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The first winter storm of the season hit the Aberdeen area, closing schools and causing cancellations on Tuesday, Nov. 25. Aberdeen Insider photo by Shannon Marvel.
The first real dose of winter has arrived, forcing classes to be dismissed early today — Tuesday, Nov. 25 — and allowing some students to begin Thanksgiving break early.
Snowfall in the Aberdeen area is expected to dissipate late this afternoon and into the evening hours, said Michael Connelly, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Aberdeen. He expects about 4 inches will fall in the area.
Speaking shortly before noon, Connelly said that the back edge of a band of snowfall was moving through the Morbridge area and was expected to hit Aberdeen between 4 and 6 p.m.
The snow, slush and wind arrived just in time to hinder holiday travelers, though the conditions likely won’t last long. A winter weather advisory for most of northeastern South Dakota is set to expire at 7 p.m.
Aberdeen issues snow alert
Aberdeen has issued a snow alert. Plowing of city streets will begin today with emergency snow routes.
Vehicles parked along emergency routes won’t be ticketed today, but ticketing and towing begins in all zones Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Plowing of Zone 1 in downtown Aberdeen will begin at 12 a.m. Wednesday. Vehicles left in the downtown core area overnight will be towed. Downtown business owners and residents are asked to have snow removed by 10 tonight.
MORE: Some offices, agencies closed Thursday, Friday for Thanksgiving
Plowing of emergency routes will begin again at 6 a.m. Wednesday, and snow removal will start in Zone 1 — north and south city streets and avenues — at 7 a.m.
Clearing of city parking lots will begin at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
In Zone 2, which includes east and west avenues in the city, plowing begins at 1 p.m. Wednesday.
Vehicles parked along streets before they are cleared from curb to curb are subject to ticketing and towing.
It’s illegal to shovel, blow, blade or push snow into city streets at any time, except where permitted in Zone 1.
Northern State basketball games postponed
The storm was enough to force Northern State University’s basketball games to be postponed. The Wolves men’s and women’s teams were expected to open their home and conference seasons tonight. Instead, those games will be played on Wednesday, Nov. 26 at the Barnett Center. The women’s game begins at 5:30 p.m. with the men’s game to follow. Tickets dated for Nov. 25 will be good for the Wednesday games.
Visibility in the Aberdeen area was about a quarter of a mile around lunchtime and was not likely to get worse, Connelly said.
Some residents and businesses on the north side of Aberdeen remained without power into the early afternoon.
NorthWestern Energy is dealing with a power outage affecting about 420 customers in the Brown County Fairgrounds area, according to community relations manager Tom Glanzer.
He said the outage is related to the weather, but wasn’t sure exactly what caused the problem. The power went out around 11 a.m.
Outages have also been reported in Northern Electric Cooperative’s territory. Communications specialist Kathy Haas said around 1:30 p.m. that crews were making good progress with only a few scattered outages remaining.
Aberdeen Public Schools dismissed at 1 p.m., according to an email from Superintendent Becky Guffin and a voice message sent to parents who have students in the school district.
Classes let out at Aberdeen Christian School at 11:30 a.m., and Aberdeen Roncalli dismissed students at 1 p.m.
There will be no after-school activities, and there will be no afternoon preschool in the Aberdeen Public School District.
The message from Guffin said buses will be running for students who need rides to the YMCA Youth Development Center or Boys & Girls Club of Aberdeen Area. Ride Line buses will also be running.
Wind gusts of 35 mph have been measured in Aberdeen and will likely tick up later in the afternoon, Connelly said.
“We do expect a slight increase in the winds this afternoon, but there won’t be much improvement until the early evening commute,” he said.
MORE: Editor’s note: Aberdeen Insider holiday schedule
Because of the winter storm, there will be no ice skating lessons or open skating at the Odde Ice Arena today. Open gym at the Washington Street Gym has been canceled, and the Aberdeen Area Senior Center is closing at 1 p.m.
Brown County Sheriff Dave Lunzman said his deputies have been busy responding to reports of vehicles and semi trucks stuck in ditches.
No injury crashes have been reported thus far, he said.
“This snow is heavy, and it’s wet underneath. It’ll throw you around pretty fast even if you’re going at a reasonable speed,” Lunzman said.
More snow was expected later in the week, according to the NWS. Here’s what the Aberdeen area can anticipate, if the forecast holds:
- Tonight: 20% chance of precipitation, projected low of 17 with steady winds and gusts approaching 40 mph.
- Wednesday, Nov. 26: Mostly sunny with a high around 26, winds 7 to 10 mph.
- Wednesday night: Partly cloudy with a low of about 8.
- Thursday, Nov. 27/Thanksgiving: Mostly sunny with a high around 22.
- Thursday night: Mostly cloudy with a low around 8.
- Friday, Nov. 28: 50% chance of snow, cloudy with a high near 24.
- Friday night: Snow likely before midnight. Cloudy with a low around 11.