Tornado and Hail in South Dakota, July 13, 2009

Name: Tornado and Hail in South Dakota, July 13, 2009
Start: 2009-07-13T12:03
End: 2009-07-13T18:30
Location: South Dakota

July 13, 2009 · NWS UNR · 27 events in 5 counties and zones

A long-lived supercell thunderstorm moved southeastward from eastern Pennington County to Todd County and into north central Nebraska. The storm produced large hail, strong wind gusts, numerous funnel clouds, and a brief tornado near Parmalee.

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: $415,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 27

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.

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 Jul 13, 7:54 AM MST, 4 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 13, 7:54 AM MST, 4 hours 9 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WESTERN SD AND NORTHEASTERN WY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
854 AM MDT MON JUL 13 2009

.DISCUSSION...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS
NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA ON NOSE OF LLJ AND 850-700MB THETA-E
MAXIMUM ALONG TRAILING EDGE OF SHORTWAVE MOVING ACROSS NORTH
DAKOTA. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING AROUND THE BIG HORNS
WITH NEXT SHORTWAVE. ACTIVE THUNDERSTORM DAY IN STORE FOR THE
AREA...WITH SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS INCLUDING POTENTIAL FOR
TORNADOES.

&&

.AVIATION...SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED ACROSS THE
AREA TODAY...WITH IFR CIGS/VSBY IN THUNDERSTORMS. OTHERWISE AREA
OF MVFR/IFR CIGS ACROSS NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA WILL GRADUALLY LIFT
BY EARLY AFTERNOON.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 233 AM MDT MON JUL 13 2009/

DISCUSSION...A RIDGE-RIDING S/W TROF WAS MOVING ACROSS THE NRN HIGH
PLAINS EARLY THIS MRNG...PRODUCING A BAND OF SHRA/TSRA MAINLY OVER
ERN MT/WRN ND/FAR NWRN SD. ISOLD SHRA ALSO WERE NOTED ALONG THE SRN
PORTION OF THIS WAVE OVER WRN SD. DISORGANIZED SFC LOW PRESSURE WAS
OVER MT AND WY...WITH LOW-TO-MID 60S DEWPOINTS OVER MOST OF WRN SD
AND UPPER 50S OVER NERN WY AND THE BLKHLS. FOR TODAY...THE S/W TROF
WILL PASS EAST OF THE CWA THIS MRNG...LEAVING SUBSIDENCE IN ITS
WAKE. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR A LULL IN CONVECTION FOR MUCH OF THE DAY.
THE ELEVATED MIXED LAYER (EML) WILL OVERSPREAD MUCH OF THE CWA AHEAD
OF A STRONG TROF APPROACHING FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. THE EML
WILL PRODUCE A SIGNIFICANT CAP...ALLOWING FOR LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE AND
BUOYANCY TO BUILD UP OVER THE CWA AHEAD OF STRENGTHENING SURFACE LOW
PRESSURE. THUNDERSTORMS WILL ERUPT AS THE UPPER TROUGH APPROACHES
LATE THIS AFTN/EVNG...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE SURFACE LOW/TROF...HIGHER
TERRAIN...AND AT THE EDGE OF THE EML WHERE UNDERRUNNING WILL OCCUR.
THIS LATTER CASE APPEARS TO BE IN CNTRL SD NEAR THE WARM FRONT. AT
ANY RATE...STRONG SHEAR AND LARGE CAPE WILL RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT
SEVERE WEATHER EVENT. THE GFS IS FARTHER NORTH WITH THE SURFACE LOW
AND FASTER WITH THE SURFACE COLD FRONT THAN THE OTHER MODELS...AND
THUS WE HAVE OPTED FOR A FARTHER SOUTH AND SLOWER SOLUTION BASED ON
THE POSITION OF THE UPPER TROUGH.

FOR TNGT...THE SEVERE WEATHER EVENT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVNG
AND PROGRESS EWD RELATIVELY FAST AS A DRY SLOT MOVES OVER THE CWA
AND THE UPPER LOW REACHES ERN MT. FROPA IS EXPECTED BY MRNG OVER 2/3
OF THE CWA. ON TUESDAY...THE UPPER LOW WILL PROGRESS TO ERN ND WITH
THE SEVERE THREAT TO THE EAST OF THE CWA. LINGERING THUNDERSTORMS
ARE EXPECTED OVER THE NRN CWA CLOSER TO THE CYCLONIC UPPER FLOW. THE
FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH THE REST OF THE CWA WITH WINDY CONDITIONS
OVER THE NRN CWA. BROAD CYCLONIC FLOW AND CAA WILL CONTINUE TUESDAY
NGT...WITH A JET STREAK/TROF PASSING THROUGH THE FLOW ON WEDNESDAY.
THIS WILL PRODUCE A SUBTLE LOW-LEVEL RESPONSE AND HENCE ISOLD/SCT
THUNDERSTORMS LATE WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NGT...ENOUGH SHEAR AND
INSTABILITY FOR A SUPERCELL OR TWO.

EXTENDED...AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL DOMINATE ACROSS THE WESTERN
CONUS THROUGH THE EXTENDED...KEEPING NORTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE
REGION. WEAK UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCES WILL CROSS THE AREA WITHIN THE
UPPER FLOW AND BRING A FEW STORMS FROM TIME TO TIME. TIMING OF THESE
WAVES IS UNCERTAIN THIS FAR OUT...BUT BETTER CHANCES LOOK TO BE
THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. OTHERWISE...MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
THROUGH THE PERIOD. NEAR OR SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE TEMPS DURING THE
MIDDLE PART OF THE WEEK SHOULD GRADUALLY WARM TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE
AVERAGE LEVELS BY THE WEEKEND.

&&

.UNR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SD...NONE.
WY...NONE.
&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 13, 9:45 AM MST, 2 hours 18 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
1045 AM MDT MON JUL 13 2009

SDZ001-002-012>014-024>032-041>044-046-047-049-072>074-WYZ054>058-
071-141300-
BENNETT-BUTTE-CENTRAL BLACK HILLS-CUSTER CO PLAINS-FALL RIVER-HAAKON-
HARDING-HERMOSA FOOT HILLS-JACKSON-MELLETTE-NORTHEASTERN CROOK-
NORTHERN BLACK HILLS-NORTHERN CAMPBELL-NORTHERN FOOT HILLS-
NORTHERN MEADE CO PLAINS-PENNINGTON CO PLAINS-PERKINS-RAPID CITY-
SHANNON-SOUTHERN BLACK HILLS-SOUTHERN CAMPBELL-SOUTHERN FOOT HILLS-
SOUTHERN MEADE CO PLAINS-STURGIS/PIEDMONT FOOT HILLS-TODD-TRIPP-
WESTERN CROOK-WESTON-WYOMING BLACK HILLS-ZIEBACH-
1045 AM MDT (1145 AM CDT) MON JUL 13 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA AND
NORTHEASTERN WYOMING.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY LARGE
HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS OVER ALL OF NORTHEASTERN WYOMING AND WESTERN
SOUTH DAKOTA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE
ALSO POSSIBLE FROM NORTHWESTERN INTO SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA...
OR NORTH AND EAST OF THE BLACK HILLS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN ALSO IS
POSSIBLE WITH SOME STORMS.

THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER NORTHEASTERN WYOMING...AND
WILL SPREAD EASTWARD ACROSS WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA THIS AFTERNOON
INTO THIS EVENING...AND REACHING CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA BY MIDNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. ALTHOUGH WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED...
A FEW SEVERE STORMS WITH LARGE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM THE BLACK
HILLS THROUGH SOUTHWESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED TODAY.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 13, 9:04 AM MST, 2 hours 59 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jul 13, 9:13 AM MST, 2 hours 50 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
1013 AM MDT MON JUL 13 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1011 AM     HAIL             3 ENE RED ELM           45.07N 101.73W
07/13/2009  M0.75 INCH       ZIEBACH            SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PENNY SIZE HAIL ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN.

&&

WETENKAMP

Local storm report, Jul 13, 9:53 AM MST, 2 hours 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
1053 AM MDT MON JUL 13 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1030 AM     HAIL             2 S DUPREE              45.02N 101.59W
07/13/2009  E1.00 INCH       ZIEBACH            SD   PUBLIC

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL FROM 1030 AM MDT TO 1035 AM MDT. VERY
            HEAVY RAIN BEFORE THE HAIL STARTED.

&&

WETENKAMP

Local storm report, Jul 13, 10:07 AM MST, 1 hour 56 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
1107 AM MDT MON JUL 13 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1028 AM     HAIL             2 SSW DUPREE            45.02N 101.61W
07/13/2009  E0.88 INCH       ZIEBACH            SD   PUBLIC

&&

WETENKAMP

Local storm report, Jul 13, 10:08 AM MST, 1 hour 55 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
1108 AM MDT MON JUL 13 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1028 AM     HAIL             1 W DUPREE              45.05N 101.61W
07/13/2009  E0.88 INCH       ZIEBACH            SD   PUBLIC

&&

WETENKAMP

Special weather statement, Jul 13, 10:33 AM MST, 1 hour 30 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
1133 AM MDT MON JUL 13 2009

SDZ014-032-131830-
HAAKON-ZIEBACH-
1133 AM MDT MON JUL 13 2009

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM APPROACHING THE AREA...

AT 1132 AM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM WITH HEAVY
RAIN...PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING. SOME AREAS MAY RECEIVE AS MUCH AS ONE INCH OF RAIN. THIS
STORM WAS LOCATED OVER EASTERN ZIEBACH COUNTY...OR 15 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF LANTRY...AND WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  HIGHWAY 63 IN SOUTHEAST ZIEBACH COUNTY

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA UNTIL
4 PM MDT.

CARSTENS

The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 14 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:03 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

18 hail, 8 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Meade

When: July 13, 12:03 PM MST
Where: Meade County, 9.47 mi S of Hereford
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.243, -102.891

Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph.

Hail, Pennington

When: July 13, 1:11 PM MST
Where: Pennington County, 12 mi N of Wall
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.174, -102.230

Hail, Pennington

When: July 13, 1:22 PM MST
Where: Pennington County, 9 mi NNE of Wall
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Storm Chaser
Coordinates: 44.120, -102.161

Hail, Pennington

When: July 13, 1:30 PM MST to 1:50 PM MST
Where: Pennington County, 10 mi NNE of Wall
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.134, -102.153

Hail, Jackson

When: July 13, 2:20 PM MST to 2:25 PM MST
Where: Jackson County, 2 mi SE of Cottonwood
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 43.950, -101.892

Hail, Jackson

When: July 13, 2:22 PM MST
Where: Jackson County, Cottonwood
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 43.970, -101.920

Hail, Jackson

When: July 13, 2:30 PM MST to 2:40 PM MST
Where: Jackson County, 8 mi SE of Cottonwood
Measured: 2 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.888, -101.806

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When: July 13, 2:48 PM MST
Where: Jackson County, 7 mi W of Kadoka
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.830, -101.660

Wind gusts were estimated at 70 mph at Interstate 90 mile marker 143.

Hail, Jackson

When: July 13, 2:55 PM MST
Where: Jackson County, 2.5 mi NE of Kadoka
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.856, -101.484

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When: July 13, 2:55 PM MST
Where: Jackson County, 2.5 mi NE of Kadoka
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.856, -101.484

The combination of wind and hail damaged automobiles and buildings in Kadoka.

Hail, Jackson

When: July 13, 2:58 PM MST
Where: Jackson County, 3.29 mi WNW of Belvidere
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Storm Chaser
Coordinates: 43.850, -101.330

Hail, Jackson

When: July 13, 3:05 PM MST
Where: Jackson County, Belvidere
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.830, -101.270

Hail, Jackson

When: July 13, 3:10 PM MST
Where: Jackson County, 6.36 mi WSW of Belvidere
Measured: 2.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.782, -101.379

Hail, Jackson

When: July 13, 3:15 PM MST
Where: Jackson County, 9.2 mi SE of Kadoka
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.736, -101.390

Hail, Mellette

When: July 13, 4:53 PM CST to 4:57 PM CST
Where: Mellette County, Cedar Butte to 6.39 mi N of Norris
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Property damage: $40,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.580, -101.020

Deputies and spotters reported quarter to baseball sized hail from Corn Creek at the junction of Highways 44 and 63 to Cedar Butte, which damaged automobiles.

Hail, Mellette

When: July 13, 5:07 PM CST
Where: Mellette County, 12 mi S of Cedar Butte
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.406, -101.020

Thunderstorm Wind, Mellette

When: July 13, 5:09 PM CST
Where: Mellette County, 4.23 mi E of Norris
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.462, -101.117

Large cottonwood trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mellette

When: July 13, 5:18 PM CST
Where: Mellette County, 7.57 mi ESE of Norris
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.433, -101.058

Wind gusts were estimated around 65 mph.

Hail, Mellette

When: July 13, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Mellette County, 5.84 mi E of Norris
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.462, -101.084

Hail, Mellette

When: July 13, 5:25 PM CST
Where: Mellette County, 8 mi ESE of Norris
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.426, -101.053

Thunderstorm Wind, Todd

When: July 13, 5:27 PM CST
Where: Todd County, 6.23 mi W of Parmelee
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Other Federal Agency
Coordinates: 43.318, -101.144

Hail, Mellette

When: July 13, 5:33 PM CST
Where: Mellette County, 12 mi SSW of White River
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.418, -100.866

Tornado, Todd

When: July 13, 5:35 PM CST
Where: Todd County, 1.82 mi SSW of Parmelee
Rating: EF0
Path length: 0.05 mi
Path width: 20 yd
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 43.294, -101.027

A spotter observed a brief tornado in open area near the intersection of US Highway 18 and state Highway 63. Path length and width were estimated.

Hail, Todd

When: July 13, 5:55 PM CST to 6:15 PM CST
Where: Todd County, Rosebud
Measured: 4.25 in hail
Property damage: $200,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 43.230, -100.870

Baseball to softball sized damaged buildings and automobiles in Rosebud.

Thunderstorm Wind, Todd

When: July 13, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Todd County, 8 mi SE of St Francis
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.048, -100.808

Tree tops eight to ten inches in diameter were snapped off by strong southeast winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Todd

When: July 13, 6:20 PM CST
Where: Todd County, St Francis
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 43.130, -100.920

Large tree branches were blown down.

Hail, Todd

When: July 13, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Todd County, 8 mi SE of St Francis
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.048, -100.808

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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in South Dakota in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history The tornado archive for South Dakota, 2009 Warnings in South Dakota, July 2009

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 177495, 177497, 177499, 177500, 177502, 177503, 177506, 177508, 177509, 177511, 177505, 177512, 191572, 177516, 177518, 177520, 177521, 177544, 177546, 177519, 177522, 177547, 191573, 177524, 177548, 177549, 177550.