Ice, Ice, Baby! Sioux Falls Braces for Flooding and Slick Streets

Hey Sioux Empire, are you having an ice, I mean nice, winter so far? And technically, it's not even winter yet. That doesn't officially start until December 21st.

It's weeks like this that you need to keep reminding yourself it's the most wonderful time of the year, especially if you're an ice skating enthusiast.

South Dakota is in for a real winter wonderland over the next several days.

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In the western part of the state they are bracing for 12+ inches of snow and blizzard conditions, and here in eastern South Dakota, we are sharpening our ice skates, as Mother Nature serves up multiple days of rain, freezing rain, and super slick road conditions.

Along with all this precipitation comes the real potential of street flooding in some areas of Sioux Falls.

That's why city street crews, together with snow removal companies have turned their attention to clearing paths to the city’s storm and sewer drains in an effort to give all this moisture a place to drain.

Dakota News Now (with permission)

Crews are asking residents to join in the fight if they're able. Specialized Property Care owner Charles Haddock told Dakota News Now, “If you’ve got a snowblower at home, run it down your curb line and clear that curb all the way from your house to your neighbor’s house. It’s going to make a world of difference.”

Chances are over the next couple of days, you'll see crews hard at work with blades and skid loaders opening up inlets to make sure all this water has a place to go.

Of course, all this projected moisture is going to turn pretty much everything into a ginormous ice skating rink once the temps dip below the freezing mark. You'll want to make sure that you're extra careful while walking on sidewalks, walkups, and in parking lots, so you don't end up getting a cast for Christmas!

I'm also guessing the police log is bound to be littered with car accident reports all week, so please do your part by not overdriving the road conditions. Don't be that asshat driving 50mph on a slick city street.

I know all this rain is a real pain, but hey, look at the bright side, in theory, we won't have drought conditions next spring, hopefully!

Source: Dakota News Now

A Survival Guide For Your First Winter in South Dakota

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and the rest of the Sioux Empire (AKA southeastern South Dakota) are welcoming thousands of new residents every year.

Many of you new folks will be experiencing your first eastern South Dakota winter. While it doesn't usually get as bad as our Dakota friends up north, I speak from experience when I say it can get a little rough.

MORE: What Every South Dakotan Should Be Doing to Prepare for Winter

So, to help ease you into winter in Sioux Falls and South Dakota here are some winter survival tips:

10 Wild South Dakota Snowstorms

Even though snow is blanketing the Sioux Empire, some snowstorms still do not compare to these ten dreadful snowstorms that hit South Dakota.

Only In Your State highlighted ten snowstorms in South Dakota as a reminder for people to always be aware of the road during the winter. South Dakotans are well aware of the fact that the state’s winters can be harsh which is why it is always a good idea to plan ahead and prepare for the worst.

Do you remember any major snowstorms that hit South Dakota?