Weather: South Dakota Shuts Government Offices Due To Northern Plains Storm, Blizzard Warnings

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has ordered all government executive branch offices in certain counties across the state to close Friday as a major winter storm affecting the Northern Plains is expected to bring winter weather in many parts of the state. Blizzard conditions are expected in portions of the state, prompting weather officials to issue warnings.

The counties included in Gov. Noem's order, according to Dakota News Now, are Brown, Buffalo, Campbell, Clark, Codington, Corson, Day, Deuel, Dewey, Edmunds, Faulk, Grant, Hamlin, Hand, Hughes, Hyde, Jones, Lyman, Marshall, McPherson, Potter, Roberts, Spink, Stanley, Sully and Walworth.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Sioux Falls said at 10:45 p.m. Thursday that residents of Harrisburg, Tea and Lennox should prepare for small hail as thunderstorms hit the area.

Travel will likely be hazardous Friday as strong winds with snow are expected to affect parts of south-central South Dakota starting late Friday morning, the NWS in Rapid City warned. The highest snowfall accumulations are expected in White River (13 inches), Onida (17 inches) and Pierre (18 inches).

South Dakota isn't the only northern state experiencing winter weather conditions going into the weekend. Officials have said heavy snow and blizzard conditions are likely in parts of the Northern Plains.

"Heavy snows and significant icing are likely from portions of the Northern Plains, east northeastward through the upper Mississippi Valley and into the upper Great Lakes region" on Friday, the Weather Prediction Center (WPC) said Thursday.

Weather officials at the NWS in Grand Forks said gusty winds and heavy snow will likely affect travel in North Dakota as the wintry mix through Friday night could result in icy roadways.

Many parts of North Dakota will experience patchy blowing snow, while Jamestown, Lisbon and Linton will get blowing snow Friday. Ashley residents will experience near-blizzard conditions, officials at the NWS in Bismarck said.

In Montana, up to 12 inches of snow is possible in elevations above 4,000 feet, the NWS Missoula said.

Over in Wyoming, up to 18 inches is expected through Friday in the Sierra Madre Range. Wind gusts of up to 65 mph are also possible through Saturday, the NWS in Cheyenne warned.

Officials at the NWS in Grand Junction are expecting up to 16 inches of snow and wind gusts of up to 60 mph in Colorado through Friday. Mountain snow showers are also possible, while rain showers are expected in the valleys.

In Nebraska, winds gusting up to 60 mph are expected to combine with snow, causing reduced visibility in the northeast portion of the state through Friday, the NWS in Omaha said.

Earlier Thursday, the NWS in North Platte said officials were concerned that blowing snow will result in hazardous travel for much of Friday.

Alerts in South Dakota

Blizzard warning effective from 7 a.m. through 6 p.m. Friday:

• Campbell, Corson, Dewey and Walworth

Blizzard warning effective from 7 a.m. through 10 p.m. Friday:

• Hughes, Jones, Lyman, Stanley and Sully

Blizzard warning effective from 7 a.m. Friday through 1 a.m. Saturday:

• Buffalo, Edmunds, Faulk, Hand, Hyde, McPherson and Potter

Blizzard warning effective from 9 a.m. Friday through 4 a.m. Saturday:

• Brown, Clark, Day, Marshall and Spink (wind gusts of up to 55 mph possible)

Blizzard warnings effective from noon Friday through 7 a.m. Saturday:

• Grant and Roberts (up to 12 inches of snow possible)

Blizzard warning effective from 4 p.m. Friday through 4 a.m. Saturday:

• Aurora, Beadle, Brule, Charles Mix, Davison, Douglas, Gregory, Jerauld and Sanborn (wind gusts of up to 55 mph possible)

Blizzard warning effective from 4 p.m. Friday through 7 a.m. Saturday:

• Codington, Hamlin and Deuel

Blizzard warning effective from 7 p.m. Friday through 4 a.m. Saturday:

• Brookings, Kingsbury, Lake, Miner and Moody

Alert in North Dakota

Winter storm warning effective from 7 a.m. Friday through 4 a.m. Saturday:

• Richland and Sargent (wind gusts of up to 50 mph possible)

Alert in Wyoming

Winter storm warning effective through 7 p.m. Friday:

• Sierra Madre Range (up to 18 inches of snow possible)

Alert in Colorado

Winter storm warning effective through 6 p.m. Friday:

• Elkhead Mountains, Park Mountains and Flat Tops

Alerts in Nebraska

Winter weather advisory effective through 7 p.m. Friday:

• Dawes and North Sioux

Winter weather advisory effective from 7 a.m. through 7 p.m. Friday:

• Sheridan and western Sherry

Winter weather advisory effective from 7 a.m. through midnight Friday:

• Boyd, Brown, eastern Cherry and Keya Paha