Nasty March Snow Storm Disrupts Road And Air Travel Over South Dakota

Just when it starts to feel like winter might finally be in the rearview mirror, Mother Nature in the Dakotas likes to remind everyone who’s really in charge.

A late-season winter storm rolled through the region over the weekend, bringing snow, ice, and strong winds that made travel across South Dakota difficult, and at times impossible. If you’ve lived here long enough, you probably weren’t too surprised. A mid-March snowstorm is practically a seasonal tradition, especially right around high school state basketball tournament time, right?

This weekend's storm followed that familiar late-winter playbook perfectly.

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Late Saturday night and into early Sunday morning, travel on two of South Dakota’s busiest highways, I-29 and I-90, was shut down due to icy, snow-packed roads and extremely poor visibility. Blowing snow made conditions dangerous for drivers, forcing officials to close sections of the interstates for safety.

According to Dakota News Now, the South Dakota Department of Transportation reopened both Interstate 29 and Interstate 90 at 10:00 AM on Sunday, March 15. While that was welcome news for stranded travelers and weekend road warriors, driving conditions were still far from ideal.

Even after the roads reopened, blowing snow and limited visibility continued to create challenging driving conditions across parts of the state. In several areas, No Travel Advisories remained in place through Sunday and into Monday, reminding drivers that just because the road is open doesn’t mean it’s ideal driving conditions. 

Officials are urging motorists to use caution, slow down, and give themselves extra time if they need to be on the road. Temperatures are expected to warm later in the week, which should help improve conditions.

Mother Nature also pressed pause on air travel as a result of the storm. The Sioux Falls Regional Airport shut down Sunday morning, citing passenger safety as the top priority. The closure grounded flights in and out of the city.

Airport officials say air travel is expected to resume Monday, March 16, but travelers are encouraged to check directly with their airline for status updates on their flights.

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If you plan to hit the road, it’s always a good idea to check the latest travel conditions before heading out. In South Dakota, Old Man Winter likes to stick around, sometimes long after he's worn out his welcome. 

You can get the latest info on road travel and road conditions in South Dakota and around the region here.