High Wind in South Dakota, February 11, 2002

Name: High Wind in South Dakota, February 11, 2002
Start: 2002-02-11T12:00
End: 2002-02-11T19:00
Location: South Dakota

February 11, 2002 · NWS ABR · 26 events in 26 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 26 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 26

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.

High winds of 35 to 45 mph gusting to 60 to 65 mph affected central and northeast South Dakota through the afternoon and into the early evening hours. The high winds caused some spotty tree and roof damage along with a few power outages. A few downed power lines in Aberdeen resulted in a short power outage for some people. Also, a streetlight pole was knocked down in Aberdeen. Some wind gusts included, 58 mph at McLaughlin, 59 mph at Pierre, 61 mph at Sisseton and Aberdeen, and 62 mph at Mobridge.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Aberdeen, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 11, 4:05 AM CST, 7 hours 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 11, 4:05 AM CST, 7 hours 55 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR CENTRAL/N-EAST SD AND W-CENTRAL MN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
405 AM CST MON FEB 11 2002

VERY STRONG WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE ABR CWA TODAY.
FIRST OF ALL THE ETA AND AVN ARE TOO WEAK WITH THE DEVELOPING SFC
LOW DROPPING SE ACROSS S CANADA AND INTO THE GREAT LAKES TODAY
THROUGH THIS EVENING. ALTHOUGH...THEY STILL SHOW A VERY TIGHT SFC
PRES GRADIENT ACROSS THE ABR CWA TODAY AND TONIGHT AND VERY STRONG
WINDS OFF THE SFC. THE RUC HAS THE BEST HANDLE ON THE CURRENT
SITUATION AS IT SHOWS THE SFC LOW PRESSURE FALLING TO AROUND 980MB
BY 18Z WITH VERY STRONG WINDS OFF THE SFC TODAY. THE 85H WINDS
INCREASE TO AROUND 75 TO 80 KNOTS BY 18Z. THE 925MB GEOSTROPHIC
WINDS ARE SHOWN UP TO 80 KNOTS ACROSS THE CWA TODAY. WITH DEEP
SUBSIDENCE...CAA...AND STEEP LL LAPSE RATES DEVELOPING...IT WILL
BECOME VERY WINDY ACROSS THE CWA TODAY. THEREFORE...WILL GO WITH A
HIGH WIND WARNING ACROSS C AND NC SD FOR LATE THIS MRNG INTO EARLY
EVENING AND A WIND ADVISORY ACROSS NE SD AND WC MN THIS AFTERNOON
AND THIS EVENING. OTHERWISE...THE DENSE CI THIS MRNG WILL MOVE EAST
WITH MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES THROUGH THE DAY. TEMPS WILL MIX OUT INTO THE
40S TO AROUND 50 TODAY. THE TIGHT SFC PRES GRADIENT WILL REMAIN
TONIGHT. THEREFORE...EXPECT THE NW WINDS TO DECREASE BUT IT WILL
REMAIN WINDY TONIGHT. THE MDLS ALL SHOW THE LL RH INCREASING TONIGHT
AND EXPECT CAA LOW CLOUDS TO MOVE ACROSS THE CWA TONIGHT AND REMAIN
ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA ON TUE. ON TUE...THE WINDS WILL DECREASE
EVEN MORE BY AFTN. IT WILL BE 10 TO 15 DEGREES COOLER ACROSS THE CWA
ON TUE FROM TODAY. IT IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN DRY WITH ABOVE NORMAL
TEMPS ON THROUGH THE REST OF THE FORECAST AS SFC HIGH PRESSURE
PREVAILS WEST AND SOUTH OF THE CWA...KEEPING WINDS IN A WEST TO
SOUTH DIRECTION CONTINUING TO BRING IN MILD AIR.

.ABR...HIGH WIND WARNING...C AND NC SD...LATE THIS MRNG INTO EARLY
       EVENING.
       WIND ADVISORY...NE SD AND WC MN....THIS AFTN AND THIS EVENING

MOHR

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

26 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Corson

When: February 11, 12:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Corson forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 45.709, -101.197 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Dewey

When: February 11, 12:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Dewey forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.157, -100.872 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Stanley

When: February 11, 12:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Stanley forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.412, -100.736 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Jones

When: February 11, 12:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Jones forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.961, -100.690 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Campbell

When: February 11, 1:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Campbell forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.771, -100.052 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Walworth

When: February 11, 1:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Walworth forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 45.430, -100.032 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Potter

When: February 11, 1:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Potter forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.065, -99.957 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Sully

When: February 11, 1:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Sully forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.716, -100.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hughes

When: February 11, 1:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Hughes forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 44.389, -99.996 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lyman

When: February 11, 1:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Lyman forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 43.896, -99.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Buffalo

When: February 11, 1:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Buffalo forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.076, -99.205 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hyde

When: February 11, 1:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Hyde forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.547, -99.487 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hand

When: February 11, 1:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Hand forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.548, -99.005 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Edmunds

When: February 11, 1:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Edmunds forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.419, -99.215 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, McPherson

When: February 11, 1:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: McPherson forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.766, -99.221 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Faulk

When: February 11, 2:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Faulk forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.071, -99.145 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Brown

When: February 11, 2:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Brown forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 45.590, -98.352 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Spink

When: February 11, 2:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Spink forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.938, -98.346 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Marshall

When: February 11, 3:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Marshall forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.759, -97.598 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Day

When: February 11, 3:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Day forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.367, -97.607 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Clark

When: February 11, 3:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where: Clark forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.858, -97.729 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Roberts

When: February 11, 4:00 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Roberts forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 45.630, -96.946 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Grant

When: February 11, 4:00 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Grant forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.172, -96.768 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Codington

When: February 11, 4:00 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Codington forecast zone
Measured: 44 kt (51 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 44.978, -97.189 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hamlin

When: February 11, 4:00 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Hamlin forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.674, -97.188 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Deuel

When: February 11, 4:00 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Deuel forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.760, -96.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in South Dakota in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in South Dakota, February 2002

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: 5280975, 5280976, 5280977, 5280978, 5280979, 5280980, 5280981, 5280982, 5280983, 5280984, 5280985, 5280986, 5280987, 5280989, 5280990, 5280988, 5280991, 5280992, 5280993, 5280994, 5280995, 5280996, 5280997, 5280998, 5280999, 5281000.