Smoke Clearing, Winds Calming, and Temps Warming [Video]

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) -We had a gusty day in KOTA Territory! During the 5 pm newscast, we reported northwest winds at 28 mph, with gusts in the mid-forties in Rapid City. The highest recorded gust was 63 mph in Buffalo in northwest South Dakota just before 1:00 this afternoon. Northeast Wyoming also faced gusts of 35 to 40 mph. A hefty calm-down in the winds is expected this evening; wind gusts are expected to drop to 20 mph by midnight.

Northwest winds will continue as we pull a low-pressure system from our area, affecting wildfire smoke from Canada. You may notice less haze locally. We’re monitoring an area to our west and northwest that may affect us late Monday into Tuesday, with clearing expected afterward due to a high-pressure system bringing warm weather, potentially in the 90s on Tuesday. After a cool spell, another wave of warmth may return, …