I-90 · SD
I-90 across South Dakota: road conditions right now
Sioux Falls, SD to Rapid City, SD
I-90 across South Dakota is 350 miles of open prairie with nothing to stop the wind. Blizzards with 60 mph gusts and zero visibility close it from Chamberlain to Wall several times a winter, and the state advises "No Travel" on the whole interstate in the worst storms.
Conditions at Sat, 4:30 AM CDT
Highest risk along I-90: 1 of 5 (low), departing at that time.
- No active NWS alerts on this route.
The road authority linked below has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Clear driving for the whole 4 h 30 min.
Conditions: Cloudy, Light rain
Checkpoints along I-90
| Where | You pass | Weather | Risk | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls, SD | Sat 5:00 AM | 53°F | low | Sources differ: NWS says Chance Rain Showers at 52°F |
| Salem, SD | Sat 5:30 AM | 53°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Mitchell, SD | Sat 6:00 AM | 54°F | low | Sources differ: NWS says Mostly Cloudy at 53°F |
| Platte, SD | Sat 6:30 AM | 53°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Fort Thompson, SD | Sat 7:00 AM | 53°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Fort Pierre, SD | Sat 7:30 AM | 53°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| I-90 between Fort Pierre, SD and Rapid City, SD | Sat 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM | 50°F | low | Nothing flagged |
| Rapid City, SD | Sat 9:30 AM – 9:30 AM | 47°F | low | Nothing flagged |
Why this stretch is hard in winter
- Whiteout is the hazard: even light snow becomes zero visibility in a 50 mph wind.
- The Missouri River crossing at Chamberlain and the Kadoka–Wall stretch are the usual closure points.
- Services are 30 to 60 miles apart; a closure can leave you at a gas station for the night.
- Ice storms south of I-90 push up from Nebraska in early winter and glaze the road with no snow.
What this page checks
- Hourly forecast at every checkpoint for the time you would be there: temperature, precipitation type and rate, gusts, visibility.
- Active National Weather Service watches, warnings, and advisories on the route.
- Snow on the ground (NOAA SNODAS) and the Weather Prediction Center winter impact outlook.
- Pavement temperature and surface state from state DOT road sensors, when you are leaving within a few hours.
- Chain controls, closures, and winter road condition reports from state DOT feeds where they are published openly.
- Seasonal closures of mountain roads the router might otherwise use.
Official sources for this corridor
Questions drivers ask about I-90
- What does a "No Travel Advised" mean in South Dakota?
- SDDOT is telling you that plows have been pulled and rescue may not be possible. It is not a legal closure, but the interstate is functionally impassable. This page shows NWS Blizzard and Winter Storm Warnings on the route, which usually precede the advisory.
Conditions change by the hour. This page is a planning aid built on public forecasts and DOT feeds; the road authority linked above has the final word on closures and chain requirements.
Other corridors: I-80 across Wyoming · I-70 through the Colorado mountains · I-80 over Donner Pass · I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass · I-84 through the Blue Mountains · I-15 over Cajon Pass · all corridors