Alert archive / South Dakota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 80, NWS Sioux Falls, SD

May 31, 2026McCook County, Minnehaha County, South Dakota

NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 31, 2026, 7:08 PM CDT for McCook County, Minnehaha County, South Dakota. It was in force for 52 min. 4 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
May 31, 2026, 7:08 PM CDT (00:08 UTC)
Expired
May 31, 2026, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
52 min
Issued by
NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Possible
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

Counties McCook County, SD, Minnehaha County, SD

The radar

The Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 37 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:10 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 31, 7:20 PM CDTHAIL 15 Nw Wall Lake, SDPhoto and report via social media.
May 31, 7:26 PM CDTHAIL 12 Wsw Humboldt, SDIn addition to hail up to the size of quarters, heavy rainfall was reported.
May 31, 7:39 PM CDTHAIL 13 Ssw Humboldt, SDReport and video via social media.
May 31, 7:40 PM CDTHAIL 12 Ese Humboldt, SDReport and photo via social media.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched 4 storm reports to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 12 minutes after it went out.

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, 0.1 hours before the alert went out and 170 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 2026-06-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1517 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2026-06-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 120 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1517 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-19 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1020 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
120 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
168 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

010 
WUUS53 KFSD 010008
SVRFSD
SDC087-099-010100-
/O.NEW.KFSD.SV.W.0080.260601T0008Z-260601T0100Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
708 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Southwestern Minnehaha County in southeastern South Dakota...
  Southeastern McCook County in southeastern South Dakota...

* Until 800 PM CDT.

* At 708 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Montrose, or
  near Lake Vermillion State Recreation Area, moving east at 15 mph.

  HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage 
           to roofs, siding, and trees.

* This severe thunderstorm will be near...
  Lake Vermillion State Recreation Area, Humboldt, and Montrose 
  around 715 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain alert for a possible tornado! Tornadoes can develop quickly
from severe thunderstorms. If you spot a tornado go at once into the
basement or small central room in a sturdy structure.

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

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4355 9728 4372 9734 4380 9704 4357 9698
TIME...MOT...LOC 0008Z 256DEG 13KT 4366 9722 

TORNADO...POSSIBLE
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

SG
1 follow-up statement
191 
WWUS53 KFSD 010028
SVSFSD

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
728 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

SDC087-099-010100-
/O.CON.KFSD.SV.W.0080.000000T0000Z-260601T0100Z/
Minnehaha SD-McCook SD-
728 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT
FOR SOUTHWESTERN MINNEHAHA AND SOUTHEASTERN MCCOOK COUNTIES...

At 728 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Humboldt, or
near Lake Vermillion State Recreation Area, moving east at 25 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to 
         roofs, siding, and trees.

Locations impacted include...
  Humboldt.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Remain alert for a possible tornado! Tornadoes can develop quickly
from severe thunderstorms. If you spot a tornado go at once into the
basement or small central room in a sturdy structure.

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

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4355 9723 4367 9728 4378 9704 4357 9698
TIME...MOT...LOC 0028Z 264DEG 21KT 4364 9711 

TORNADO...POSSIBLE
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

SG

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 May 31, 6:55 PM CDT, 13 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Isolated to scattered thunderstorms should develop late this afternoon into early evening. Large hail up to half dollar and damaging winds to 60 mph would be the main hazards. A Level 1 of 5 risk for severe storms covers most of the area for this threat.
  • Similar to today, a conditional Level 1 of 5 risk for severe storms covers the forecast area Monday afternoon. The chance of development looks lower than today, but if a storm can form, large hail and isolated damaging winds could occur.
  • High chances (50-80%) for rain will persist through the bulk of next week. However, severe storm chances continue to look low (near 5% or less) through next week. The better chances for rainfall appear to be Wednesday in central SD and Wednesday night into Thursday area wide.
Area forecast discussion, May 31, 6:55 PM CDT, 13 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
Issued by National Weather Service Rapid City SD
655 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Isolated to scattered thunderstorms should develop late this
  afternoon into early evening. Large hail up to half dollar and
  damaging winds to 60 mph would be the main hazards. A Level 1
  of 5 risk for severe storms covers most of the area for this
  threat.

- Similar to today, a conditional Level 1 of 5 risk for severe
  storms covers the forecast area Monday afternoon. The chance
  of development looks lower than today, but if a storm can
  form, large hail and isolated damaging winds could occur.

- High chances (50-80%) for rain will persist through the bulk
  of next week. However, severe storm chances continue to look
  low (near 5% or less) through next week. The better chances
  for rainfall appear to be Wednesday in central SD and
  Wednesday night into Thursday area wide.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1235 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

An active pattern is expected over the next several days, although
severe weather appears to remain a minor threat. Patchy heavy rain
may play the bigger role with each event.

For this afternoon and tonight, a small corridor of low level
convergence and lift will focus near and just east of the James
Valley. Clouds have cleared through early afternoon and temperatures
have risen a touch. Along with this temperature rise is a turn in
the surface winds to a more south to southwest direction vs.
southeast. This is what is aiding in this low level convergence. The
latest model soundings indicate something around 1500-2000 J/kg CAPE
but weak, disorganized shear. This suggests severe weather should
remain limited, but maybe a cell merger or two could produce a
couple of updrafts strong enough to support hail to half dollar
and wind gusts to 60 mph. Stronger storms will likely drift
east or northeast at about 15 mph, so fairly slow moving. With
this slower storm motion in mind, will need to keep an eye on
the locally heavy rain potential. A handful of the latest hi-res
models are showing small areas of 1-3" of rain with this
development. One area to keep a closer eye on will be parts of
Western Lake county, Northeast McCook and western Minnehaha
where 1-3" of rain fell late last night.

The question becomes what will drive development; will it be diurnal
heating, which would allow updrafts to start developing around 19-
21z, or will it be the weak wave which moves into the area closer to
0-3z this evening. The latest HRRR and Nam output agree with the
later start times, with the Nam indicating a stronger cap and less
development, while the RRFS and RAP kick off development a little
sooner with weaker capping. With the clearing that we are seeing in
central SD towards the James Valley we may see some development by
mid to late afternoon as destabilization is more likely. Suspect
some development between about 5-6pm.

One last thing to watch out for, if we can get mid to late afternoon
development, the LFC are marginally low and a weak convergent
boundary should be in parts of south central and southeast SD, so an
isolated funnel or two will be possible.

While a marginal risk for severe weather is in place for Monday,
confidence in the chances of development are very low. A capping
inversion may win out and for now CAPE values only running around
1000 J/kg with continued weak shear, albeit a little bit better than
today.

Another wave moves through Tuesday but weak shear and weak
instability suggest if anything can develop severe weather is very
unlikely.

Wednesday into Thursday looks like the better chance for more clouds
and better rainfall chances. Broad southerly warm advection looks to
bring in some weak elevated instability as low pressure tracks east
through ND. For now not anticipating all day rainfall but should see
off and on chances Wednesday and Thursday as this low tracks by to
the north.

Friday into Sunday will see periodic weaker waves move through the
area with a continuation of relatively weak flow aloft. This
continued weaker shear environment should keep severe weather
threats very limited.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS Through 00Z Monday Evening)
Issued At 651 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

Isolated showers and thunderstorms will continue to be possible
across the area through the early evening hours. Low stratus is
expected to develop tonight over southwest Minnesota and eastern
South Dakota, especially near and east of I-29. Highest confidence
location for this MVFR to IFR stratus regarding the TAF sites will
be at KFSD. Winds will turn light through the overnight hours, and
this could also result in fog, though confidence is a bit lower in
development. Additional showers and storms may develop Monday
afternoon, but low confidence in development and location of these
storms preclude mention in the TAFs at this time.

&&

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

&&

DISCUSSION...08
AVIATION...13
Hazardous weather outlook, May 31, 1:33 PM CDT, 5 hours 35 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
133 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-MNZ071-072-080-081-089-090-097-
098-NEZ013-014-SDZ038>040-050-052>071-011845-
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-
133 PM CDT Sun May 31 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...This afternoon and tonight.

A Level 1 of 5 risk for severe storms is in place for late this
afternoon and evening. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms should
develop late this afternoon between the James River and I-29, then
progress eastward through the evening. A very isolated stronger
storm could produce hail to half dollar and wind gusts to 60 mph.
Locally heavier rain will also be possible with small swaths of one
to three inches of rainfall.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday.

There is a low chance for storms again Monday afternoon. Similar to
today, confidence in storm development is low. However, if storms
can develop, isolated damaging winds and large hail would be the
main threats.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 31, 4:57 PM CDT, 2 hours 11 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
457 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0435 PM     Hail             2 NNW Emery             43.63N 97.64W
05/31/2026  E0.88 Inch       Hanson             SD   Trained Spotter

&&

TRM
Local storm report, May 31, 5:15 PM CDT, 1 hour 53 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
515 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0507 PM     Hail             2 W Vilas               44.01N 97.63W
05/31/2026  M1.25 Inch       Miner              SD   Trained Spotter

&&

TRM
Local storm report, May 31, 5:45 PM CDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
545 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0530 PM     Hail             1 WSW Emery             43.60N 97.63W
05/31/2026  E1.00 Inch       Hanson             SD   Trained Spotter

            Very heavy rain along with penny to quarter
            sized hail. Rainfall is already over 3
            inches.

&&

TRM
Local storm report, May 31, 6:09 PM CDT, 59 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
609 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0600 PM     Funnel Cloud     1 N Bridgewater         43.57N 97.50W
05/31/2026                   McCook             SD   Trained Spotter

&&

TRM
Local storm report, May 31, 6:13 PM CDT, 55 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
613 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0607 PM     Tornado          1 NW Bridgewater        43.56N 97.52W
05/31/2026                   McCook             SD   Storm Chaser

            Tornado is kicking up dust from the ground
            now.

&&

TRM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 31, 7:06 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDMcCook, Minnehaha39 min
May 31, 7:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDLincoln, Turner52 min
May 31, 7:42 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDMcCook, Minnehaha23 min
May 31, 7:50 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDTurner40 min
May 31, 7:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDMinnehaha51 min
May 31, 8:03 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDMinnehaha42 min
May 31, 8:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDLincoln, Turner54 min
May 31, 8:29 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDLincoln, Turner46 min
May 31, 8:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDClay, Lincoln, Turner, Yankton63 min
May 31, 8:43 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDMinnehaha32 min
May 31, 8:57 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedFSDLincoln, Turner35 min
May 31, 9:11 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDClay, Union49 min
May 31, 9:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDClay, Union47 min
May 31, 11:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDUnion52 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.