The Scouting Report: A weekly digest

Pothole plague, youth diabetes, defending the Midwest

Sioux Falls saw triple the amount of precipitation it typically gets in December, including two days, Dec. 8 and Dec. 13, that set records. The normal amount of precipitation for the city in December is less than an inch, according to the National Weather Service. But more than 2.5 inches fell in December.

With the rain came 19.4 inches of snow, well above the normal amount of 8.7 inches for the month.

And this means the city’s roads are taking a beating this winter, with yawning potholes emerging amid the thawing and freezing of water.

The situation is reminiscent of the 2009-2010 winter. In December 2009, 2 inches of precipitation fell along with an additional 27.8 inches of snow. January followed with 1.25 inches of precipitation and 8.4 inches of snow.