Great Plains digs out of heavy snow, storm debris

Associated Press

PIERRE, S.D.

Breaking nearly century-old early-autumn snowfall records, a storm system smothered South Dakota’s scenic Black Hills in South Dakota with up to 31/2 feet of wet, heavy snow, leaving residents the challenge of digging out.

But wintry weather wasn’t the only thing delivered by the powerful cold front that crossed the Great Plains, as unusually strong thunderstorms brought heavy rain, hail and as many as nine tornadoes to Nebraska and Iowa.

Fifteen people in northeast Nebraska were injured in a tornado Friday, while three died in a car accident on a snow-slicked road.

Forecasters said the front would eventually combine with other storms to make for a wild — and probably very wet — weekend for much of the central U.S. and Southeast.