Key facts
- Alert
- Freeze Warning (severe)
- Issued by
- National Weather Service offices: Sioux Falls SD, Aberdeen SD
- Areas
- Lyon; Osceola; Dickinson; Sioux; O'Brien; Clay; Plymouth; Cherokee; Buena Vista; Woodbury; Ida; Lincoln; Murray; Cottonwood; Nobles; Jackson; Pipestone; Rock; Dixon; Dakota; Kingsbury; Brookings; Miner; Lake; Moody; Hanson; McCook; Minnehaha; Hutchinson; Turner; Bon Homme; Yankton; Union; Traverse; Big Stone; Codington; Grant; Hamlin; Deuel
- In effect
- until 9:00 AM CDT, Oct 17, 2026
What the National Weather Service says
“Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 30 expected.”
National Weather Service offices: Sioux Falls SD, Aberdeen SD, Freeze Warning, 8:48 AM CDT Oct 17, 2026 · official alert
“Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.”
National Weather Service offices: Sioux Falls SD, Aberdeen SD, Freeze Warning, 8:48 AM CDT Oct 17, 2026 · official alert
“Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.”
National Weather Service offices: Sioux Falls SD, Aberdeen SD, Freeze Warning, 8:48 AM CDT Oct 17, 2026 · official alert
What to do
Take steps now to protect tender plants. Cover them or bring them indoors before midnight tonight.
Protect outdoor plumbing. The National Weather Service says unprotected outdoor plumbing could be damaged. Disconnect and drain hoses and cover exposed pipes and spigots.
Bring pets inside and check on older neighbors. If you must drive early Saturday, carry a winter kit.
Context
The warning covers many counties across four states. Flood insurance claims count only insured homes and do not measure cold or frost damage. They are shown here for local history only.
FEMA records for the Iowa counties in this warning list past disaster declarations, most recently for severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes declared on 2024-06-24. Those events were not freezes and are not related to this warning.
Updates
- The freeze warning expired at 9:00 AM CDT.
- The National Weather Service updated the freeze warning; it remains in effect until 9:00 AM CDT.
- The National Weather Service updated the freeze warning; it remains in effect until 9:00 AM CDT.
- The National Weather Service updated the freeze warning; it remains in effect until 9:00 AM CDT.
- The National Weather Service updated the freeze warning; it remains in effect until 9:00 AM CDT.
- The National Weather Service updated the freeze warning; it remains in effect until 9:00 AM CDT.
- The National Weather Service updated the freeze warning; it remains in effect until 9:00 AM CDT.
- NWS Sioux Falls SD issued the freeze warning until 9:00 AM CDT.
History here
This county: 75 flood insurance claims in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program records since 1983, most recent 2024.
This county: recent federal disaster declarations
- DR-4796 (2024): severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds, and tornadoes
- DR-4421 (2019): severe storms and flooding
- DR-4386 (2018): severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding
- DR-4184 (2014): severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding
- DR-4126 (2013): severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding
This county: 43 flood insurance claims in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program records since 2010, most recent 2024.
This county: recent federal disaster declarations
- DR-4796 (2024): severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds, and tornadoes
- DR-4421 (2019): severe storms and flooding
- DR-4386 (2018): severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding
- DR-4184 (2014): severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding
- DR-4126 (2013): severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding
This county: 25 flood insurance claims in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program records since 1979, most recent 2025.
This county: recent federal disaster declarations
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Questions
- Is there a freeze warning in southeast South Dakota?
- Yes. The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls has a Freeze Warning for east central and southeast South Dakota, along with parts of Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska. It runs until 9:00 AM CDT Saturday.
- When does the freeze warning start and end?
- It starts at midnight tonight and ends at 9:00 AM CDT Saturday. The National Weather Service issued it at 10:56 AM CDT on Friday, October 16, 2026.
- How cold will it get and what could be damaged?
- Temperatures could fall as low as 30. Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops and other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.
Sources
- National Weather Service offices: Sioux Falls SD, Aberdeen SD: Freeze Warning, Oct 17, 2026 weather.gov
- FEMA OpenFEMA: NFIP claims and disaster declarations fema.gov
How this page is made. The Herebeat Hazard Desk builds event pages from official U.S. government data (National Weather Service, USGS, FEMA). The text is written with AI from that data; every number and quote is checked against the official source automatically before publishing, and the page is updated when the agency updates the event. The official source is always the reference. Spotted a mistake? info@herebeat.app. About the Hazard Desk.