Christmas weekend sees rain, ice, snow and 50 mph wind gusts

A steady rain fell Christmas Day causing considerable concern among City of Benson and Agralite Cooperative electric crews. With the temperature hovering around 32 degrees early in the day, it was feared that ice would coat the lines leading to breakages that would cut off power to customers.
Several times during the day, lights did flicker in Benson.
The icy conditions were also a concern to law enforcement and highway crews as roads in the area became increasingly slick.
While ice did form on the lines and roads, the temperatures warmed through the day to 37 degrees, eventually melting the ice that had formed.
In all, the Benson area received 81 hundredths of an inch of rain on Christmas Day. There was also thunder and lightening as the massive low pressure system moved through the upper Great Plains states. North Dakota, parts of South Dakota and northern Minnesota all saw cooler temperatures that created blizzard conditions....
 
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