An unprecedented severe weather outbreak will unfold today across parts of the central plains and upper midwest. Portions of southeast KELOLAND will be impacted today by damaging straight-line winds and a conditional tornado risk in NW IA. The map below highlights the timeline. Note the outlook area has increased in size and intensity. Also, SPC adjusted the outlook farther west into more of KELOLAND as of 7am.

Strong winds will create blowing snow issues west and north of Sioux Falls late this afternoon and tonight. We could see near blizzard conditions at times in some of the advisory area.

We are concerned about the line of storms coming up from northeast Nebraska into NW IA this afternoon. These storms will be moving northeast at 50-70mph. We think some of these storms will be tornadic in IA, so please watch the weather carefully today!

Here’s a look at the wind timeline. The strongest winds will enter Rapid City first, gusting over 60mph by early this afternoon. The strong winds near Winner may contain a lot of blowing snow, something we need to watch. Sioux Falls will be clipped by the strong winds with the t-storms after 4pm, but a broader zone of wind will move into southeast KELOLAND after 6pm. Wind gusts over 60mph are quite likely.

This graphic shows the Futurecast update with thunderstorms and snow in KELOLAND at the same time. Again, snow will be the headline north and west of Sioux Falls, while severe weather will be the main story south and east.