• BROOKINGS, S.D. -  This week's spring storm brought welcome moisture to the entire state, which certainly will be a positive step toward drought relief. SDSU Extension Climate Field Specialist, Laura Edwards reports snow totals of 20 to 25 inches or more from Rapid City towards Pine Ridge.
• "Snowfall totals are in the teens around Pierre to Winner and over to about Miller, that central part of the state. Up in Aberdeen there's about 6-inches of snow which fell primarily Wednesday night and Thursday," Edwards said. "The Sioux Falls area received about 8-inches of snow." Another 8 inches of snow fell in the Aberdeen area on Sunday resulting in even more moisture for the area.
• Edwards says the moisture equivalent of this storm is projected at approximately 3-inches in the southeast corner of the state. The 20-to 25-inch snows in the southwest should amount to 2-inches or more of moisture. Lesser amounts of moisture fell to the north.
• Edwards says this fantastic moisture will be reflected to some degree in next week's U.S. Drought Monitor map, which will be released Thursday, April 18. Soil temperatures were mostly above freezing except for northeastern parts of the state, which will allow for moisture to enter the soil profile.
• While the moisture has been helpful, Edwards reports the storm has been challenging for livestock producers in the midst of calving and lambing. The Aberdeen national weather service offers a resource on its website called the cold advisory for newborn livestock, view at http://www.crh.noaa.gov/abr/canl/forecasts.php.
• "They have an indicator there that combines wind chill, temperature and moisture. They put that all together as a watch or warning alert system for newborn livestock," she said. 
• Edwards notes the weather is expected to remain unsettled across the state for the coming week with another moisture system moving in this week. There is a 10 percent chance the area will receive eight or more inches of snow from the next storm and a 40 percent chance it will get four or more inches of snow.
• Find more weather details at iGrow.org.