Aberdeen, South Dakota – Drivers across northeast South Dakota could encounter icy roads before sunrise Friday as a mix of freezing precipitation and gusty winds spreads into the region.
According to the National Weather Service in Aberdeen, a Winter Weather Advisory takes effect at 4 a.m. Friday and continues until 4 a.m. Saturday for Brown, Marshall, Day, Spink, and Clark counties, including the cities of Aberdeen, Redfield, Britton, Webster, and Clark. The system is expected to bring a light glaze of ice and up to 1 inch of snow, while north winds could gust to 35 mph.
The combination of falling snow and gusty winds may produce patchy blowing snow that briefly reduces visibility, especially across open stretches of U.S. Highway 12, U.S. Highway 281, and rural county roads around Aberdeen and Redfield.
A second advisory begins at 10 a.m. Friday and lasts until 10 a.m. Saturday for Watertown, Milbank, Sisseton, Ortonville, and Wheaton, covering parts of northeast South Dakota and west-central Minnesota. Those areas could see up to 2 inches of snow with a light glaze of ice, creating slick roadways.
Transportation officials urge drivers to slow down, allow extra stopping distance, and check 511 road condition services before traveling.
Icy conditions could persist into the Saturday morning commute, particularly on untreated bridges and rural roads as temperatures remain near freezing.
