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Winter in Day County, South Dakota

155 winter storms and snow events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Winter Storm, Winter Weather, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Lake-Effect Snow, Sleet.

155 events · 1 deaths recorded · peak month December · county share of state 1.5%

Winter event locations in and around Day County. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.

Day County, South Dakota, has 155 winter events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 28 different years.

December is the busiest month, with 34 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 116 events against 39 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 1.5% of the 10,128 winter events recorded in South Dakota; its 15.1 per 100 square miles compares with 13.4 statewide.

NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to winter storms and snow.

Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.

Compared with South Dakota

Measure	Day County	South Dakota	US
Winter events since 1950	155	10,128	287,339
Per 100 square miles	15.1	13.4	8.1
Per 10,000 residents	286.3	113.1	8.7
Deaths recorded	1	73	2,509
Busiest month	December	December	January

By year

195019882026

Winter events recorded in Day County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
31Feb
26Mar
25Apr
17May
0Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
4Nov
18Dec
34

Winter events in Day County by month of occurrence, all years.

Recorded events

All 155 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.

Date	Event type	Magnitude	Property damage	Crop damage	Deaths	Injuries	Geography
3 Apr 2026	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Feb 2026	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Feb 2026	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Jan 2026	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Jan 2026	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Dec 2025	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Dec 2025	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Nov 2025	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Apr 2025	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Dec 2024	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Mar 2024	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Dec 2023	Ice Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Oct 2023	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
5 Apr 2023	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
4 Apr 2023	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
31 Mar 2023	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Mar 2023	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Mar 2023	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Feb 2023	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
20 Feb 2023	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
14 Feb 2023	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Feb 2023	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Jan 2023	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Dec 2022	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
15 Dec 2022	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Dec 2022	Ice Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Nov 2022	Ice Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
14 Apr 2022	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
20 Feb 2022	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
4 Jan 2022	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
17 Dec 2021	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
11 Nov 2021	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Mar 2021	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
14 Jan 2021	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Dec 2020	Blizzard	—	—	—	1	—	Forecast zone
22 Oct 2020	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
20 Oct 2020	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
12 Feb 2020	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
17 Jan 2020	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Dec 2019	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Dec 2019	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Dec 2019	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Nov 2019	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Oct 2019	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
11 Apr 2019	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
14 Mar 2019	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Mar 2019	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Feb 2019	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
19 Feb 2019	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
7 Feb 2019	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
27 Jan 2019	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
27 Jan 2019	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
31 Dec 2018	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
27 Dec 2018	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Apr 2018	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
8 Apr 2018	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Mar 2018	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
5 Mar 2018	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
4 Dec 2017	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
12 Mar 2017	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
26 Dec 2016	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Dec 2016	Ice Storm	—	$665K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Nov 2016	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Feb 2016	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Dec 2015	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Nov 2015	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
3 Mar 2015	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Feb 2015	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
8 Jan 2015	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
15 Dec 2014	Winter Weather	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Nov 2014	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
31 Mar 2014	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Feb 2014	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Jan 2014	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Jan 2014	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Jan 2014	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Jan 2014	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
3 Jan 2014	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
3 Dec 2013	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
14 Apr 2013	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Apr 2013	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Mar 2013	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
8 Mar 2013	Ice Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Feb 2013	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Feb 2013	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Jan 2013	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Dec 2012	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Feb 2012	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Mar 2011	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
11 Mar 2011	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
20 Feb 2011	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Jan 2011	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Jan 2011	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
31 Dec 2010	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Dec 2010	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
11 Dec 2010	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Jan 2010	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Jan 2010	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
6 Jan 2010	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Dec 2009	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Mar 2009	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Mar 2009	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
26 Feb 2009	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
12 Jan 2009	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
19 Dec 2008	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Dec 2008	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
6 Nov 2008	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Apr 2008	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Apr 2008	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
6 Apr 2008	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
20 Mar 2008	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Dec 2007	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
2 Apr 2007	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
2 Mar 2007	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Feb 2007	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Feb 2007	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Dec 2006	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
11 Mar 2006	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Dec 2005	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
27 Nov 2005	Ice Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
21 Jan 2005	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
26 Nov 2001	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Apr 2001	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Feb 2001	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
7 Feb 2001	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Jan 2001	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Dec 2000	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Dec 2000	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Nov 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Nov 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
11 Nov 2000	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Apr 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
17 Jan 1999	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Jan 1999	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Nov 1998	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
31 Mar 1998	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
4 Apr 1997	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
12 Mar 1997	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
3 Mar 1997	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
3 Feb 1997	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Jan 1997	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
15 Jan 1997	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Jan 1997	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
3 Jan 1997	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Dec 1996	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Dec 1996	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Nov 1996	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Nov 1996	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
19 Nov 1996	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Nov 1996	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Mar 1996	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
26 Feb 1996	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Feb 1996	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
17 Jan 1996	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Jan 1996	Ice Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone

Questions and answers

How many winter events has Day County had?

155 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of winter storms and snow became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.

When was the last recorded winter event in Day County?

3 Apr 2026 (Heavy Snow). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Day County?

The ice storm of 25 Dec 2016, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $665K.

How does Day County compare with South Dakota for winter?

15.1 events per 100 square miles against 13.4 statewide; the county holds 155 of the state's 10,128 recorded events.

Provenance

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Winter hub and the county page.