A powerful cold front that moved into western South Dakota Thursday night brought showers, chilly temperatures and powerful northwesterly winds.

The National Weather Service issued a high wind warning for the region earl Friday morning as gusts soared to 47 mph in Rapid City and Ellsworth Air Force Base and as high as 56 mph in Buffalo. The high wind warning extends from the North Dakota border to the Nebraska border, with parts of the Black Hills exempt. It also stretches west to east from the Wyoming border to past Kadoka.

The NWS said sustained winds of 40 mph and gusts up to 60 mph should be expected.

Greg Richards, a meteorologist with the NWS in Rapid City said winds aren't expected to fall off during the day.

"Actually, we expect another front to move through the area around midday and the winds will likely increase," Richards said. "I wouldn't expect them to drop off until after noon."

The NWS warns people planning travel or outdoor activities to be aware of the inclement conditions. Those with lightweight or high profile vehicles will be especially vulnerable to the strong winds and sudden gusts, especially on east-west oriented roads such as Interstate 90.

The high winds have also forced the closing of the Rapid City Landfill to cars, pickups and other small vehicles.