Forecasting the future: a new weather station just arrived in Lead
South Dakota Mesonet, short for “mesoscale network," brings hyperlocal weather data to communities across the state through a tight grid of frequently reporting stations. SURF is the newest station location, with weather data now online.
It is a cold February morning, and you are settling in for a cozy snow day. You make yourself a steaming mug of hot chocolate, grab a blanket, and tune into the news telling you to expect a major snow system to pass through over the next couple of days. By nightfall, the snow outside is already over a foot deep, with no signs of slowing down.
Fast forward five days – you are out of hot chocolate, it is still snowing, and your car has disappeared under 6 feet of snow. Even to stop by your neighbor’s house to borrow some of their hot chocolate would require hours of shoveling. Meanwhile, the snow accumulation less than 50 miles away is a meager 1.4 inches.
This was the experience of Lead residents in late February 1998.
“Lead actually holds the state’s record for the deepest snow, 73 inches,” said Nathan Edwards, a meteorologist and the South Dakota Mesonet operations manager at South Dakota State University (SDSU).
While this specific record has never been beaten, the town continues to be no stranger to record-setting, rapidly changing weather. This is where the South Dakota Mesonet comes in.
“You have to get stations closer together to be able to measure and scale weather. That’s increasingly important when you get into mountainous terrain,” said Nathan Edwards, the Mesonet Operations Manager. “Because the weather can vary so much from one location to another, getting that extra data point in there really does make a lot of difference.”
The Black Hills is home to dramatic changes in elevation – with nearly 5,000 feet of elevation gain from the lowest to the highest point. As air is forced upward and travels through the rugged terrain of the hills, the resulting unique air interactions create unique, often localized, weather events.
As one of the highest-elevation towns in South Dakota, Lead has experienced its fair share of extreme weather. From 73-inch snowstorms to thunderstorms to harsh temperature swings and everything in between, Lead residents are familiar with rapidly changing weather.
Adding another weather station in the area could provide valuable, localized weather data that would give weather forecasters a better picture of the weather in Lead. As a result, Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) was chosen as a site to host a Mesonet weather station.
Tucked into Kirk Canyon, Mesonet records basic weather information including temperature, precipitation, wind, humidity, and atmospheric pressure.
“We also have a sonic snow depth sensor which basically uses sonar to figure out how far away the top of the snow is. On top of this, we have a camera that allows us to double-check the sonar data. The camera can also give us an idea of the distribution of snow across a snowfield. The camera can track green up in the spring and brown down in the hot summer and fall. This camera can be good for drought assessment purposes,” Edwards said.
Additionally, the station measures soil moisture content at five depths between two and forty inches below the surface, temperature inversions between the bottom and top of the station, and solar radiation. Every day, there are millions of data points coming in from the growing network across the state – which is set to comprise of 158 total stations by the end of 2027.
This data is incredibly valuable. At SURF, the weather plays a critical role in the science performed underground. Severe weather may not only prevent employees from getting to work safely or stall surface operations but can also impact underground conditions that can change with heavy precipitation and weather.
For Lead residents, the Mesonet weather station provides a more in-depth perspective of the weather right in their backyard for the years to come.
“We’re putting in all of our stations with the long term in mind,” Edwards said. “We want to be here for decades.”
This type of longevity in recording weather patterns that can be compared with the higher-elevation weather station in town, will allow for more accurate predictions and a more comprehensive understanding of the erratic weather in Lead. At the very least, it will help residents better prepare their hot chocolate rations next time the town has a six-foot snowstorm.
Whether it’s the next time the Lead area sets a new statewide weather record or you want a reliable source for tomorrow’s forecast, be sure to tune into the Mesonet website for a deeper look.
