLALA LAKOTA    0700 AM
  6.00   DOWNTOWN STURGIS         SD  MEADE            0200 AM
  5.90   1 E DOWNTOWN RAPID CITY  SD  PENNINGTON       0535 AM
  5.00   2 N FOUR CORNERS         WY  WESTON           1000 AM
  5.00   2 ESE OKREEK             SD  TODD             0949 AM
  5.00   ORAL                     SD  FALL RIVER       0700 AM
  5.00   6 NNW SUNDANCE           WY  CROOK            0300 AM
  4.90   RAPID CITY AIRPORT       SD  PENNINGTON       0536 AM
  4.80   EDGEMONT                 SD  FALL RIVER       0700 AM
  4.50   2 E DOWNTOWN STURGIS     SD  MEADE            0700 PM
  4.50   7 W DOWNTOWN RAPID CITY  SD  PENNINGTON       0700 AM
  4.50   2 SSE DOWNTOWN RAPID CI  SD  PENNINGTON       0400 AM
  4.30   10 WNW DOWNTOWN RAPID C  SD  PENNINGTON       0700 AM
  4.00   9 WSW RED ELM            SD  ZIEBACH          0834 AM
  4.00   4 W DOWNTOWN HOT SPRING  SD  FALL RIVER       0700 AM
  4.00   5 E PIEDMONT             SD  MEADE            0700 AM
  4.00   3 NE NEWELL              SD  BUTTE            0700 AM
  4.00   HERMOSA                  SD  CUSTER           0700 AM
  4.00   4 NW DOWNTOWN RAPID CIT  SD  PENNINGTON       0700 AM
  3.70   14 NNW DOWNTOWN GILLETT  WY  CAMPBELL         0700 AM
  3.40   5 SW DOWNTOWN RAPID CIT  SD  PENNINGTON       0700 AM
  3.00   REVA                     SD  HARDING          1015 AM
  3.00   EDGEMONT                 SD  FALL RIVER       0700 AM
  3.00   7 ENE NEWELL             SD  BUTTE            0700 AM
  3.00   30 N FAITH               SD  PERKINS          0700 AM
  3.00   11 NE WESTON             WY  CAMPBELL         0700 AM
  2.90   PACTOLA RESERVOIR        SD  PENNINGTON       0700 AM
  2.00   19 SW UPTON              WY  WESTON           0700 AM
  2.00   2 SSE DEERFIELD RESERVO  SD  PENNINGTON       0619 AM
  1.00   8 SE HOOVER              SD  BUTTE            1008 AM
  1.00   WRIGHT                   WY  CAMPBELL         0700 AM
  0.20   1 ESE DOWNTOWN NEWCASTL  WY  WESTON           1059 AM