Hills Mark 30th Anniversary Of Blizzard

30 years ago, the northern Black Hills began digging out from one of the heaviest snow storms on record.

The October blizzard buried Deadwood and Galena and dumped more than five feet of snow on areas near Lead.  It was even deeper in the higher elevations.  The weight of the wet snow damaged buildings and severe winds snarled 40 miles of power lines, leaving residents without power for days.

It takes a unique setup to see this kind of storm this time of year, especially with so much moisture.  You need a compact system to create the intense winds that constantly change direction.  Quick elevation changes funnel the winds and dump snow

This past weekend we had an early snow, but it was no match for 1982.