High Wind Warning Issued for Southwest Minnesota and South Dakota; Gusts Up to 75 MPH Expected

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls has issued a High Wind Warning for multiple counties across southwest Minnesota and central, east central, south central, and southeast South Dakota. The warning indicates that severe wind conditions are likely to impact the region starting Thursday evening.

Affected Areas

The following geographic regions are included in the warning area:

• Southwest Minnesota: Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Cottonwood, Nobles, Jackson, Pipestone, and Rock counties.
• South Dakota: Beadle, Kingsbury, Brookings, Gregory, Jerauld, Sanborn, Miner, Lake, Moody, Brule, Aurora, Davison, Hanson, McCook, Minnehaha, Charles Mix, Douglas, and Hutchinson counties.

Expected Conditions

• Wind Speed: Sustained northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph.
• Wind Gusts: Peak gusts are expected to reach up to 75 mph.
• Impacts: Damaging winds are expected to blow down tree branches and may cause scattered power outages. Travel will be difficult, particularly for high-profile vehicles.

Timeline

The High Wind Warning is effective from 7:00 PM CDT this evening, March 12, through 7:00 AM CDT Friday, March 13.

What You Should Do

Residents and travelers in the affected areas should take the following precautions:

• Use extra caution if you must drive, as winds this strong will make steering difficult.
• Drivers of high-profile vehicles should be especially alert to dangerous crosswinds.
• Prepare for the possibility of power outages by charging essential devices.