Alert archive / South Dakota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 231, NWS Sioux Falls, SD

August 18, 2026Aurora County, Brule County, Jerauld County, South Dakota

NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 18, 2026, 12:57 AM CDT for Aurora County, Brule County, Jerauld County, South Dakota. It was in force for 33 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Aug 18, 2026, 12:57 AM CDT (05:57 UTC)
Expired
Aug 18, 2026, 1:30 AM CDT
In force
33 min
Issued by
NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
0.75 in
Wind
60.0 mph

Counties Aurora County, SD, Brule County, SD, Jerauld County, SD

The radar

The Aberdeen radar (KABR), 174 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:58 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Aberdeen, SD (KABR), launched 00:00Z, 6.0 hours before the alert went out and 115 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 2026-08-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1577 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 2026-08-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 18 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1577 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1675 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
18 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
52 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.0
Supercell composite
-0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

753 
WUUS53 KFSD 180557
SVRFSD
SDC003-015-073-180630-
/O.NEW.KFSD.SV.W.0231.260818T0557Z-260818T0630Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
1257 AM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Northwestern Aurora County in south central South Dakota...
  Jerauld County in central South Dakota...
  Northeastern Brule County in south central South Dakota...

* Until 130 AM CDT.

* At 1257 AM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
  extending from 11 miles west of Wessington Springs to 7 miles south
  of Gann Valley to 6 miles south of Shelby, moving southeast at 40
  mph.

  HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Severe thunderstorms will be near...
  Kimball around 105 AM CDT.

Other locations in the path of these severe thunderstorms include
White Lake.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will send your report to the National Weather Service
office in Sioux Falls.

&&

LAT...LON 4393 9893 4420 9892 4420 9883 4407 9833
      4403 9833 4372 9873 4362 9904 4385 9932
      4387 9931 4390 9936 4394 9935
TIME...MOT...LOC 0557Z 317DEG 35KT 4406 9880 4392 9897 4385 9920 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Samet
1 follow-up statement
571 
WWUS53 KFSD 180620
SVSFSD

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
120 AM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026

SDC003-015-073-180630-
/O.CON.KFSD.SV.W.0231.000000T0000Z-260818T0630Z/
Aurora SD-Jerauld SD-Brule SD-
120 AM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 130 AM CDT
FOR NORTHWESTERN AURORA...JERAULD AND NORTHEASTERN BRULE COUNTIES...

At 119 AM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from 8 miles south of Lane to 7 miles north of White Lake
to near Kimball, moving east at 40 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts.

SOURCE...Mesonet. Around 1:00 AM CDT, a 59 mph wind gust was 
         recorded in Gann Valley.

IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

Locations impacted include...
  Kimball and White Lake.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

To report severe weather contact your nearest law enforcement agency.
They will send your report to the National Weather Service office in
Sioux Falls.

&&

LAT...LON 4372 9874 4362 9904 4385 9932 4387 9931
      4390 9936 4394 9935 4393 9893 4420 9892
      4420 9883 4407 9833 4403 9833 4374 9870
TIME...MOT...LOC 0619Z 281DEG 34KT 4395 9848 4384 9871 4380 9901 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
WIND THREAT...OBSERVED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Samet

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Aug 17, 9:22 PM CDT, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Isolated to scattered storms are ongoing this evening, through development remains very uncertain. Risks of 1" hail and 60 mph will be possible.
  • Greater storm potential after midnight and through the overnight. Initial supercells are capable of producing 1-2" hail and wind gusts to 65 mph. Storms gradually grow into broken lines with a few bowing segments. Risks become wind gusts to 70 mph and marginal hail.
  • Lingering rain early Tuesday will push the greatest risk of severe storms Tuesday further south. However cooler temperatures and clouds may linger deeper into the day.
  • Rain chances persist Wednesday and Thursday, though storm track leads to lower confidence in where rain may fall.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 17, 9:22 PM CDT, 3 hours 35 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
922 PM CDT Mon Aug 17 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Isolated to scattered storms are ongoing this evening, through
  development remains very uncertain. Risks of 1" hail and 60
  mph will be possible.

- Greater storm potential after midnight and through the
  overnight. Initial supercells are capable of producing 1-2"
  hail and wind gusts to 65 mph. Storms gradually grow into
  broken lines with a few bowing segments. Risks become wind
  gusts to 70 mph and marginal hail.

- Lingering rain early Tuesday will push the greatest risk of
  severe storms Tuesday further south. However cooler
  temperatures and clouds may linger deeper into the day.

- Rain chances persist Wednesday and Thursday, though storm
  track leads to lower confidence in where rain may fall.

&&

.UPDATE...
Issued at 918 PM CDT Mon Aug 17 2026

Showers and thunderstorms have moved into the western portion of our
CWA. While the convective environment is largely favorable, the
forcing from the prefrontal trough is weak and mid-level lapse rates
are decreasing. So while there is still potential for an isolated
strong to severe storm, the confidence in severe weather with these
storms is low. Should a severe storm manage to form threats include
hail to the size of a quarter and wind gusts to 60 mph. These storms
will continue to weaken and dissipate as they move southeast through
the late evening.

Another round of potentially strong to severe thunderstorms are
possible through the overnight. An upper shortwave and associated
cold front will push into central South Dakota around midnight. Deep
layer shear remains strong and the LLJ will be increasing. Though
forcing with this round will be stronger, instability, and lapse
rates will be decreasing. What this means is most likely upon
convection initiation strong to severe supercells are possible with
hail 1-2" and wind gusts to 60-65 mph. As the storms progress
southeast they will transition to elevated line segments, some with
bowing structures. The threat will then transition to a wind threat
with gusts of 70 mph possible. For much of the northern part of the
CWA, storms will be clear around 7am. For areas along the southern
Missouri River and northwest Iowa, storms may linger into mid-
morning Tuesday. Lingering clouds through the day and light
northerly winds will keep highs in the upper 70s to low 80s.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 132 PM CDT Mon Aug 17 2026

THIS AFTERNOON: Convection risks remain the primary focus in the
upcoming 24 hour period, as there continues to be uncertainty on if
we can advect sufficient moisture northward, and provide enough
focus of lift. Visible satellite this afternoon shows two areas
of interest, one area of ACCAS across northeastern South Dakota
and west central Minnesota, driven by 700 mb winds over the
crest of the Ridge. A second area of ACCAS drifting eastward out
of the Badlands area. At the surface, one concern has been a
slower arrival of boundary layer moisture as surface dewpoints
continue to linger in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Further south,
models continue to overestimate dew points in NE/KS, providing
some doubt on if the lower 70 dewpoints advertised by "high
instability" models can be realized.

The projections into the evening remain slightly uncertain with
several focusing mechanisms available.  A surface trough extending
from NW Minnesota into NE South Dakota and central South Dakota will
provide some minor convergence (focused greater over NW Minnesota
and eastern North Dakota).  A weaker pre-frontal trough in the NE
Panhandle into the Sandhills could also serve as a focal point.
Finally, a few storms may also develop over the Minnesota River
valley downstream of the Buffalo Ridge. Any storm that develops off
of these features will likely produced an increased risk for 1-2"
hail, but also 60-70 mph winds as MLCAPE pushes 2000+ J/KG and
effective shear climbs towards 40 knots.  Gradual east southeast
storm tracks within the mean flow are likely which could put
portions of SW Minnesota and the MO River valley into a higher early
evening risk. However the likely overestimation of surface dew
points, poor focus of convergence, and weak inhibition, may
also work to prohibit convection over a large part of the Tri-
State area into the evening.

Further west, additional isolated to scattered convection may form
over the western High Plains late this afternoon and evening
slightly stronger synoptic lift enters the area.  One or more
clusters of storms could reach the western CWA by mid-late evening,
bringing risks lower risk for hail, but higher risks for a few
stronger wind gusts. There continues to be some agreement in
mesoscale and lower resolution guidance that a subtle wave crossing
the Dakotas could keep scattered convection risks moving through the
CWA until at least 4am.  Weakening instability, and worsening lapse
rates should result in fewer strong to severe storms by daybreak
Tuesday. All this to say, coverage of this activity remains highly
in doubt, which will keep areal PoPs lower in general.

TUESDAY: Latest guidance continues to trend the greatest risks for
severe convection southward on Tuesday.  Overnight convection, along
with the passing shortwave should stabilize the area
considerably by daybreak, with a lingering marginal risks for
some crossover hail risks near 12Z. We may however see quite a
bit of stratus behind this wave, suggesting cooler than normal
temperatures into the afternoon.

WEDNESDAY-THURDAY: Upper troughing moving into Hudson Bay will
sharpen the NW flow over the Plains slightly by mid-week.
EC/GFS indicates vorticity crossing from the Pacific Northwest
through the Northern Rockies early on Wednesday pushing mid-lvl
lift towards the region early Wednesday. Differences on the
track of this wave keep PoPs lower, with GEFS/GFS further
northeast, and the EC leading to more impact through central
Nebraska instead. Another wave, along with a weak frontal
boundary approach Thursday afternoon. Depending on the amount of
inhibition nearby, a few thunderstorms could form along this
boundary late in the day.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY: Mid-lvl heights rise and the ridge sharpens over the
Rockies as we move into next weekend.  This transition of mid-lvl
flow could bring one final risk for elevated showers/TSRA early
Friday, but generally quiet and dry conditions then develop
into the weekend. Temperatures however will fall more under the
influence of Canadian high pressure in the Dakotas, suggesting
highs may stay in the upper 70s to lower 80s.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 728 PM CDT Mon Aug 17 2026

VFR conditions to begin the period. Clouds are flowing in from the
west ahead of a broken line of multicell thunderstorms. Recent
shifts in short term guidance leads to high uncertainty in their
evolution. The most likely solution is these storms will continue
their southeast progression. Some may yet become strong to severe
producing hail to the size of a quarter and 60 mph wind gusts. KHON
is the most likely to experience hazardous weather from these storms.

Another round of strong to severe thunderstorms is possible
overnight as a stronger wave moves through the area. Any storms that
develop will have the potential of producing hail to the size of a
quarter and wind gusts to 70 mph. Storms weaken as daybreak
approaches, but showers are expected to continue through much of
Tuesday morning. Dry conditions expected for the afternoon.

&&

.FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SD...None.
MN...None.
IA...None.
NE...None.

&&

UPDATE...AJP
DISCUSSION...Dux
AVIATION...AJP
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 17, 9:26 PM CDT, 3 hours 31 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
926 PM CDT Mon Aug 17 2026

IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-MNZ071-072-080-081-089-090-097-
098-NEZ013-014-SDZ038>040-050-052>071-190230-
Lyon-Osceola-Dickinson-Sioux-O'Brien-Clay-Plymouth-Cherokee-
Buena Vista-Woodbury-Ida-Lincoln-Murray-Cottonwood-Nobles-Jackson-
Pipestone-Rock-Dixon-Dakota-Beadle-Kingsbury-Brookings-Gregory-
Jerauld-Sanborn-Miner-Lake-Moody-Brule-Aurora-Davison-Hanson-McCook-
Minnehaha-Charles Mix-Douglas-Hutchinson-Turner-Bon Homme-Yankton-
Union-
926 PM CDT Mon Aug 17 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest Iowa, west central
Iowa, southwest Minnesota, northeast Nebraska, central South
Dakota, east central South Dakota, south central South Dakota and
southeast South Dakota.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Isolated to scattered thunderstorms may become strong to severe
producing 1 inch hail and wind gusts to 60 mph.

A second round of strong to severe storms is possible after midnight.
These storms could produce two inch hail and wind gusts to 70 mph.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

Scattered thunderstorm risks continue through Wednesday. Severe
storm risks remain focused mostly Tuesday afternoon and early
evening along and south of I-90.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 17, 8:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDBeadle, Kingsbury, Miner, Sanborn26 min
Aug 17, 11:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDCharles Mix, Gregory38 min
Aug 17, 11:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDCharles Mix, Douglas38 min
Aug 17, 11:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDCharles Mix, Douglas, Hutchinson22 min
Aug 18, 1:29 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDAurora, Brule, Davison, Jerauld31 min
Aug 18, 2:24 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDBrule, Charles Mix, Gregory32 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in South Dakota, 2026Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.