South Dakota, 1997

Flooding in South Dakota, May 1 to 2, 1997

May 1 to 2, 1997 · NWS ABR · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

5 inch amounts fell over central South Dakota and caused the flooding of several creeks, streams, low-lying areas, and roads. This early May rain only aggravated the areas flooded in March and April.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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

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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.

What happened

The episode as NWS ABR wrote it up.

Heavy rains of 1.5 to 2.5 inches with isolated 4.5 inch amounts fell over central South Dakota and caused the flooding of several creeks, streams, low-lying areas, and roads. This early May rain only aggravated the areas flooded in March and April. Lyman county experienced the most significant flooding where 4.5 inches of rain fell north of Vivian. Part of a golf course was flooded, some personal property was flooded along with the KOA campground near Kennebec.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Stanley

When
May 1, 4:00 PM CST to May 2, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Stanley forecast zone
Coordinates
44.412, -100.736 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Sully

When
May 1, 4:00 PM CST to May 2, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Sully forecast zone
Coordinates
44.716, -100.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Hughes

When
May 1, 4:00 PM CST to May 2, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Hughes forecast zone
Coordinates
44.389, -99.996 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Hyde

When
May 1, 4:00 PM CST to May 2, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Hyde forecast zone
Coordinates
44.547, -99.487 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Hand

When
May 1, 4:00 PM CST to May 2, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Hand forecast zone
Coordinates
44.548, -99.005 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Jones

When
May 1, 4:00 PM CST to May 2, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Jones forecast zone
Coordinates
43.961, -100.690 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Lyman

When
May 1, 4:00 PM CST to May 2, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Lyman forecast zone
Coordinates
43.896, -99.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Buffalo

When
May 1, 4:00 PM CST to May 2, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Buffalo forecast zone
Coordinates
44.076, -99.205 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Dakota in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, May 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5605363, 5605364, 5605365, 5605366, 5605367, 5605368, 5605369, 5605370.