South Dakota, 2008

Hail in South Dakota, June 4, 2008

June 4, 2008 · NWS UNR · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

A severe thunderstorm developed over north Rapid City and moved northeastward across Ellsworth Air Force Base. The storm produced hail to the size of golf balls, damaging numerous automobiles and roofs.

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
$500,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 UNR wrote it up.

A severe thunderstorm developed over north Rapid City and moved northeastward across Ellsworth Air Force Base. The storm produced hail to the size of golf balls, damaging numerous automobiles and roofs.

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 Rapid City, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 4, 2:05 PM MST, 1 hour 26 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 4, 2:05 PM MST, 1 hour 26 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 4, 1:40 PM MST, 1 hour 51 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 4, 2:45 PM MST, 46 minutes before
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The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 31 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:32 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Pennington

When
June 4, 3:31 PM MST
Where
Pennington County, 2 mi N of Rapid City
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
44.109, -103.220

Hail, Pennington

When
June 4, 3:35 PM MST to 3:40 PM MST
Where
Pennington County, 2 mi NNE of Rapid City
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$500,000
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
44.107, -103.205

Numerous automobiles were damaged by large hail in a hotel parking lot near Rushmore Mall. The hail also caused significant roof damage to Knollwood Heights Elementary and North Middle schools.

Hail, Meade

When
June 4, 3:50 PM MST
Where
Meade County, Ellsworth Afb
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
44.150, -103.100

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Dakota in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 95041, 95042, 95044.