
A cold front will cross the Great Lakes and Northeast U.S. through Monday with gusty winds and areas of rain showers. A strong atmospheric river is expected to move into the Pacific Northwest by midweek bringing a threat for moderate to heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and mountain snows for parts of Washington, Oregon, northern California, and the Sierra Nevada. Read More >
Overview
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A powerful spring snowstorm tracked across the Rockies into the western High Plains bringing heavy, wet snow. The snow began early Sunday (March 14, 2021) and continued through Monday (March 15, 2021). Snowfall amounts around two feet occurred in the Southern Black Hills, with little to no snow occurring across northwestern South Dakota and portions of northeastern Wyoming. Gusty winds accompanied the heavy snow, which caused hazardous road conditions. |
![]() White River, SD (submitted by Keli B) |
Snowfall

The following are unofficial snowfall reports.
********************STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL********************
LOCATION TOTAL TIME/DATE COMMENTS
SNOWFALL MEASURED
(inches)
SOUTH DAKOTA
...Bennett County...
Martin 9.0 900 AM 3/15 Social Media
8 E Martin 7.0 700 AM 3/15 Co-Op Observer
...Custer County...
1 W Custer 24.0 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
Argyle 19.0 615 AM 3/15 Trained Spotter
5 ENE Custer 12.0 1100 AM 3/15 Trained Spotter
1 SW Hermosa 8.0 800 AM 3/15 Trained Spotter
5 WNW Hermosa 8.0 900 AM 3/15 Trained Spotter
ENE Hermosa 6.0 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
10 ESE Hermosa 4.0 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
7 WSW Folsom 4.0 640 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
22 W Custer 4.0 830 AM 3/15 Public
2 SW Custer 3.0 945 AM 3/14 Snow so far
7 W Hermosa 2.0 817 AM 3/14 NWS Employee
...Fall River County...
3 WNW Hot Springs 22.0 643 AM 3/15 Public
NW Hot Springs 10.1 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
Hot Springs 10.0 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
1 NNE Edgemont 4.0 700 AM 3/15 Co-Op Observer
W Edgemont 3.0 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
...Jackson County...
Potato Creek 10.0 1000 AM 3/15 Trained Spotter
Kadoka 8.0 900 AM 3/15 Social Media
8 SE Interior 7.5 800 AM 3/15 Trained Spotter
...Lawrence County...
2 NNW Saint Onge 8.0 730 AM 3/15 Trained Spotter
3 NE Whitewood 5.5 1100 AM 3/15 Trained Spotter
3 ENE Deadwood 5.5 1033 PM 3/14 Trained Spotter
Lead 4.0 1000 AM 3/15 Co-Op Observer
4 SW Lead 4.0 1100 AM 3/15 Social Media
4 NNW Whitewood 3.8 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
3 SE Saint Onge 3.8 550 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
Dwtn Spearfish 3.5 710 AM 3/15 Social Media
WSW Spearfish 3.3 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
1 NNW Dwtn Spearfish 3.1 1000 AM 3/15 Co-Op Observer
1 N Dwtn Spearfish 3.0 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
3 WNW Spearfish 3.0 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
7 NNW Spearfish 2.2 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
...Meade County...
Black Hawk 7.0 800 AM 3/15 Emergency Manager
1 NNW Piedmont 6.1 1100 AM 3/15 NWS Employee
6 SSE Sturgis 5.0 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
5 E Piedmont 5.0 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
Summerset 4.8 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
4 NNE Summerset 4.3 640 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
5 ESE Elm Springs 4.0 730 AM 3/15 Trained Spotter
Piedmont 4.0 709 PM 3/14 NWS Employee
Maurine 1.0 900 AM 3/15 Social Media
...Mellette County...
5 ESE Norris 10.0 900 AM 3/15 Drifts of 2 to 3 feet.
White River 9.0 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
7 N Wood 8.0 650 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
13 ENE White River 8.0 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
17 NW White River 7.0 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
...Oglala Lakota County...
Pine Ridge 7.0 907 PM 3/14 Estimated 6-8"
...Pennington County...
4 S Hill City 12.0 600 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
4 SSW Hill City 12.0 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
Johnson Siding 11.0 1100 AM 3/15 Social Media
Hill City 10.5 800 PM 3/14 Still Snowing
7 SW Dwtn Rapid City 10.5 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
1 SW Rockerville 10.0 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
6 SSW Dwtn Rapid Cit 9.5 800 AM 3/15 9 to 10 inches of snow.
Mount Rushmore 9.0 100 AM 3/15 Co-Op Observer
7 W Rapid City 8.8 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
4 SW Dwtn Rapid City 8.0 1200 PM 3/15 Social Media
5 SW Dwtn Rapid City 8.0 600 AM 3/15 NWS Employee
3 S Dwtn Rapid City 8.0 645 AM 3/15 NWS Employee
1 ESE Dwtn Rapid Cit 7.5 100 AM 3/15 Official NWS Obs
1 N Johnson Siding 7.0 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
1 ESE Pactola Resv 6.5 900 AM 3/15 Co-Op Observer
7 SW Rapid City Arpt 6.0 400 AM 3/15 NWS Employee
10 WNW Rapid City 6.0 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
2 W Dwtn Rapid City 6.0 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
5 ESE Rapid City 5.7 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
2 SE Dwtn Rapid City 5.6 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
4 S Rapid City 5.5 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
2 NE Box Elder 5.0 800 AM 3/15 CoCoRaHS
4 NW Dwtn Rapid City 4.0 700 AM 3/15 Co-Op Observer
Box Elder 3.5 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
1 E Dwtn Rapid City 3.4 600 PM 3/14 0.33" liquid
...Perkins County...
8 WNW Usta 1.0 730 AM 3/15 Trained Spotter
...Todd County...
Mission 19.0 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
...Tripp County...
1 ESE Winner 7.0 800 AM 3/15 Co-Op Observer
...Ziebach County...
10 WSW Red Elm 2.0 730 AM 3/15 Trained Spotter
WYOMING
...Campbell County...
Dwtn Gillette 1.0 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
...Weston County...
Upton 0.2 800 AM 3/15 Social Media
***********************PEAK WIND GUST***********************
LOCATION MAX WIND TIME/DATE COMMENTS
GUST MEASURED
(mph)
SOUTH DAKOTA
...Custer County...
1 W Wind Cave Visitor 50 313 PM 3/14 RAWS
Pringle 50 714 AM 3/14 SDDOT
------------------------------------------------------------
...PRELIMINARY SNOW AND SLEET TOTALS SORTED BY MAGNITUDE...
LOCATION SNOWFALL COMMENTS
IN/S/
1 W Custer SD 24.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
3 WNW Hot Springs SD 22.0 643 AM 3/15/2021
Argyle SD 19.0 615 AM 3/15/2021
Mission SD 19.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
5 ENE Custer SD 12.0 1100 AM 3/15/2021
4 S Hill City SD 12.0 600 AM 3/15/2021
4 SSW Hill City SD 12.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
Johnson Siding SD 11.0 1100 AM 3/15/2021
Hill City SD 10.5 800 PM 3/14/2021
7 SW Dwtn Rapid City SD 10.5 800 AM 3/15/2021
NW Hot Springs SD 10.1 800 AM 3/15/2021
1 SW Rockerville SD 10.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
Potato Creek SD 10.0 1000 AM 3/15/2021
5 ESE Norris SD 10.0 900 AM 3/15/2021
Hot Springs SD 10.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
6 SSW Dwtn Rapid City SD 9.5 800 AM 3/15/2021
Martin SD 9.0 900 AM 3/15/2021
Mount Rushmore SD 9.0 100 AM 3/15/2021
White River SD 9.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
7 W Rapid City SD 8.8 800 AM 3/15/2021
Kadoka SD 8.0 900 AM 3/15/2021
4 SW Dwtn Rapid City SD 8.0 1200 PM 3/15/2021
1 SW Hermosa SD 8.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
7 N Wood SD 8.0 650 AM 3/15/2021
5 WNW Hermosa SD 8.0 900 AM 3/15/2021
5 SW Dwtn Rapid City SD 8.0 600 AM 3/15/2021
13 ENE White River SD 8.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
2 NNW Saint Onge SD 8.0 730 AM 3/15/2021
3 S Dwtn Rapid City SD 8.0 645 AM 3/15/2021
8 SE Interior SD 7.5 800 AM 3/15/2021
1 ESE Dwtn Rapid City SD 7.5 100 AM 3/15/2021
17 NW White River SD 7.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
1 ESE Winner SD 7.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
1 N Johnson Siding SD 7.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
8 E Martin SD 7.0 700 AM 3/15/2021
Pine Ridge SD 7.0 907 PM 3/14/2021
Black Hawk SD 7.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
1 ESE Pactola Resv SD 6.5 900 AM 3/15/2021
1 NNW Piedmont SD 6.1 1100 AM 3/15/2021
7 SW Rapid City Arpt SD 6.0 400 AM 3/15/2021
ENE Hermosa SD 6.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
10 WNW Rapid City SD 6.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
2 W Dwtn Rapid City SD 6.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
5 ESE Rapid City SD 5.7 800 AM 3/15/2021
2 SE Dwtn Rapid City SD 5.6 800 AM 3/15/2021
3 NE Whitewood SD 5.5 1100 AM 3/15/2021
3 ENE Deadwood SD 5.5 1033 PM 3/14/2021
4 S Rapid City SD 5.5 800 AM 3/15/2021
2 NE Box Elder SD 5.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
6 SSE Sturgis SD 5.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
5 E Piedmont SD 5.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
Summerset SD 4.8 800 AM 3/15/2021
4 NNE Summerset SD 4.3 640 AM 3/15/2021
4 NW Dwtn Rapid City SD 4.0 700 AM 3/15/2021
10 ESE Hermosa SD 4.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
Lead SD 4.0 1000 AM 3/15/2021
5 ESE Elm Springs SD 4.0 730 AM 3/15/2021
Piedmont SD 4.0 709 PM 3/14/2021
4 SW Lead SD 4.0 1100 AM 3/15/2021
7 WSW Folsom SD 4.0 640 AM 3/15/2021
1 NNE Edgemont SD 4.0 700 AM 3/15/2021
22 W Custer SD 4.0 830 AM 3/15/2021
4 NNW Whitewood SD 3.8 800 AM 3/15/2021
3 SE Saint Onge SD 3.8 550 AM 3/15/2021
Dwtn Spearfish SD 3.5 710 AM 3/15/2021
Box Elder SD 3.5 800 AM 3/15/2021
1 E Dwtn Rapid City SD 3.4 600 PM 3/14/2021
WSW Spearfish SD 3.3 800 AM 3/15/2021
1 NNW Dwtn Spearfish SD 3.1 1000 AM 3/15/2021
1 N Dwtn Spearfish SD 3.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
3 WNW Spearfish SD 3.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
W Edgemont SD 3.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
2 SW Custer SD 3.0 945 AM 3/14/2021
7 NNW Spearfish SD 2.2 800 AM 3/15/2021
10 WSW Red Elm SD 2.0 730 AM 3/15/2021
7 W Hermosa SD 2.0 817 AM 3/14/2021
Maurine SD 1.0 900 AM 3/15/2021
Dwtn Gillette WY 1.0 800 AM 3/15/2021
8 WNW Usta SD 1.0 730 AM 3/15/2021
Upton WY 0.2 800 AM 3/15/2021
...MAXIMUM OBSERVED WINDS SORTED BY MAGNITUDE...
LOCATION MAX WIND COMMENTS
MPH
1 W Wind Cave Visitors Center 50 313 PM 3/14/2021
Pringle SD 50 714 AM 3/14/2021
Photos
Header
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| Oelrichs, SD (submitted by Ray R) |
Deer Mountain SD (submitted by Cathy E) |
Mission, SD (submitted by Barbara S) |
8 miles east of Piedmont, SD (submitted by Makayla C) |
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| 5 miles south of Hill City, SD (submitted by Chad R) |
Angostura, SD (submitted by RJ) |
Custer, SD (submitted by Matt S) |
Southwest of Rapid City, SD (submitted by Caroline B) |
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| White River, SD (submitted by Gina B) |
Hot Springs, SD (submitted by Joni B) |
7 miles south of Rapid City, SD (submitted by Kerry P) |
Mission, SD (submitted by Heather P) |
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| Hot Springs, SD (submitted by Alexandra O) |
Norris Peak, SD (submitted by Judie S) |
Hot Springs, SD (submitted by Joanne H) |
White River, SD (submitted by Keli B) |
Radar
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