Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, August 24, 1998

A line of severe thunderstorms moved rapidly southeast across Sully, Hyde, and Hand counties in the morning hours producing destructive winds of up to 100 mph and hail up to the size of baseballs. The wind and hail damaged or destroyed a wide swath of sunflowers and corn beginning from just to the west and north of Onida on east to Holabird, Highmore, to the south of Ree Heights and Miller before finally exiting the southeast part of Hand county. The wind and hail also damaged or destroyed many gardens, broke numerous vehicle and structure windows, along with causing a lot of damage to the vehicles and the structures. Four highline poles south of Highmore on Highway 47 were snapped off. The school in Highmore had twenty screens shredded by the hail and the wind. At a farm northeast of Onida, a grain bin was blown over 200 yards. The winds also blew the roof off a barn, moved a garage several inches off its foundation east of Onida, and blew a trailer home over near Holabird. Lastly, a countless number of tree limbs and trees were downed by the high winds.