South Dakota, 1998

Flooding and Damaging Wind in South Dakota, August 26 to 27, 1998

August 26 to 27, 1998 · NWS ABR · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

Very heavy rains of 3 to over 6 inches fell across far eastern Corson, most of Campbell and Walworth counties during the evening hours of the 26th. The heavy rain caused the flooding of many roads along with some highways through the night and through the morning of the 27th.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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.

Very heavy rains of 3 to over 6 inches fell across far eastern Corson, most of Campbell and Walworth counties during the evening hours of the 26th. The heavy rain caused the flooding of many roads along with some highways through the night and through the morning of the 27th. Near Selby, high winds, heavy rain, and some hail caused a lot of damage to sunflowers and moved a barn three feet off of its foundation. In Selby, wind driven rain pushed water through some ceilings and into basements. An old barn near Glenham was also blown down by the strong winds. Some rainfall amounts included, 3.50 inches at Herried, 3.80 inches at Java, 4.20 inches at Selby, 4.50 inches 3N of Selby and just southeast of Mclaughlin, 5 inches at Glenham, 5.75 inches 8N of Mobridge, and 6.35 inches 1.5 miles southeast of Glenham.

The radar

The Aberdeen radar (KABR), 126 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:49 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Walworth

When
August 26, 6:50 PM CST
Where
Walworth County, Selby
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
45.500, -100.030

Flood, Corson

When
August 26, 8:00 PM CST to August 27, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Corson forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
45.709, -101.197 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Campbell

When
August 26, 8:00 PM CST to August 27, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Campbell forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
45.771, -100.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Walworth

When
August 26, 8:00 PM CST to August 27, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Walworth forecast zone
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
45.430, -100.032 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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.
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 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, August 1998

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: 5664841, 5664842, 5664843, 5664844.