South Dakota Extreme Weather: Freeze Warnings Issued As Temperatures Expected To Drop To Zero

Freeze warnings are issued in South Dakota as forecasters expect temperatures to drop near or below zero degrees Friday. Officials have also reminded residents to take care of their pets and outdoor plants.

"Tonight will be a chilly one. Look for lows to fall into the mid-20 to lower 30 [Fahrenheit]," the National Weather Service (NWS) in Sioux Falls said in a Twitter post Thursday. The agency also urged residents to "protect sensitive plants" or cover plants that cannot be moved indoors.

It also reminded residents to take their pets inside if possible as they may get cold in the freezing weather.

Many parts of South Dakota, including Huron, Brookings, Watertown, Burke, Lower Brule, Redfield and Madison, are expected to experience temperatures down to 26°F (-3°C) through Friday morning.

Widespread frost is possible across South Dakota on Friday morning and after midnight, local daily the Argus Leader reported. The north wind is expected to stay only at around 5 mph, but by Saturday, wind gusts could reach up to 20 mph.

Skies are expected to be clearer Saturday night. It could be sunny on Sunday with a high near 67°F.

Freeze Warnings in South Dakota effective through Friday morning:

• Portions of northwestern South Dakota
• Portions of south central South Dakota
• Portions of southwestern South Dakota
• Tribal Lands of Cheyenne River Reservation
• Rosebud Reservation
• Pine Ridge Reservation
• Portions of northeast South Dakota, including Brown, Deuel, McPherson, Stanley, Walworth, Campbell and Grant
• Portions of east central South Dakota, including Charles Mix, Kingsbury, Sanborn and Aurora
• Portions of southeast South Dakota, including Hutchinson, Minnehaha, Davison, Hanson, Turner, Moody, Lincoln and Douglas
• Bon Homme County
• Clay County
• Union County
• Yankton County

Extreme weather conditions are not new in South Dakota. It ranked 12thin the list of states that incurred at least $1 billion in financial damages due to climate disasters since 1980, according to finance website WalletHub. The state is known to frequently experience hail, floods, blizzards and even wildfires.

North Dakota is also expected to be affected by the cold weather this week. The NWS released a list of areas that recorded temperatures below zero degrees Thursday evening.

Freeze Warning in North Dakota effective through Friday morning:

• All of western and central North Dakota, including McIntosh, Sioux, Wells, Billings, Adams, Hettinger, La Moure, McHenry, McKenzie, Emmons, Golden Valley, Stustman, Stark and McLean