Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, July 12, 1981

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, July 12, 1981
Start: 1981-07-12T00:00
End: 1981-07-12T04:30
Location: South Dakota

July 12, 1981 · NWS NG · 8 events in 6 counties and zones

7 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

7 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Perkins

When: July 12, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Perkins County
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 45.920, -102.120

Thunderstorm Wind, Corson

When: July 12, 12:05 AM CST
Where: Corson County
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Coordinates: 45.930, -101.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Campbell

When: July 12, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Campbell County
Coordinates: 45.900, -100.280

Thunderstorm Wind, McPherson

When: July 12, 2:50 AM CST
Where: McPherson County
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Coordinates: 45.680, -99.550

Thunderstorm Wind, Brown

When: July 12, 3:15 AM CST
Where: Brown County
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 45.450, -98.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Brown

When: July 12, 3:15 AM CST
Where: Brown County
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 45.450, -98.420

Hail, Day

When: July 12, 4:30 AM CST
Where: Day County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 45.470, -97.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Day

When: July 12, 4:30 AM CST
Where: Day County
Coordinates: 45.470, -97.400

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in South Dakota in 1981 Every state in 1981 This day in weather history

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10123192, 10123193, 10123194, 10123195, 10123196, 10123197, 10123198, 10123199.