Power Outage in Parker, SD

Thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees, which blocked many streets. | Power was out in most sections of town due to downed powerlines.

Light freezing drizzle started prior to sunrise and continued through the morning. Ice accumulation on elevated surfaces reached upward of a tenth of an inch, with lesser ice also accumulating on roads and bridges which produced dangerous conditions for several hours. Brief power outages to over 100 customers occurred during the early morning hours.

Ice accumulation and near blizzard conditions led to a shutdown of government offices and schools, and travel was not recommended due to the extremely hazardous conditions. A period of freezing rain, sleet and snow resulted in ice accumulations starting the afternoon of April 10 through early April 11 of one-third to one-half inch. As winds increased and gusted as high as 59 mph at Sioux Falls, widespread power outages resulted as power poles snapped and transmission lines were downed. Several communities were without power at times between the evening of April 10 and April 12, including Marion, Parker, Dolton and Viborg. Property damage costs include damage to utilities. ||A large gradient in storm-total snowfall from 2 to 10 inches occurred, with 9.3 inches at Marion and 4.5 inches at Hurley. Some areas had snow drifts of several feet, making roads impassable.

Freezing rain of less than 0.05 inch caused icy roads, and accumulated lightly on trees, power lines, and other surfaces. Law enforcement agencies reported a few vehicles accidents on the ice, but no known injuries, with traffic being light because of the holiday.

High winds from a westerly direction followed a low pressure system which had brought Christmas Day rain and thunderstorms. There were reports of power lines and branches down with resulting power outages, and traffic lights damaged. Sustained winds over 40 mph and gusts over 55 mph were estimated by law enforcement.

Westerly winds behind a cold front reach sustained speed of 40 to 45 mph for a few hours. The high winds caused spotty power line and traffic light damage.

An extended period of precipitation began with freezing rain quickly producing heavy ice accumulations, with a quarter to a half inch in the northern part of the county. The precipitation then changed to sleet and then snow, with sleet and snow accumulations reaching 9 inches in Marion. Many branches, limbs, whole trees, and power lines were downed by the weight of ice and accompanying wind. Both urban areas and rural electric cooperatives suffered major power line damage. Trees and tree debris blocked many roads, and damaged several vehicles and homes. Major power outages were reported, affecting thousands of people. The winter precipitation made travel impossible in many areas, resulting in schools and businesses being forced to close.

Snow accumulating 5 to 8 inches was accompanied by north to northeast winds gusting to around 40 mph. The combination resulted in visibilities frequently lowering to a quarter mile or less and, along with drifting snow, made travel difficult to impossible. Power outages were reported from snow weighting down power lines, and snow laden trees falling on lines.

Thunderstorm winds damaged trees, power lines, and farm buildings. A 60 foot silo was blown down, grain bins were damaged, and outbuildings were pushed off foundations.

Thunderstorm winds caused widespread tree damage, including large trees blown down. Power lines and poles were blown down by the wind and also damaged by tree debris. Power outages and at least two small fires resulted from damaged power lines. Minor damage to homes and buildings resulted mainly from falling trees and debris.

A tornado heavily damaged or destroyed numerous structures at the county fairgrounds, uprooted numerous trees, and blew down power lines, resulting in power outages which lasted up to a day. The tornado damaged other structures in Parker including homes and the county courthouse. One home was shifted off its foundation and received broken windows and damaged siding. Some of the damage resulted from falling trees or wind blown debris.

Thunderstorm winds severely damaged three outbuildings on a farm. The winds also caused tree damage and blew down power lines, resulting in brief power outages. Crops, especially corn, were damaged by the wind, but the amount of damage was not determined.