Monday,  November 12, 2012 • Vol. 13--No. 117 • 12 of 33 •  Other Editions

Today in Weather History

1993: A winter storm moved through the area on November 12th and 13th. A wintry mixture of precipitation in the form of freezing rain, sleet, and snow began during the afternoon on the 12th in western portions of Minnesota, while heavy snow fell in a swath from southwest South Dakota through central and northeast parts of the state, with generally four to eight inches reported. The snow was also preceded by freezing rain in south central South Dakota. Significant accumulation of ice occurred within about a 70-mile wide area from west central Minnesota into the Arrowhead region. Up to five inches of snow fell on top of the ice, making travel extremely hazardous. In South Dakota, locally heavier snowfall amounts included 12 inches at Midland and 10 inches central Hughes County. Several schools and other community events were closed due to the ice and snow. In south central South Dakota, trees were damaged by heavy ice, some of which fell on power lines, causing outage. Other snowfall amounts include; 8.0 inches in Blunt; 7.0 inches in Murdo and near Victor; and 6.0 inches near Onida, Faulkton, Highmore, and Leola.

2003: High winds brought down a 70-foot gas station sign in Kennebec. The sign fell onto a shed, causing considerable damage to the shed. A 25-foot radio tower on the Kennebec courthouse was also knocked down by the winds.

1902: The Great Dust-Up in Australia reached its climax. The dust storm caused visibility to be reduced to less than 70 feet and darkened the sky even during the daytime. In some towns, "balls of fire" were reported during the dust storm. A possible explanation is that fast-moving blowing dust particles generated static electricity, which ignited organic matter carried along with the dust.

1912: The paddlewheel steamer Mayflower sank in Lake Kamaniskeg in Canada during a blinding snowstorm. Three survivors clung to a coffin that the ship had been transporting and floated in the icy waters to shore.

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