• BROOKINGS, S.D. - The weekend's blizzard in South Dakota brought heavy snow and rain across much of the western part of the state, causing catastrophic livestock losses, property damage, and shutting down travel for a several day period.  Statewide, total precipitation ranged from over 8 inches in northern Black Hills to as little as .10 inches of rain in the southeast. Snowfall amounts were as high as 55 inches in the northern Black Hills..
• "Preliminary precipitation totals have been difficult to come by," said Laura Edwards, SDSU Extension Climate Field Specialist. "A lot of our weather observers in rural areas of northwestern counties are still without power and phone, or have larger issues to deal with." 
• Edwards explained that some observers with internet connectivity were able to send in storm reports to the National Weather Service, and to the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS, www.cocorahs.org).  In addition, many observer locations are at federal facilities such as National Forest and Parks.  With these employees are furloughed leaving many locations with no measured data available for this storm event.
• She said the snowfall amounts were challenging to measure, given 60 mph winds in blizzard conditions.  The top snowfall amounts were in the northern Black Hills area, with reports of 40 to 60 inches over the three-day period.  Widespread 20-plus inch amounts reached into the plains north and east of the Black Hills.

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