Storm Center Update - Saturday PM

It’s been a quiet day leading up to our next winter storm.  A Winter Storm Watch is still ready for posting for much of our northeastern and MN counties.  This Watch continues through early Tuesday. 
Tonight we’re watching a warm front stuck in central South Dakota.  As it slowly moves to the east, we could get some brief warming after sunset.  Regardless, it will be a mildly warm night.  Clouds will stream back to the east after a quick round of clearing skies.  We could get some fog, frost and flurries with light winds and the air near saturation.
Tomorrow won’t be a washout.  We should get at least some morning sun as the center of the approaching storm stalls in western North Dakota.  Rain moves in late in the day as temperatures are still way too warm for snow.  Rapid City and the west-central region will be back in the 50s once again.  Air will cool down as the action continues and the initial push looks to come during the overnight hours between Sunday & Monday.  The best snow still looks to be from Aberdeen to the east down to Brookings and into southwest Minnesota.  Once again Sioux Falls is right on the border-line between really light stuff and much heavier snow.
Terrain will shape where the snow falls.  The Coteau and Buffalo Ridge typically get a noticeable increase in totals and this could be another case of that.  This snow looks a bit denser than in past storms.  With winds not quite as strong during the snowfall itself, blowing snow hopefully won’t be as big a concern.  Still, winds will really whip up West River behind the storm.  It also looks like drier air will move into central South Dakota which could take away some more moisture. 
After this snow storm, it’s smoother sailing for the rest of the workweek.  We’ll finally make it back above average in eastern KELOLAND late week.