First winter storm coming and could mean 7 inches of snow for Aberdeen, 2.5 for Watertown

A mix of winter weather is expected to sock much of South Dakota this week, with about 7 inches of snow predicted for Aberdeen.

More snow is expected to the west, while less should fall in the south, according to the forecast.

Katherine King, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Aberdeen, said the two-day storm is expected to begin Wednesday with a wintry mix of rain and snow in the afternoon that will transition to snow on Thursday. The winter storm is expected continue through early Friday morning, she said.

Precipitation amounts will vary, with areas in the north-central part of the state like Corson County expected to get 13 1/2 inches. Half as much is expected in Aberdeen, with about 2 1/2 inches in the Watertown area. To the south in Sioux Falls, there will likely be mostly rain, she said.

There's a chance of freezing rain, sleet and thunder Wednesday night, according to the NWS.

Snow, freezing rain and sleet are also expected Thursday morning, followed by snow and sleet Thursday afternoon. The storm could include gusts of about 45 mph.

A winter storm watch has been issued for much of the state. It extends from the Sisseton area to the southwest through Huron and Chamberlain and includes areas to the west. Watertown and Milbank are excluded from the watch area.

Expect the temperatures to drop significantly, with highs of 15 to 20 projected for the Aberdeen and Watertown areas on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, according to the NWS forecast.

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: much of south dakota in winter storm watch with snow in forecast