Flash Flooding and Hail in South Dakota, July 22 to 23, 2011

Name: Flash Flooding and Hail in South Dakota, July 22 to 23, 2011
Start: 2011-07-22T16:00
End: 2011-07-23T01:30
Location: South Dakota

July 22 to 23, 2011 · NWS ABR · 27 events in 6 counties and zones

Numerous severe thunderstorms brought hail up to the size of golfballs, damaging winds over 70 mph, along with flash flooding to parts of north central and northeast South Dakota.

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.

Numerous severe thunderstorms brought hail up to the size of golfballs, damaging winds over 70 mph, along with flash flooding to parts of north central and northeast South Dakota.

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 Jul 22, 3:32 PM CST, 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 22, 3:32 PM CST, 28 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 22, 4:47 AM CST, 11 hours 13 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
547 AM CDT FRI JUL 22 2011

MNZ039-046-SDZ003>011-015>023-033>037-045-048-051-231100-
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-
547 AM CDT FRI JUL 22 2011 /447 AM MDT FRI JUL 22 2011/

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

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL PERSIST THROUGH LATE THIS
MORNING...MAINLY ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL
SOUTH DAKOTA. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
LARGE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE.

THEN...LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ARE AGAIN POSSIBLE WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND MAYBE EVEN
A TORNADO OR TWO...PARTICULARLY ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM
EUREKA TO MILLER. HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO POSSIBLE TODAY AND
TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN SATURDAY AFTERNOON...MAINLY ALONG
AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 29. A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE.

THUNDERSTORMS MAKE A RETURN TO THE FORECAST NEXT WEEK BETWEEN
TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED BY EARLY THIS
EVENING...PARTICULARLY ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA.

DORN

The radar

The Aberdeen radar (KABR), 108 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 hail, 11 thunderstorm wind, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Codington

When: July 22, 4:00 PM CST to 4:15 PM CST
Where: Codington County, 9.64 mi NNW of Rauville
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: SHAVE Project
Coordinates: 45.116, -97.124

Hail, Codington

When: July 22, 4:15 PM CST to 4:30 PM CST
Where: Codington County, 10.13 mi WNW of South Shore
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: SHAVE Project
Coordinates: 45.137, -97.121

Hail, Grant

When: July 22, 4:20 PM CST to 4:35 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 5.05 mi ENE of Hiland
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: SHAVE Project
Coordinates: 45.206, -97.103

Hail, Grant

When: July 22, 4:30 PM CST to 4:40 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 4.85 mi ESE of Hiland
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: SHAVE Project
Coordinates: 45.164, -97.103

Hail, Grant

When: July 22, 4:30 PM CST to 4:35 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 6.99 mi E of Hiland
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: SHAVE Project
Coordinates: 45.165, -97.058

Hail, Codington

When: July 22, 4:30 PM CST to 4:32 PM CST
Where: Codington County, 5.27 mi WNW of South Shore
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: SHAVE Project
Coordinates: 45.118, -97.025

Hail, Grant

When: July 22, 4:35 PM CST to 4:50 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 7.34 mi WSW of Marvin
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: SHAVE Project
Coordinates: 45.224, -97.056

Hail, Grant

When: July 22, 4:40 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 7.21 mi WSW of Marvin
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.220, -97.050

Hail, Grant

When: July 22, 4:40 PM CST to 5:06 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 6.39 mi WSW of Marvin
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: SHAVE Project
Coordinates: 45.234, -97.041

Hail, Grant

When: July 22, 4:40 PM CST to 4:50 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 4.85 mi ENE of Hiland
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: SHAVE Project
Coordinates: 45.196, -97.103

Hail, Grant

When: July 22, 4:45 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 7.32 mi ENE of Hiland
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: SHAVE Project
Coordinates: 45.222, -97.062

Hail, Grant

When: July 22, 4:58 PM CST to 5:12 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 1.51 mi W of Marvin
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: SHAVE Project
Coordinates: 45.269, -96.951

Flash Flood, Grant

When: July 22, 6:30 PM CST to 9:30 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 8.21 mi SW of Marvin to 8.12 mi SW of Marvin
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.180, -97.030

Several roads were flooded by nearly 4 inches of rain.

Hail, Grant

When: July 22, 6:45 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 3.38 mi SE of Strandburg
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.990, -96.740

Flash Flood, Codington

When: July 22, 7:50 PM CST to 10:50 PM CST
Where: Codington County, 5.3 mi WNW of South Shore to 4.26 mi W of South Shore
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.130, -97.020

Heavy rains of over 3 inches brought flash flooding of several roads west of South Shore.

Hail, Corson

When: July 22, 9:30 PM MST
Where: Corson County, 0.69 mi N of Morristown
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.940, -101.720

Thunderstorm Wind, Corson

When: July 22, 10:06 PM MST
Where: Corson County, 11.1 mi S of Bullhead
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 45.610, -101.060

Thunderstorm Wind, Corson

When: July 22, 10:30 PM MST
Where: Corson County, 4.36 mi NE of Wakpala
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.710, -100.460

Seventy mph winds were estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Walworth

When: July 22, 11:40 PM CST
Where: Walworth County, 2.06 mi ESE of Mobridge
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.520, -100.390

Many tree branches were downed at the Indian Creek Recreation Area.

Thunderstorm Wind, McPherson

When: July 22, 11:45 PM CST
Where: McPherson County, 2.81 mi N of Eureka Muni Arpt
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.840, -99.620

A fifty thousand bushel grain bin was destroyed along with a grain cart tipped over.

Thunderstorm Wind, McPherson

When: July 22, 11:45 PM CST
Where: McPherson County, 0.48 mi E of Eureka
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.770, -99.620

Seventy mph winds downed many tree branches along with several trees in Eureka. Some power lines were also downed from falling branches.

Thunderstorm Wind, Walworth

When: July 22, 11:45 PM CST
Where: Walworth County, 0.97 mi E of Java
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.500, -99.880

Sixty mph winds were estimated in Java.

Thunderstorm Wind, McPherson

When: July 23, 12:00 AM CST
Where: McPherson County, 9.37 mi WNW of Long Lake
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.910, -99.420

Eighty mph winds ripped a grain bin from the fasteners, pushed the north wall of a garage in, snapped several corral poles, tipped over a gain vac and feeder wagon, moved a semi trailer four feet, and caused some minor damage to the house. Also, many branches were broken off along with several trees uprooted.

Thunderstorm Wind, McPherson

When: July 23, 12:15 AM CST
Where: McPherson County, 2 mi SW of Langlake
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.830, -99.250

Seventy mph winds broke off several four-inch posts, loosened some tin on a chicken coop and caused some minor shingle damage.

Thunderstorm Wind, Walworth

When: July 23, 12:15 AM CST
Where: Walworth County, 5.56 mi SE of Java
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.450, -99.810

Many large tree branches were broken off.

Thunderstorm Wind, McPherson

When: July 23, 1:00 AM CST
Where: McPherson County, 0.84 mi NE of Langlake
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.860, -99.210

Seventy mph winds pushed in the twenty foot doors on a steel building and ripped some metal off the roof of another building. Also, several large branches were broken off.

Thunderstorm Wind, Brown

When: July 23, 1:30 AM CST
Where: Brown County, 8.18 mi W of Hecla
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.880, -98.320

Sixty mph winds were estimated west of Hecla.

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.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in South Dakota in 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in South Dakota, July 2011

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: 337085, 337087, 337107, 337093, 337106, 337113, 337096, 337026, 337102, 337111, 337095, 337112, 337018, 337027, 337022, 337030, 337046, 337047, 337050, 337038, 337052, 337057, 337044, 337073, 337075, 337077, 337078.