The South Dakota Weather Podcast

Good morning. South Dakota. I'm Aaron Jolly. That gray blanket outside your window? Dense fog has settled across eastern South Dakota overnight. Visibility has dropped to a quarter mile or less in spots from Watertown to Sisseton. A Dense Fog Advisory is in effect until noon, so give yourself extra time on the roads this morning. In the next 24 hours. But here's the payoff. Once that fog burns off, we're looking at temperatures running about 20 degrees above normal for early March. Eastern South Dakota climbs to 56 degrees this afternoon under partly sunny skies. Head west and it gets even warmer. Central South Dakota hits 67 degrees with sunshine. Out in the Black Hills region? You're looking at a stunning 68 degrees. Tonight stays mild with lows around 34 to 39 degrees. Patchy fog may redevelop toward morning. And if the clouds break, catch the full moon rising. Thursday gives us one more warm day with highs in the mid to upper 60s. Then everything changes. A storm system arrives Thursday night. Rain spreads across the state, with a few thunderstorms possible in the southeast. As colder air sweeps in Friday, that rain transitions to snow. Highs Friday drop into the upper 30s and 40s. Some light accumulation is possible Friday night, especially in central and western areas. The weekend recovers nicely. Saturday brings sunshine and highs in the low 50s. Sunday warms back into the low to mid 60s. Monday could touch 70 degrees in some spots. Another system brings rain and snow chances by Tuesday, with highs cooling back into the 40s. We're gaining nearly three minutes of daylight each day now. Spring equinox sits just two weeks away. For the extended outlook, check the latest forecast as confidence improves. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.

Good evening. South Dakota. I'm Aaron Jolly. Step outside right now and you'll feel something rare for early March. Thirty five degrees under crystal clear skies. Quiet. Calm. Almost suspiciously pleasant. That's a ridge of high pressure parked right over us, keeping everything stable tonight. In the next 24 hours. Lows dip to the upper 20s across central South Dakota. Low 30s elsewhere. Nothing dramatic. But if you're an early riser in the eastern counties, watch for patchy fog developing after 2 A.M. That morning commute could get a little hazy. Now. Wednesday is the headliner. A southerly wind cranks up, pulling warm air straight out of the plains. Highs soar into the upper 60s out west. Mid 50s east. That's 20 degrees above normal, folks. Gusts hit 25 miles an hour by afternoon, but honestly, who cares when it feels like April? Thursday keeps the party going. Upper 60s statewide under partly sunny skies. Then the plot twist arrives Thursday night. A Colorado low starts tracking northeast. And rain spreads across eastern counties. Thunderstorms are even possible before midnight. Lows hold in the low 40s east, upper 20s west. Friday gets messy. Rain through the morning transitions to a wintry mix by afternoon. Eastern South Dakota takes the worst of it. Rain changing to snow by evening with northeast gusts hitting 30 miles an hour. That raw, damp cold that cuts through everything. Western counties see snow earlier but light. Under an inch. By Friday night, it's all snow statewide before tapering off. The weekend bounces back fast. Saturday clears out with sunshine and low 50s. Sunday pushes into the low 60s. Early next week? Upper 60s Monday before another rain chance rolls in Tuesday. Charge your phone, enjoy tomorrow's warmth. And save your snow complaints for Friday. For the extended outlook, check the latest forecast as confidence improves. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.

Good evening. South Dakota. I'm Aaron Jolly. What a wild ride we've in store. We're sitting at 34 degrees right now under mainly clear skies, but by this afternoon. Parts of South Dakota will surge into the upper 60s. That's nearly 20 degrees above normal for early March. In the next 24 hours. If you're waking up in eastern South Dakota, watch your step. Dense fog developed overnight, dropping visibility to a quarter mile or less. The Glacial Lakes region and areas near Watertown and Sisseton are seeing the worst of it. You'll want to give yourself extra time for the morning commute. That fog should lift by 8 A.M. Out west, it's a completely different scene. Rapid City and the Black Hills wake up to clear skies. Sunshine takes temperatures to 68 degrees this afternoon. Central South Dakota also stays sunny with a high near 67 degrees. Eastern South Dakota sees a cooler high near 56 degrees. Clouds hang tough through midday before some clearing arrives. Tonight, skies stay partly cloudy statewide. Lows dip into the mid-30s. Step outside after dark and catch the full moon rising. It's our last full moon of winter, with the spring equinox just two weeks away. Here's your heads-up for the week ahead. Thursday brings another unseasonably warm day with highs in the mid-to-upper 60s. But changes arrive Thursday night. A strong storm system moves in with rain and thunderstorms. By Friday, that rain could mix with or change to snow as temperatures plunge. Some accumulation is possible, especially in central and western areas. The weekend looks quieter. Saturday and Sunday bring sunshine with highs in the 50s and 60s. Today's high reaches 68 degrees out west, 67 degrees central. And 56 degrees east. Sunrise at 23 degrees:59 A.M., sunset at 6:20 P.M. We're gaining nearly three minutes of daylight today. Grab those sunglasses if you're heading west. For the extended outlook, check the latest forecast as confidence improves. Take care That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.

Good morning. Maine. I'm DJ Huzz. A cold front ripped through overnight and split this state clean in half. Western South Dakota woke up to sunshine and 50-degree warmth. Eastern South Dakota? You got the raw end of the deal. Overcast skies, a stubborn snow band. and 2 to 3 inches piling up across Brookings County. In the next 24 hours. Here's what happened. That front dragged Canadian air south. and a compact disturbance riding the northwest flow is wringing out moisture across the northeast corner. The snow tapers off by mid-afternoon, but a Winter Weather Advisory stays in effect until 3 P.M. For Brookings and surrounding areas. If you're traveling Highway 14, take it slow. Roads are slick. Now the temperature story. Out west, you're climbing to 50 degrees under blue skies, with gusts punching up to 35 miles an hour. Central South Dakota hits 39. Eastern areas stay locked in the mid-30s where clouds hang tough. Tonight, the bottom drops out hard. Lows crash to 8 degrees in the east, 11 central, 19 west. Wind chills will flirt with zero by sunrise. Sunday brings a brief cooldown. Highs only reach 29 east, 37 central, 47 west. but that Arctic high slides east fast. Next week looks like spring showed up early. Monday warms into the 40s and 50s statewide with a chance of rain or snow. By Thursday, eastern South Dakota could hit 63 degrees. Western areas push 60. We're gaining nearly 3 minutes of daylight each day now. The spring equinox is just 20 days out. If you're in the snow band today. and enjoy that sunshine out west while you've got it. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow. For the extended outlook, check the latest forecast as confidence improves. Stay safe, stay prepared. and enjoy the day.

Good morning! I'm Aaron Jolly. And welcome to the South Dakota Weather Podcast — it's Thursday, February 26th. Step outside right now and that 16-degree bite will wake you up fast. But hold on.. Because by this afternoon, you'll be peeling off layers like it's April. We're talking a 40-degree temperature swing today. Clear skies and a gusty west wind push us into the mid-50s to near 60 degrees. That's 15 degrees warmer than normal for late February. Central South Dakota gets the strongest gusts — 30 miles an hour this afternoon. Combine that with bone-dry air and you've got high fire danger. Skip the burn pile today. Eastern South Dakota climbs to 56 degrees under wall-to-wall sunshine. West winds pick up to 25 miles an hour by midday. Tonight settles to 31 degrees with mostly clear skies. Western South Dakota wins the warm spot. Rapid City hits 60 degrees with gusts over 30 miles an hour. Tonight stays milder at 36 degrees. Friday keeps the mild streak alive — mid-50s to low 60s again. But A cold front crashes through Friday night with snow on its heels. Eastern and central South Dakota could wake up to light accumulations Saturday. Highs drop back into the 20s and 30s. Winter's got one more punch left. Next week brings another warm-up. By Wednesday, we're back in the upper 50s and low 60s. We're gaining nearly three minutes of daylight today. The spring equinox is just three weeks out. Winter's losing its grip. Today's your day to get outside. Soak in that sunshine and dramatic warm-up. Just watch the fire danger across central South Dakota. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.

Good morning! I'm Aaron Jolly. And welcome to the South Dakota Weather Podcast — it's Wednesday, February 25th. You're sitting at 16 degrees right now.. And the state's about to split three ways. **Eastern South Dakota, you've got the messy afternoon ahead.** Snow rolls in by noon and sticks around until 7 P.M. The heaviest stuff hits around 4 P.M., right when you're thinking about heading home. Most spots see less than an inch, but watch for those narrow bands from Chamberlain to Parker — they could drop 2 to 3 inches. Visibility tanks fast when it's coming down. You'll climb from 18 degrees at 6 A.M. to 34 by 3 P.M. Winds flip from northeast to southeast around 1 P.M. **Western South Dakota, you dodge the worst of it.** Quick rain and snow mix around 5 A.M., then partly sunny skies take over. You warm up beautifully — 51 degrees by 4 P.M. before cooling to 31 overnight. Winds gust to 18 miles an hour around 2 P.M. Not a bad day out west. **Central South Dakota, you're somewhere in between.** Snow hits between 7 and 9 A.M., peaking around 8 A.M. with less than half an inch. Lows drop to 22 around 5 A.M., feeling like 13 degrees with the wind. Then you jump to 41 by 3 P.M. Tonight, eastern areas could see another light snow round before 8 P.M. Lows drop to the low 20s statewide. **Looking ahead:** Thursday brings sunshine and serious warming — 50s across the board with breezy west winds gusting to 32 miles an hour. Friday hits 60 degrees and feels like spring. Then reality crashes back in. That Arctic front arrives Friday night with snow and a temperature nosedive — back to the 20s and 30s for the weekend. Drive slow if you're in the east this afternoon. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.

Good morning! I'm Aaron Jolly. And welcome to the South Dakota Weather Podcast — it's Tuesday, February 24th. Step outside and that wind will slap you awake faster than coffee. We're at 25 degrees right now, but hold on.. Today gets weird. The wind is the star of this show. Gusts hit 40 miles an hour around 11 A.M. That's strong enough to wrestle your trash cans down the street. But here's the twist: while the wind screams, temperatures actually climb. Eastern South Dakota, you're in for a wild ride. You start at 18 degrees this morning and rocket to 48 by 2 P.M. That's a 30 degree jump in eight hours. Winds shift southwest around 7 A.M., gusting to 20 miles an hour. Tonight you crash to 19 degrees. Wednesday brings reality back with snow likely — under an inch — and highs only hitting 34. Central South Dakota takes the wind's full punch. Gusts to 30 miles an hour around noon. You hit 48 by 4 P.M., then plummet to 23 by 4 A.M. Wednesday's snow arrives as a rain-snow mix. Less than half an inch expected. Western South Dakota, your day runs backward. You peak at 50 around 5 A.M., then slowly slide to 27 by dawn tomorrow. Gusts to 29 miles an hour this morning ease by afternoon. Light snow returns tonight after 11 P.M. Looking ahead: Wednesday's light snow spreads statewide. Most see a dusting to an inch, but narrow bands could drop two to three. Thursday sunshine returns with highs rebounding to the upper 40s and 50s. The weekend? Another cold blast. Saturday struggles to reach 30, with lows near 10. Slight chance of snow both days. One critical note: today's wind creates high to very high grassland fire risk across central South Dakota. Skip any outdoor burning. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.

Good morning! I'm Aaron Jolly. And welcome to the South Dakota Weather Podcast — it's Monday, February 23rd. Step outside right now and you'll feel minus 2 degrees biting at your face. But hold on.. Because what happens next is wild. We're talking about a 50-degree temperature swing by this afternoon. Western South Dakota? You're rocketing to 58 degrees by 2 PM. That's nearly 60 degrees warmer than sunrise. Central South Dakota climbs to 46 degrees by 4 PM. Eastern South Dakota takes the scenic route, topping out at 31 degrees. But here's the catch. The wind makes this morning brutal. Eastern South Dakota, you're feeling minus 7 degrees around 8 AM even though the thermometer reads 3 degrees. Central South Dakota? Wind chills drop to minus 11 degrees around 6 AM. Western South Dakota sees winds shift from south to west around 7 AM, gusting to 17 miles an hour. Tonight stays surprisingly mild. Western South Dakota holds at 34 degrees overnight. Yes, 34 degrees. Central South Dakota dips to 28 degrees. Eastern South Dakota cools to 20 degrees, rising to 24 degrees by morning. Then reality crashes the party Tuesday. A cold front sweeps through, bringing snow chances. Western South Dakota drops from 49 degrees to 27 degrees overnight, with a 40 percent chance of light snow after 11 PM. Central South Dakota sees a 50 percent chance of snow Wednesday. Eastern South Dakota gets scattered snow showers Tuesday morning, then a mix of rain and snow Wednesday. The week ahead? Wednesday brings the best snow chance east of the Missouri River. Light accumulations, but slick roads. Thursday and Friday rebound fast — highs in the 50s and 60s return. Western South Dakota hits 60 degrees Friday. The weekend cools back to the 30s with lingering snow chances. Soak in today's warmth while you can. Winter's taking a coffee break, not retiring. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.

Good morning! I'm Aaron Jolly. And welcome to the South Dakota Weather Podcast — it's Sunday, February 22nd. Step outside right now and you'll feel 4 degrees statewide. But here's where it gets interesting: by this afternoon, the state splits like a cracked windshield. Eastern South Dakota stays locked in the deep freeze. You'll barely scrape 21 degrees around 4 P.M. Winds from the north-northwest at 11 miles an hour make it feel like minus 13 around 5 A.M. — that's the kind of cold that finds every gap in your coat. Tonight? You drop to 1 degree by 4 A.M. Monday. Cover that skin if you're heading out early. Central South Dakota gets a slightly gentler version. You'll wake up to 5 degrees around 7 A.M., then climb to 25 by 4 P.M. Still chilly, with winds at 8 miles an hour making it feel like minus 11 early on. Partly cloudy skies tonight, but no snow. Western South Dakota? You're the warm spot today. Lows hit 9 degrees around 6 A.M., then you'll reach 32 by 3 P.M. — that's 10 degrees above normal for late February. Winds shift southwest around 6 A.M., easing the bite. Mostly clear tonight, with lows around 14. Monday brings a dramatic warmup — highs jump to the 40s and 50s statewide. Midweek, a storm system rolls in with rain and snow chances, especially Wednesday when eastern regions could see a wintry mix. Then? Another twist: 60 degrees by Friday, followed by a sharp cooldown next weekend. Sunrise today at 7:16 A.M., sunset at 6:07 P.M. — we're gaining nearly 3 minutes of daylight. Quick favor: if this helps you plan your Sunday, share it with a friend who could use the heads up. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.

Good morning, folks! I'm Aaron Jolly, and welcome to the South Dakota Weather Podcast. It's Saturday, February 10th, and winter just slapped us across the face. Step outside right now and you'll feel it. Central South Dakota's sitting at minus 6. That's the kind of cold where your nosehair freezes before you reach the mailbox. Out west, you're at 8 degrees. Eastern side, 7. Northwest winds at 5 to 6 miles an hour make every bit of it sting. Here's the deal. Sunshine's coming today, but don't let it fool you. Highs barely claw into the mid teens. That sun is purely decorative. Tonight the real show begins. Clear skies and calm winds let the bottom drop out. The west falls to minus 10. Central plunges to minus 12. East holds at minus 8. That's frostbite territory in under 30 minutes, so cover every inch of skin. Sunday brings a tiny gift. Mostly sunny skies push highs into the upper teens. Not exactly beach weather, but you'll take it. Another frigid night follows though. Lows settle near minus 5 statewide. Here's your heads up for the week ahead. Monday starts a slow warming trend. By midweek, highs climb into the 20s. No major storms on the radar, but a weak system might brush the far west with flurries late Tuesday. Nothing to lose sleep over. Air quality's in the moderate range today, so sensitive groups should limit time outside. One bright spot. Sunrise at 6:32 this morning, sunset at 5:19 tonight. We're gaining nearly 3 minutes of daylight every single day. Spring is out there somewhere, inching closer. So. If this forecast helped you plan your Saturday, share it with a neighbor. Word of mouth keeps us going. Stay safe out there. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.

Good morning! I'm Aaron Jolly, and welcome to the South Dakota Weather Podcast. It's Friday, February 16th. Folks, step outside right now and you'll feel that classic February bite. The whole state's sitting in the mid 20s, but here's the deal. It's quiet. Almost too quiet. Because this weekend? Things get interesting. Out west, you're waking up to 26 degrees with barely a whisper of wind. Enjoy that calm. Over in the central part of the state, 25 degrees with light winds around 8 miles an hour. Nothing dramatic. Now head east and Sioux Falls greets you at 24 degrees. Northwest wind at 10 miles an hour puts a little edge on that coffee run. Tonight the cold really digs in. Lows drop into the teens across the board. Single digits in the usual suspect spots up in the northeast. Bundle up if you're heading out after dark. Here's where it gets fun. Saturday splits the state right down the middle. Western South Dakota climbs into the mid 30s under blue sky. Perfect for getting outside. Meanwhile the east stays locked in the 20s under stubborn clouds. That east wind makes it feel even sharper. Rapid City gets sunshine. Sioux Falls gets the cold shoulder. Here's your heads up for the week ahead. Sunday finally brings everyone together in the 30s. Feels like a group hug. But Monday and Tuesday, a fast moving system could dust southern counties with light snow. Nothing to panic about, just winter reminding us it's still here. By Wednesday, sunshine returns with temps near the upper 20s. Right around normal. Quick note on air quality. We're at moderate levels today, so take it easy if you're sensitive. And the good news? We're gaining almost 3 minutes of daylight every single day now. Sunrise at 6:33, sunset at 5:18. That extra evening light is real. One more thing. If this forecast helped you plan your Friday, share it with a neighbor. Word of mouth keeps us going. Stay safe out there. That's your forecast — we'll be back tomorrow.