High Wind Warning Issued for Southwest Minnesota and South Dakota; Gusts Up to 60 MPH Expected

Source: NOAA · Southwest Minnesota and South Dakota

This alert is no longer in effect.

NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).

Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.

The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for parts of Minnesota and South Dakota, effective Thursday evening through Friday morning, with gusts reaching 60 mph.

Read this weather record in 30 seconds

Record type
High Wind Warning
Affected area
Southwest Minnesota and South Dakota
Issued
April 6, 2026
Issuing authority
NWS Sioux Falls SD

Wind notices are issued against local thresholds and a defined time window. Confirm both in the original notice before making a current-condition decision.

Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Southwest Minnesota and South Dakota.

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, SD, has issued a High Wind Warning for portions of southwest Minnesota and central, east central, south central, and southeast South Dakota. This alert indicates that severe wind conditions are likely to occur within the designated timeframe.

Affected Areas

The warning covers a broad geographic region including the following counties:

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

Expected Conditions

Residents should prepare for sustained northwest winds ranging from 25 to 35 mph. Peak wind gusts are expected to reach up to 60 mph. These conditions are likely to cause damaging winds that can blow down tree branches and lead to scattered power outages.

Timeline

The High Wind Warning is scheduled to take effect at 7:00 PM CDT on Thursday, March 12, and is expected to expire at 7:00 AM CDT on Friday, March 13.

What You Should Do

The NWS advises that winds this strong will make driving difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles. Motorists are urged to use extra caution when traveling. Residents should also be prepared for potential power interruptions and the possibility of debris from downed tree limbs.

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this NWS weather alert.

What is this NWS weather alert about?
The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for parts of Minnesota and South Dakota, effective Thursday evening through Friday morning, with gusts reaching 60 mph.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by NOAA. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "high" severity. Take precautions and monitor for updates.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Southwest Minnesota and South Dakota. Check with NOAA for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Weather Alerts updates?
Browse the full Weather Alerts feed on Areazine at areazine.com/weather/ for the latest updates from NOAA and other agencies.