South Dakota, 2009

Tornado and Hail in South Dakota, June 24, 2009

June 24, 2009 · NWS ABR · 27 events in 5 counties and zones

Several supercell thunderstorms that developed along a stationary front across central and northeast South Dakota brought very large hail up to the size of tennis balls, damaging winds up to 70 mph, along with a tornado.

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
None recorded
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 ABR wrote it up.

Several supercell thunderstorms that developed along a stationary front across central and northeast South Dakota brought very large hail up to the size of tennis balls, damaging winds up to 70 mph, along with a tornado.

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 24, 9:26 AM CST, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 24, 9:26 AM CST, 3 hours 35 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 24, 3:01 AM CST, 10 hours before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
401 AM CDT WED JUN 24 2009

MNZ039-046-SDZ003>011-015>023-033>037-045-048-051-250915-
TRAVERSE-BIG STONE-CORSON-CAMPBELL-MCPHERSON-BROWN-MARSHALL-
ROBERTS-WALWORTH-EDMUNDS-DAY-DEWEY-POTTER-FAULK-SPINK-CLARK-
CODINGTON-GRANT-HAMLIN-DEUEL-STANLEY-SULLY-HUGHES-HYDE-HAND-JONES-
LYMAN-BUFFALO-
401 AM CDT WED JUN 24 2009 /301 AM MDT WED JUN 24 2009/

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

MORNING THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD REMAIN ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE I90
CORRIDOR THIS MORNING...ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED STORM OR TWO CAN NOT
BE RULED OUT.  GENERALLY...THESE WILL REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS.

ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON.
STORMS SOUTH OF A FAITH...TO PIERRE...TO MITCHELL LINE THAT FORM
ALONG A STALLED COLD FRONT COULD PRODUCE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.
STORMS ARE LESS LIKELY TO OCCUR/BE SEVERE NORTH OF THIS LINE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST FOR FRIDAY...AND AGAIN ON MONDAY. AT
THIS TIME...NEITHER OF THESE DAYS APPEARS PARTICULARLY FAVORABLE
FOR A WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER EVENT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUESTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

CONNELLY

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 24, 7:45 AM CST, 5 hours 16 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jun 24, 7:47 AM CST, 5 hours 14 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jun 24, 8:28 AM CST, 4 hours 33 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jun 24, 10:47 AM CST, 2 hours 14 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jun 24, 12:10 PM CST, 51 minutes before
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The radar

The Aberdeen radar (KABR), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:02 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Hail, Clark

When
June 24, 1:01 PM CST
Where
Clark County, 9.2 mi WNW of Crocker
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.140, -97.950

Dime to nickel size hail covered the ground up to 2 inches in spots.

Hail, Brown

When
June 24, 6:14 PM CST
Where
Brown County, Hecla
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
45.880, -98.150

Hail, Brown

When
June 24, 6:20 PM CST
Where
Brown County, Westport
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
45.650, -98.500

Hail, Brown

When
June 24, 6:30 PM CST
Where
Brown County, 0.84 mi SE of Columbia
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
NWS Employee
Coordinates
45.610, -98.310

Hail, Brown

When
June 24, 6:32 PM CST
Where
Brown County, 5.03 mi ENE of Columbia
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.640, -98.220

Hail, Jones

When
June 24, 7:03 PM CST
Where
Jones County, 2.11 mi WSW of Draper
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
43.910, -100.570

Hail, Jones

When
June 24, 7:07 PM CST
Where
Jones County, 0.85 mi NW of Draper
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
43.930, -100.540

Hail, Day

When
June 24, 7:10 PM CST
Where
Day County, 4.57 mi ENE of Pierpont
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.520, -97.740

Hail, Jones

When
June 24, 7:15 PM CST
Where
Jones County, 3.49 mi S of Draper
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
43.870, -100.540

Hail, Brown

When
June 24, 7:25 PM CST
Where
Brown County, 5.61 mi S of James
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.390, -98.200

Hail, Day

When
June 24, 7:28 PM CST
Where
Day County, 2.91 mi W of Roslyn
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.500, -97.560

Thunderstorm Wind, Day

When
June 24, 7:28 PM CST
Where
Day County, 0.48 mi E of Roslyn
Measured
61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.500, -97.490

Seventy mph winds were estimated in Roslyn with no damage reported.

Hail, Brown

When
June 24, 7:30 PM CST
Where
Brown County, 4.02 mi NW of Ferney
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.370, -98.160

Hail, Brown

When
June 24, 7:35 PM CST
Where
Brown County, 3.49 mi S of James
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.420, -98.230

Hail, Day

When
June 24, 7:35 PM CST
Where
Day County, 0.48 mi E of Grenville
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
45.470, -97.390

A large amount of hail had fallen covering the roads and drifting in places.

Hail, Brown

When
June 24, 7:37 PM CST
Where
Brown County, Groton
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
45.450, -98.100

Hail, Brown

When
June 24, 7:40 PM CST
Where
Brown County, Groton
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.450, -98.100

Hail, Brown

When
June 24, 7:40 PM CST
Where
Brown County, 4.15 mi N of Ferney
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
45.390, -98.100

Hail, Brown

When
June 24, 7:40 PM CST
Where
Brown County, 2.99 mi WSW of Groton
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.440, -98.160

Hail, Brown

When
June 24, 7:45 PM CST
Where
Brown County, 3.59 mi SSE of Groton
Measured
2.5 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.400, -98.080

Tornado, Day

When
June 24, 7:50 PM CST to 7:52 PM CST
Where
Day County, 4.01 mi SW of Andover to 3.95 mi SW of Andover
Rating
EF0
Path length
0.31 mi
Path width
20 yd
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.360, -97.980

A tornado touched down briefly south of Andover with no damage reported.

Hail, Day

When
June 24, 7:55 PM CST
Where
Day County, 4.26 mi SSW of Andover
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.340, -97.940

Hail, Day

When
June 24, 7:55 PM CST
Where
Day County, 5.61 mi S of Andover
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.320, -97.900

Hail, Day

When
June 24, 8:05 PM CST
Where
Day County, 4.22 mi SW of Bristol
Measured
2.5 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.300, -97.820

Tennis ball size hail dented several vehicles and caused significant crop damage.

Hail, Roberts

When
June 24, 8:15 PM CST
Where
Roberts County, 4.38 mi NE of Summit
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.340, -96.960

Hail, Day

When
June 24, 8:18 PM CST
Where
Day County, 0.97 mi W of Lily
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.180, -97.720

Hail, Clark

When
June 24, 8:43 PM CST
Where
Clark County, 5.59 mi NE of Bradley
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
45.130, -97.540

What these are

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

More

Every storm in South Dakota in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for South Dakota, 2009Warnings in South Dakota, June 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: 185393, 185394, 185395, 185397, 185396, 185401, 185399, 185402, 185406, 185404, 185398, 185407, 185403, 185405, 185415, 185411, 185412, 185413, 185420, 185421, 185428, 185423, 185424, 185422, 185419, 185416, 185417.