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Winter in Potter County, South Dakota
92 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.
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.
Potter County, South Dakota, has 92 winter events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 25 different years.
December is the busiest month, with 23 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 64 events against 28 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 10,128 winter events recorded in South Dakota; its 10.7 per 100 square miles compares with 13.4 statewide.
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 | Potter County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter events since 1950 | 92 | 10,128 | 287,339 |
| Per 100 square miles | 10.7 | 13.4 | 8.1 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 371.7 | 113.1 | 8.7 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 73 | 2,509 |
| Busiest month | December | December | January |
By year
Seasonality
12Feb
17Mar
14Apr
10May
0Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
3Nov
13Dec
23
Recorded events
All 92 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Nov 2025 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Dec 2023 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Apr 2023 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Feb 2023 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Jan 2023 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Dec 2022 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Dec 2022 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Dec 2022 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Nov 2022 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Oct 2020 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Oct 2020 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Feb 2020 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | 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 |
| 13 Mar 2019 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Mar 2019 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Feb 2019 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Feb 2019 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Dec 2018 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Apr 2018 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Mar 2018 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Feb 2018 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Dec 2017 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Dec 2016 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Dec 2016 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Dec 2016 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Feb 2016 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Dec 2015 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Feb 2015 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Mar 2014 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Dec 2013 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Apr 2013 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Apr 2013 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Feb 2013 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Jan 2013 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Dec 2012 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Feb 2012 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Feb 2012 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Apr 2011 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Mar 2011 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Feb 2011 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jan 2011 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Dec 2010 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Dec 2010 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 Nov 2010 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Jan 2010 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2010 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Jan 2010 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Dec 2009 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Mar 2009 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Mar 2009 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Feb 2009 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jan 2009 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Dec 2008 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Nov 2008 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Apr 2008 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Mar 2008 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Mar 2007 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Dec 2006 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Nov 2005 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Mar 2004 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Feb 2004 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Nov 2001 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Apr 2001 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Feb 2001 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Dec 2000 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Nov 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Nov 2000 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Apr 2000 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Mar 2000 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Nov 1998 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Feb 1998 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Apr 1997 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Mar 1997 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Feb 1997 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Jan 1997 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Jan 1997 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Jan 1997 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Dec 1996 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Dec 1996 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Nov 1996 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Nov 1996 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Nov 1996 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Mar 1996 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Feb 1996 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Jan 1996 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many winter events has Potter County had?
92 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 Potter County?
28 Nov 2025 (Heavy Snow). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Potter County?
NCEI records no damage estimate for events of this type in the county.
How does Potter County compare with South Dakota for winter?
10.7 events per 100 square miles against 13.4 statewide; the county holds 92 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.