South Dakota, 1998

Flooding in South Dakota, May 18 to 31, 1998

May 18 to 31, 1998 · NWS FSD · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Flooding occurred along the James River after runoff from earlier heavy rains upstream coincided with 1 to 3 inches of rainfall over the area. Flooding was limited to farmland along the river.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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
6

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 FSD wrote it up.

Flooding occurred along the James River after runoff from earlier heavy rains upstream coincided with 1 to 3 inches of rainfall over the area. Flooding was limited to farmland along the river. Damage could not be estimated as some of the farmland was still unusable from more severe flooding the previous year. An unknown amount of damage was also suspected from bank erosion and silt deposition which could aggravate future flooding.

The radar

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

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Event by event

6 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Beadle

When
May 18, 6:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Beadle forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
44.415, -98.278 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Sanborn

When
May 19, 6:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Sanborn forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
44.023, -98.091 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Hanson

When
May 20, 6:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Hanson forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
43.675, -97.787 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Hutchinson

When
May 20, 6:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Hutchinson forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
43.335, -97.754 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Davison

When
May 23, 6:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Davison forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
43.675, -98.146 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Bon Homme

When
May 25, 6:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Bon Homme forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
42.988, -97.885 (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 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, May 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5645432, 5646466, 5645435, 5645436, 5645434, 5645433.