Flash Flood, Bennett
- When
- June 1, 5:00 PM MST to 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Bennett County, 20 mi W of Martin
- Measured
- 400
- Coordinates
- 43.195, -101.664 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flooding and Hail in South Dakota, June 1, 1997
During the late afternoon and early evening hours, a significant flash flood occurred from southwest to south-central South Dakota. Large hail, gusty winds and flooding rains were a result of these thunderstorms.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- $25,000
- Events
- 11
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.
What happened
The episode as NWS UNR wrote it up.
During the late afternoon and early evening hours, a significant flash flood occurred from southwest to south-central South Dakota. Large hail, gusty winds and flooding rains were a result of these thunderstorms. In Bennett county, 5 miles west of Martin, two cars were washed off Highway 18 by rushing water over the road. No injuries were reported in either case. Highway 18 had numerous places where water covered the road in Bennett county. In southwest Mellette county, numerous secondary roads were washed out and many places were under water, and three inch hail caused extensive damage to one rancher's home and crops.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
6 hail, 3 flash flood, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Flash Flood, Mellette
- When
- June 1, 5:00 PM MST to 9:00 PM MST
- Where
- Mellette County, 15 mi N of Cedar Butte
- Measured
- 800
- Coordinates
- 43.581, -100.760 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Hail, Mellette
- When
- June 1, 5:00 PM MST
- Where
- Mellette County, 15 mi N of Cedar Butte
- Measured
- 2 in hail
- Coordinates
- 43.800, -101.020
Hail, Mellette
- When
- June 1, 5:12 PM MST to 5:15 PM MST
- Where
- Mellette County, White River
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Coordinates
- 43.570, -100.750
Hail, Mellette
- When
- June 1, 5:25 PM MST to 5:30 PM MST
- Where
- Mellette County, White River
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Coordinates
- 43.570, -100.750
Hail, Bennett
- When
- June 1, 5:58 PM MST to 6:35 PM MST
- Where
- Bennett County, Martin
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Coordinates
- 43.170, -101.750
Flash Flood, Oglala Lakota
- When
- June 1, 6:00 PM MST to 8:00 PM MST
- Where
- Oglala Lakota County, Pine Ridge
- Measured
- 400
- Coordinates
- 43.336, -102.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Hail, Oglala Lakota
- When
- June 1, 6:00 PM MST
- Where
- Oglala Lakota County, Pine Ridge
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Coordinates
- 43.030, -102.570
Thunderstorm Wind, Mellette
- When
- June 1, 6:30 PM MST
- Where
- Mellette County, 15 mi N of Cedar Butte
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph)
- Coordinates
- 43.800, -101.020
Hail, Mellette
- When
- June 1, 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Mellette County, 15 mi N of Cedar Butte
- Measured
- 3 in hail
- Crop damage
- $25,000
- Coordinates
- 43.800, -101.020
Thunderstorm Wind, Bennett
- When
- June 1, 7:02 PM MST to 7:05 PM MST
- Where
- Bennett County, Martin
- Measured
- 56 kt (64 mph)
- Coordinates
- 43.170, -101.750
What these are
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- 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.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flash Flooding in West Virginia, June 1, 1997
- Flooding in Idaho, June 1 to 30, 1997
- Flash Flooding in Ohio, June 1 to 2, 1997
- Flash Flooding in Ohio, June 1, 1997
- Flood in Ohio, June 1 to 3, 1997
- Drought in Texas, June 1 to 30, 1997
- Flooding in Idaho, June 1 to 15, 1997
- Tornadoes and Hail in North Dakota, June 1 to 30, 1997
- Flooding in Ohio, June 1 to 6, 1997
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Florida, June 1, 1997
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Colorado, June 1 to 2, 1997
- Cold in Georgia, June 1 to 11, 1997
More
Every storm in South Dakota in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, June 1997
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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5604852, 5604853, 5604854, 5604848, 5604849, 5604850, 5604857, 5604858, 5604856, 5604855, 5604851.