PIERRE, S.D.(Press Release) – Today, Governor Kristi Noem ordered state government executive branch offices in certain counties to be closed Friday, March 31, because of the winter storms in South Dakota. Freezing rain, snow, and high winds will occur across much of the state.

State offices are closed Friday in the following counties: Aurora, Beadle, Brown, Brule, Buffalo, Campbell, Charles Mix,  Clark, Codington, Corson, Davison, Day, Deuel, Dewey, Douglas, Edmunds, Faulk, Grant, Gregory, Hamlin, Hand, Hughes, Hyde, Jerauld, Jones, Lyman, Marshall, Mellette, McPherson, Potter, Roberts, Spink, Stanley, Sully, Todd, Tripp, and Walworth Counties. These counties will be in either blizzard warnings or ice storm warnings throughout the day starting in the early morning hours on Friday.

While executive branch offices in these counties will be closed, state employees will be working remotely.

Citizens should be prepared to stay home if possible. If South Dakotans must travel, they should check the sd511.org or the SD511 mobile app.