PIERRE – The South Dakota Departments of Transportation and Public Safety are advising motorists that portions of Interstates 29 and 90 will be closing at 7 p.m. CST (Friday, Jan. 17).
The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning from 9 p.m. CST this evening (Friday) until 3 p.m. CST Saturday for some counties and from midnight to 6 p.m. CST Saturday for others in the eastern part of the state. Snow and wind today have already made travel conditions hazardous in many locations. Heavy drifting is expected with winds gusting as high as 55 mph.
Many highways are ice covered, snow-packed and slippery, and visibilities range from one-quarter of a mile to zero. Travel is being strongly discouraged across most of eastern South Dakota well into Saturday. Drivers trying to avoid the closures are reminded that state highways and county roads will not be any better and may likely be worse.
Travelers are reminded that SDDOT crews will plow until early evening hours as conditions allow, and it is safe for the drivers. After that, winter maintenance will be suspended and will resume about 5 a.m. the next morning, weather permitting. With the significant forecasted snow totals and high winds, it will take some time for crews to get roads clear and open again. If an interstate is closed, do not assume other highways are in any better condition.
Be sure to visit www.safetravelusa.com/sd or call 5-1-1 to check the latest road conditions and travel advisories before heading out. Sign up for ClearPath511 for closure notifications by text message or email.
If you must travel, the departments of Transportation and Public Safety recommend travelers also take the following steps.
If you do get stranded: