South Dakota weather: Why is the snow brown? The NWS has a theory

A snowstorm in April isn't a new thing for South Dakota. 

But a storm with some brown snow? That seems a little odd. 

I first noticed the brownish tint to the top layer of snow plastered to my car, and others said they saw it on their decks and in their backyards. 

So why the dirty springtime snowfall? 

It may be from dust picked up along the storm's path from the southern part of the country, the National Weather Service said. 

Storm forecast:Another 3 to 4 inches of snow expected for Sioux Falls, more than a foot in Huron

There were strong winds down in Texas and Oklahoma yesterday, and it's possible that dust got blown up into the clouds and mixed with our storm's precipitation, said National Weather Service Sioux Falls meteorologist Phil Schumacher. 

"There was a lot of dust getting lifted up by the wind in Texas," he said. "You could even see it on satellite. With such strong winds, it's able to get a lot of dust ingested into it (the storm)." 

The dust was likely being lifted over the high plains, mixed with the precipitation and the snow that was forming, thus: the brownish snow. 

Snow totals in South Dakota:Here's how much snow has fallen in the state

"It just shows you how far dust can be carried from where it starts," Schumacher said. 

NOAA tweeted a satellite loop showing dust being lifted into the air over New Mexco and Texas. 

Email reporter Danielle Ferguson at dbferguson@argusleader.com, or follow on Twitter at @DaniFergs