Flash Flooding and Hail in South Dakota, June 2 to 3, 2008

Name: Flash Flooding and Hail in South Dakota, June 2 to 3, 2008
Start: 2008-06-02T18:02
End: 2008-06-03T03:00
Location: South Dakota

June 2 to 3, 2008 · NWS ABR · 15 events in 4 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $130,000
Crop damage: $50,000
Events: 15

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.

Several supercell thunderstorms rolled southeast from northwest South Dakota into central South Dakota bringing large hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding during the late afternoon and evening hours. The large hail and high winds killed a large number of birds, pheasants, grouse, and rabbits. Thousands of acres of grassland and cropland along with countless shelter belts received minor to major damage in Stanley and Hughes County. The large hail also knocked out many windows and damaged the siding of tens of buildings and homes in both Stanley and Hughes counties. Many roads and cropland were also affected by flash flooding throughout Hughes and Stanley counties. Pierre and Fort Pierre were the cities most affected by the flash flooding. A Federal Disaster Declaration was issued for Hughes and Stanley counties mainly for the flooding.

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 Jun 2, 1:25 PM MST, 4 hours 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 2, 1:25 PM MST, 4 hours 37 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
325 PM CDT MON JUN 2 2008

.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT
STORMS BEGINNING TO DEVELOP ACROSS WESTERN SD LATE THIS AFTERNOON
ALONG A SURFACE BOUNDARY EXTENDING INTO THIS AREA. WITH SUNSHINE
THIS AFTERNOON AND DECENT DEWPOINTS ACROSS THE AREA...INSTABILITY
HAS INCREASED THIS AFTERNOON MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A FRONTAL
BOUNDARY EXTENDING ACROSS CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA INTO WESTERN SOUTH
DAKOTA. WITH A SHORT WAVE TROUGH COMING ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT
ALONG WITH A JET STREAK NOSING OVER THE REGION TONIGHT...EXPECT
TSRAS TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND BECOME MORE NUMEROUS AS THEY MOVE
EAST THROUGH THE NIGHT. A PROBLEM FOR THE NORTHEAST CWA WILL BE
THE DRIER AND MORE STABLE AIR COMING AROUND THE SURFACE HIGH
PRESSURE AREA IN SOUTHERN CANADA. SOME MODELS HAVE A CUTOFF IN THE
QPF ACROSS THE FAR NORTHEAST CWA WHILE SOME PUSH MORE QPF INTO
THIS AREA. KEPT WITH THE LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE CWA TONIGHT AND
MAY HAVE TO DROP THEM SOME ACROSS THE NORTHEAST CWA LATER. AFTER
THIS TROUGH MOVES THROUGH...ANOTHER STRONGER CLOSED UPPER LOW FROM
THE WEST MOVES ACROSS MT AND ND LATER TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY
NIGHT. AFTER TONIGHTS RAINFALL MOVES THROUGH...EXPECT SOME LOW
CLOUDS TO FORM AND THEN BREAK UP QUITE A BIT ON TUESDAY WITH MORE
DESTABILIZATION TAKING PLACE IN ADVANCE OF NEXT TROUGH.
THUS...CONTINUED WITH CHANCES OF TSRAS FOR TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY
NIGHT.

THEN ALL OF THE MODELS AND ENSEMBLES CONTINUE TO SHOW A
SIGNIFICANT UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND SURFACE LOW PRESSURE AREA
DEVELOPING OUT WEST AND MOVING INTO THE CENTRAL PART OF THE US
WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. WITH THIS UNUSUALLY STRONG SYSTEM
FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR ALOFT AND AT THE SURFACE...HAVE IN GOOD
CHANCES OF SHRAS/TSRAS FOR WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THE BEST
BET FOR SEVERE WEATHER STILL APPEARS TO THE EAST OF OUR CWA.

.LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY
THE CHALLENGE FOR THE EXTENDED DEALS WITH PRECIPITATION
CHANCES...ESPECIALLY EARLY IN THE PERIOD.
BOTH THE GFS/ECMWF ARE IN A FAIR AGREEMENT WITH AN INTENSE AREA OF
LOW PRESSURE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD. STRONG LOW LEVEL
JET...GOOD MOISTURE ADVECTION AND SHEAR ARE ALL LOCATED OUT AHEAD OF
THIS SYSTEM. AT THIS TIME THE SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL LOOKS TO
BE SOUTH AND EAST OF THE CWA. CLOSER TO HOME...BOTH MODELS
INDICATE WRAP AROUND SHOWERS AND CAA INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS.
EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS ON THURSDAY TO GIVE WAY TO SHOWERS ON FRIDAY.
ONCE THIS SYSTEM DEPARTS...THE FLOW PATTERN BECOMES MORE ZONAL
ALLOWING FOR DRY CONDITIONS AND MODERATE TEMPERATURES. A SIMILAR
STORM SYSTEM LOOKS IMPACT THE REGION...AGAIN...AT THE END OF THE
WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES WILL BE BELOW NORMAL AT THE START OF THE
EXTENDED...AND NEAR NORMAL BY THIS WEEKEND.

&&

.AVIATION...
SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE WESTERN
DAKOTAS PER WSR-88D. EXPECT THESE STORMS TO CONTINUE TO TRACK TO
THE EAST...AFFECTING KPIR AND KMBG EARLY THIS EVENING AND KABR AND
KATY BY THIS EVENING. SOME THUNDERSTORM MAY BECOME SEVERE. BEHIND
THIS STORM SYSTEM...IFR CIGS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AT KMBG AND
KPIR DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.

&&

.ABR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SD...NONE.
MN...NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM...MOHR
LONG TERM...SD
AVIATION...SD

WEATHER.GOV/ABERDEEN

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 2, 6:33 AM MST, 11 hours 29 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
833 AM CDT MON JUN 2 2008

MNZ046-SDZ003>006-008>011-015>023-033>037-045-048-051-031345-
BIG STONE-CORSON-CAMPBELL-MCPHERSON-BROWN-ROBERTS-WALWORTH-
EDMUNDS-DAY-DEWEY-POTTER-FAULK-SPINK-CLARK-CODINGTON-GRANT-HAMLIN-
DEUEL-STANLEY-SULLY-HUGHES-HYDE-HAND-JONES-LYMAN-BUFFALO-
833 AM CDT MON JUN 2 2008 /733 AM MDT MON JUN 2 2008/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA...NORTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA AND
NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY THIS
AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING...WHERE THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT
IS CURRENTLY THOUGHT TO BE LARGE HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE PERIOD.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

MNZ039-SDZ007-031345-
TRAVERSE-MARSHALL-
833 AM CDT MON JUN 2 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE PERIOD.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT.

DORN/MOHR

The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 144 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:03 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 hail, 3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Stanley

When: June 2, 6:02 PM MST
Where: Stanley County, 5.22 mi WNW of Sansarc
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.540, -101.120

Several windows were broken by the large hail.

Hail, Stanley

When: June 2, 6:18 PM MST
Where: Stanley County, 2.08 mi WSW of Mission Ridge
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.670, -100.810

Tennis ball hail broke most of the west side windows out of the house.

Hail, Stanley

When: June 2, 6:34 PM MST
Where: Stanley County, 7.26 mi NW of Lacy
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.570, -100.790

Hail, Hughes

When: June 2, 8:06 PM CST
Where: Hughes County, 14.47 mi NNW of Pierre
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 44.550, -100.480

Hail, Hughes

When: June 2, 8:10 PM CST
Where: Hughes County, 5.87 mi NNW of (Pir)pierre Arpt
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.460, -100.320

Hail, Hughes

When: June 2, 8:20 PM CST to 8:35 PM CST
Where: Hughes County, Pierre
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.370, -100.330

Hail up to the size of baseballs fell in Pierre breaking some windows out of homes and vehicles.

Hail, Hughes

When: June 2, 8:33 PM CST
Where: Hughes County, 8.49 mi NE of (Pir)pierre Arpt
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.480, -100.180

Hail, Stanley

When: June 2, 7:35 PM MST
Where: Stanley County, 5.8 mi WSW of Lacy
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 44.470, -100.790

Hail, Jones

When: June 2, 8:40 PM CST
Where: Jones County, 2.04 mi NW of Okaton
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.890, -100.930

Hail, Hughes

When: June 2, 8:40 PM CST
Where: Hughes County, Canning
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.400, -100.030

Hail, Sully

When: June 2, 8:45 PM CST
Where: Sully County, 6 mi SE of Agar
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 44.780, -99.970

Golfball hail broke several windows on the house and car.

Flash Flood, Stanley

When: June 2, 8:00 PM MST to June 3, 2:00 AM MST
Where: Stanley County, 3.49 mi S of Wendte to 5.26 mi ESE of Ft Pierre
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 44.200, -100.680

Very heavy rains of 2 to 4 inches fell across much of Stanley county causing extensive flash flooding. Many dams were broken along with tens of fences crossing creeks in the county. Seventeen roads also sustained some form of damage from the flooding.

Flash Flood, Hughes

When: June 2, 9:00 PM CST to June 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Hughes County, 9.81 mi NNW of Pierre to 1.63 mi WSW of Pierre
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $50,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 44.500, -100.410

Very heavy rains of 2 to 4 inches caused flash flooding throughout much of Hughes county. Many roads and crops were damaged by the high water.

Hail, Hughes

When: June 2, 9:18 PM CST
Where: Hughes County, 5.92 mi E of Canning
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 44.400, -99.910

Flash Flood, Hughes

When: June 2, 10:13 PM CST to June 3, 3:00 AM CST
Where: Hughes County, 2.03 mi WNW of Pierre to 0.91 mi W of Pierre
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 44.383, -100.367

Very heavy rain of over 3 inches caused flash flooding in many parts of Pierre into the early morning hours. Many roads were under 1 to 2 feet of water. Several homes in southeast Pierre received sewer backup. Also several homes on Grey Goose road received flood damage.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in South Dakota in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in South Dakota, June 2008

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: 119233, 119232, 119230, 119242, 119240, 119260, 119239, 119228, 119234, 119238, 119227, 120985, 120998, 119236, 119246.