Great Plains digs out of heavy snow, storm debris

SFGate.com ^ | 10/5/13 | Chet Brokaw - Associated Press

[NormsRevenge]

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Breaking nearly century-old early autumn snowfall records, a storm system smothered South Dakota's scenic Black Hills in South Dakota with up to three and a half feet of wet, heavy snow, leaving residents the challenge of digging out.

But wintry weather wasn't the only thing delivered by the powerful cold front that crossed the Great Plains, as unusually strong thunderstorms brought heavy rain, hail and as many as nine tornadoes to Nebraska and Iowa. Fifteen people in northeast Nebraska were injured in a tornado Friday, while three died in a car accident on a snow-slicked road.

Forecasters said the front would eventually combine with other storms to make for a wild — and probably very wet — weekend for much of the central U.S. and Southeast.

Power outages and impassable roads plagued western South Dakota on Saturday. More than 25,000 people had lost power in the Black Hills area, and authorities were recruiting snowmobilers to help rescue about 80 motorists who'd been stuck overnight.

[NormsRevenge]

Paging Al Gore Al Gore

white courtesy phone Please!

[NormsRevenge]

Chad Hoffman clears snow from the entrance to his apartment building in Rapid City, S.D,, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013. South Dakota emergency agencies are asking snowmobile operators in the Rapid City area to help find motorists stranded by an autumn storm. The National Weather Service says the storm dumped at least three and a half feet of wet, heavy snow in the Black Hills. Rapid City had 21 inches, but 31 inches was recorded just a mile southwest of the city. Photo: Rapid City Journal, Chris Huber

[FlingWingFlyer]

Yee Haw! How ‘bout that global warming?!

[TexasCajun]

The Algore's of the world will look you right in the eye and tell you record early snow fall is a result of man-made global warmning though there has been no increase in the last 10 years.

And what about those ice caps? hummmmmm

[SkyDancer]

But now it’s called Climate Change. See, they can have it both ways ....

[reaganaut]

Ok, this is funny because Chet lives in Pierre and Pierre didn’t get any snow. They got a lot of rain, but the snow was all further West River with most in the Hills. But I guess it is close enough for San Francisco...

[MinuteGal]

"Pierre didn't get any snow...."

Lucky Pierre.

Leni

[reaganaut]

Considering the amount, yes. My mother was happy because she claims she is allergic to snow, her neighbor kids were hoping for an early snow day so they are a little put out.

[Paine in the Neck]

"Hold on, Al. I'll have you out in a minute."

[Wuli]

it’s soooo unusually cold on the Great Plains now, so where is Al Bore when all his hot air is needed??? /sarc

[mrreaganaut]

Attention: the White Zone is for loading and unloading only...

[bicyclerepair]

God I can’t wait to open the windows and turn off the a/c!

Can’t get cool soon enough.

(SFL)

[trebb]

God I can’t wait to open the windows and turn off the a/c! Can’t get cool soon enough. (SFL)

Same here - the wife asked where I would like to vacation and I said "Wyoming or Montana". When she said that it was getting cold and snowing like, hell, along with huge spaces on emptiness, I said, "Exactly". Northern blood, down on the MS Gulf Coas,t makes Summer (75% of the year) hell.