Extreme Cold Closes Many Schools

A significant portion of South Dakota is experiencing cold weather alerts for tonight and into Friday. The coldest air of the season is upon us, with wind chills, also known as feels-like temperatures, already reaching 30 degrees below zero.

So far today, the coldest air temperatures from personal weather stations and MID stations before 6pm CST / 5pm MST on Thursday.

• 5.3 Mi NW Lake City: -16°F

• 10 Mi NW Long Lake: -13°F

• Clark Airport: -13°F

• Britton Airport: -13°F

• 0.5 Mi W Kranzburg: -12°F

• 5.5 Mi SW Barnard: -11°F

• Watertown (Near Herzog Park): -11°F

• Watertown Airport: -11°F

• 1.2 Mi SW Clear Lake: -11°F

• 6.4 Mi SW Frederick: -10°F

• 3.2 Mi NE Hayti, SD: -10°F

• Eureka (South End): -9°F

• Eureka (Near Downtown): -9°F

• 5 Mi NE Mina: -9°F

• Richmond Lake Rec Area: -9°F

• Aberdeen (Near Manor Park): -9°F

• Aberdeen (Near Central High School): -9°F

• 0.3 Mi N Westport: -9°F

• Groton: -9°F

• Castlewood: -9°F

• Dempster: -9°F

• 5.9 Mi S Revillo, SD: -9°F

• Milbank Airport: -9°F

• Gettysburg Airport: -8°F

• Mellette: -8°F

• Aberdeen Airport: -8°F

• 2.5 Mi SE Wakpala: -7°F

• 5.4 Mi NE Mellette: -7°F

• 3.4 Mi S Thunder Hawk: -7°F

• 4 Mi S Toronto: -7°F

• 0.6 Mi SE Gary: -7°F

• Mobridge Airport: -6°F

• 10.3 Mi S Bullhead: -6°F

• Lemmon Airport: -6°F

• DeSmet Airport: -6°F

• Lake Preston: -6°F

• Lake Preston: -6°F

• Brookings Airport: -6°F

• 4.7 Mi NE Ree Heights: -5°F

• Estelline: -5°F

• Onida Airport: -4°F

• Redfield Airport: -4°F

• 19.1 Mi SE Lemmon: -4°F

• Madison (Near Dakota State University): -4°F

• Sisseton Airport: -4°F

• 4.1 Mi NW Elkton: -4°F

• Elkton: -4°F

• Holabird: -3°F

• 16.5 Mi NE Meadow: -3°F

• 12.5 Mi N Meadow: -3°F

• Eagle Butte Airport: -2°F

• Wessington Springs: -2°F

• Bison Airport: -2°F

• 6.6 Mi N Humboldt: -2°F

• Flandreau Airport: -2°F

• Huron Airport: -1°F

Photo Credit: SDDOT of US Highway 212 near Clark, SD at 5:10pm CST 01-22-2026

Due to the expected cold temperatures, frostbite can occur on exposed skin within just ten minutes. As a result, many schools have decided to cancel classes on Friday. Major school districts such as Aberdeen, Brookings, Huron, Sioux Falls, Yankton, and Watertown are among those that have closed.