Record Snow Hits Parts of Western South Dakota

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota's first winter storm of the season dumped nearly 8 inches of snow in some areas on the western side of the state.

The National Weather Service says the snow that fell overnight Wednesday and into Thursday was the earliest measurable snowfall ever recorded.

Meteorologist Dan McKemy tells the Rapid City Journal that previous earliest date of measurable snowfall in South Dakota's West River region was on Sept. 13, 1970.

Custer received the brunt of the snow, recording nearly 8 inches by early Thursday afternoon.

McKemy says the temperature on Thursday was 30 to 40 degrees below the normal of about 75. He says temperatures will warm some over the weekend, and should move back into the 70s and 80s next week.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.