snow reports
The proverb 'April showers bring May flowers' might not apply to the north-central United States this year as the start of the new month brought a far-reaching snowstorm to the region.

The largest snowfall accumulations were reported in the higher elevations, with a general 10 to 20 inches of snow falling over the mountains of Wyoming and Montana. One mountain just north of Cooke City, Montana, was buried under 23 inches of fresh snow, the highest snow total reported across the region.

By daybreak on Thursday, most of the snow had shifted over the Dakotas as the storm tracked eastward, covering the Black Hills with nearly a foot of snow.

Rapid City, South Dakota, measured 6.5 inches on Wednesday, making it the snowiest start to April on record, according to the National Weather Service office in Rapid City. The previous snowfall record for April 1 was 3 inches set back in 1927. A few more inches of accumulation are in the forecast before the snow tapers off by the weekend.

The Rapid City Regional Airport was closed for a few hours on Wednesday night and Thursday morning due to snow on the runway. The airport reopened late Thursday morning, but roads around the airport remained in poor conditions.

Near-whiteout conditions along Interstate 80 caused slower travel west of Laramie, Wyoming, as a band of snow moved through the area.
© State of WyomingNear-whiteout conditions along Interstate 80 caused slower travel west of Laramie, Wyoming, as a band of snow moved through the area.
Yellowstone National Park in northwestern Wyoming may be closed due to the coronavirus, but people around the world can still enjoy the world's first national park virtually by viewing the webcams set up across the dramatic landscape.

On Thursday morning, steam was seen billowing out of Old Faithful, the famous Yellowstone National Park geyser, as it was surrounded by a wintry scene in the wake of the storm.

Snow is expected to continue across a swath of the central U.S. into Friday, with Denver potentially picking up an inch or two of snow before the weekend.

A cold front sweeping through the region will eventually bring an end to the snow, setting the stage for a burst of cold air to allow temperatures to plummet.

"Conditions are likely to remain unseasonably cold in the wake of the front on Friday across the northern Plains, but forecasters say any fresh snowfall may start to melt away over the weekend as milder air moves in," AccuWeather meteorologist Renee Duff said.