Honestly, if you've lived in South Dakota for more than a week, you know the "official" forecast is sometimes more of a polite suggestion than a rule. But looking at the current Yankton 10 day forecast, we’re staring down a stretch of weather that’s basically a classic Plains rollercoaster. It’s that weird January mix where you’re scraping ice off your windshield at 6:00 AM and wondering if you actually need the heavy parka by noon.
Right now, Yankton is sitting at a crisp 9°F. It’s night, it’s cloudy, and with the south wind at 6 mph, it feels more like -1°F. If you’re heading out late, yeah, it’s cold. But the real story is what’s hitting us over the next 24 hours.
The Sunday Slap: Wind and Snow
Sunday, January 18, is gonna be a bit of a mess. We’ve got a Winter Weather Advisory in effect from 3:00 AM until 9:00 PM. We aren't talking about a massive blizzard—the forecast is only calling for about an inch of snow—but the wind is the real jerk here.
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Northwest winds are expected to crank up to 24 mph, with some local gusts potentially hitting 40 to 55 mph. That’s enough to turn a little bit of light snow into a total visibility nightmare on the rural roads outside of town.
Quick Look at the Week Ahead
The temperature spread over this 10-day window is pretty wild. You've got highs reaching 31°F one day and then barely scraping 1°F a few days later.
- Monday (MLK Day): Mostly cloudy and definitely colder. High of 17°F, low of 0°F. If you have the day off, stay inside.
- Tuesday & Wednesday: A brief "warm" spell. We’re hitting 31°F both days. Tuesday night actually looks like the best chance for more snow, with a 35% chance of accumulation.
- The Friday Drop: This is where the bottom falls out. Friday’s high is 14°F, but it plummets to a low of -5°F overnight.
- Next Weekend: Saturday, January 24, looks like the coldest day of the bunch. We’re looking at a high of 1°F and a low of -5°F again. It’s the kind of cold that makes your nose hairs freeze the second you step out of the Hy-Vee.
Why the "Feel" Matters More Than the Number
In Yankton, the thermometer is a liar. Because we’re right there by the river, the humidity (currently 58% but hitting 69% on Sunday) makes the cold feel like it’s actually sinking into your bones.
The Yankton 10 day forecast shows northwest winds dominating most of the week. That’s the "dry" cold that comes down from Canada. On Sunday, even though it’s 28°F, that wind chill is going to make it feel significantly worse. Most people see 28°F and think "hoodie weather," but with 24 mph winds, you’ll regret that choice within three minutes.
The Snow Situation
Kinda surprisingly, we aren't seeing any massive "shoveling for three hours" storms in the immediate data. Most days show a 10% to 25% chance of snow. The highest probability is Saturday the 24th at 35%. It’s more of a persistent, annoying light snow rather than a wall of white.
Surviving the Yankton Chill
If you're new to the area or just haven't restocked your car kit yet, now is the time. When the forecast shows lows of -5°F, a simple breakdown becomes a life-threatening situation pretty fast.
- Check your tires: Cold air makes tire pressure drop. That "Low PSI" light is basically the official bird of South Dakota in January.
- Watch the bridges: Crossing over to Nebraska or even just hitting the local overpasses will be sketchy on Sunday morning with that light snow and high wind.
- Limit the night trips: With lows hitting 0°F to -5°F multiple times this week, try to get your errands done while the sun (or at least the daylight) is out.
The Yankton 10 day forecast settles back into a more manageable 19°F to 20°F toward the end of next week (January 26-27). It’s not tropical, but after a Saturday where the high is 1°F, 20°F feels like a vacation.
Keep an eye on the wind speeds specifically. In this part of the country, a 30°F day with no wind is beautiful, but a 30°F day with a 30 mph gust is miserable. Dress for the wind, not the temperature.
Stay warm out there. Make sure your outdoor pets have a way to get out of the wind, and maybe grab an extra bag of salt for the driveway before the Sunday morning Advisory kicks in.