Hail in South Dakota, May 18, 2013

Name: Hail in South Dakota, May 18, 2013
Start: 2013-05-18T14:50
End: 2013-05-18T15:20
Location: South Dakota

May 18, 2013 · NWS UNR · 3 events in 1 county or zone

A thunderstorm developed west of Rapid City and tracked northeastward into southern Meade County, producing hail to quarter size.

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: 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 thunderstorm developed west of Rapid City and tracked northeastward into southern Meade County, producing hail to quarter size.

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 May 18, 1:04 PM MST, 1 hour 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 18, 1:04 PM MST, 1 hour 46 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WESTERN SD AND NORTHEASTERN WY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
204 PM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

.SHORT TERM...THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT
ISSUED AT 203 PM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

CURRENT SURFACE MAP PLACES WEAK TROF/WARM FRONT ACROSS SOUTHWEST
INTO SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA. LOW CLOUDS GRADUALLY DISSIPATING
ACROSS THE AREA. ISOLATED TSRA OVER THE BLACK HILLS AND SOUTHWEST
SOUTH DAKOTA. CONVECTION COVERAGE/INTENSITY WILL INCREASE RAPIDLY
THIS AFTERNOON WITH 1000-2000J/KB SBCAPE. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
POSSIBLE FROM THE BLACK HILLS INTO SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

UPPER LOW CLOSES OFF OVER SOUTH DAKOTA ON SUNDAY...WITH SOME
DIFFERENCES AMONG MODELS. GFS/GEM MORE INTENSE AND A LITTLE FURTHER
WEST WITH 700MB LOW THAN NAM. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS EXPECTED ACROSS
NORTHEAST WYOMING/WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA AS STRONG THETA-E ADVECTION
WRAPS AROUND THE NORTH-NORTHWEST SIDE OF UPPER LOW. INCREASING LOW
LEVEL FLOW OUT OF THE NORTH AND STEEP LOW/MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES WILL
RESULT IN UPSLOPE ENHANCED RAINFALL OVER THE NORTHERN BLACK HILLS
AND BEAR LODGE MOUNTAIN...ESPECIALLY SUNDAY NIGHT. WILL BECOME WINDY
ACROSS PLAINS OF WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA.

.LONG TERM...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
ISSUED AT 203 PM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

MEDIUM RANGE MODELS REMAIN IN GOOD GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH
PROGRESSION AND TRACK OF UPPER LOW EARLY NEXT WEEK. WITH THE LOW
STILL PROJECTED TO STALL OUT ACROSS THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS
MONDAY INTO TUESDAY...PLENTY OF WRAP AROUND RAINFALL CAN BE EXPECTED
ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA. THERE IS STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY AT
THIS POINT...BUT 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN SHOULD BE COMMON ACROSS THE
AREA FROM LATER SUNDAY INTO TUESDAY...WITH SOME HIGHER AMOUNTS
LIKELY ACROSS THE NORTHERN BLACK HILLS AREA...WHERE UPSLOPE ENHANCED
PRECIPITATION WILL OCCUR. COOL AND WINDY CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED
MONDAY AND TUESDAY...WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 40S TO UPPER 50S.

SYSTEM WILL SLOWLY DRIFT EAST OUT OF THE REGION TUESDAY NIGHT OR
EARLY WEDNESDAY...WITH GRADUALLY IMPROVING CONDITIONS FROM WEST TO
EAST. BEYOND WEDNESDAY...THERE SHOULD BE A GRADUAL WARMUP THROUGH
THE LATTER PART OF THE WEEK...ESPECIALLY ACROSS WESTERN AREAS...AS A
WEAK RIDGE MOVES INTO THE PLAINS. WILL GO WITH A MAINLY DRY FORECAST
FOR LATE WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY. SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL DEVELOP
AGAIN BY THE END OF THE WEEK...SO WILL SEE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS INCREASE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO NEXT WEEKEND.

&&

.AVIATION...FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY AFTERNOON
ISSUED AT 203 PM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

AREAS OF MVFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO TONIGHT...WITH SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING FROM THE BLACK HILLS EASTWARD. LOCAL
IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED NEAR STRONGER STORMS. IFR AND LIFR
CEILINGS WITH RAIN WILL SET INTO NORTHEAST WYOMING AFTER MIDNIGHT.

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

SHORT TERM...7
LONG TERM...15
AVIATION...15

Hazardous weather outlook, May 18, 4:02 AM MST, 10 hours 48 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
502 AM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

SDZ001-002-012>014-024>032-041>044-046-047-049-072>074-WYZ054>058-
071-191300-
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-
502 AM MDT (602 AM CDT) SAT MAY 18 2013

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND MOVE EAST AND
NORTHEAST ACROSS northeast wyoming and western south dakota through
this evening. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER
MOST OF WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WILL
BE THE MAIN THREAT. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday THROUGH friday

ACTIVE WEATHER is forecast to continue sunday through tuesday.
showers with a isolated thunderstorms are expected sunday
becoming mostly rain showers monday and tuesday.  another
round of thunderstorms is in the forecast for the end of next
week.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY.

&&

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...
OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/RAPIDCITY

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 18, 2:27 PM MST, 23 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
327 PM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

SDZ024-028-072-182200-
CENTRAL BLACK HILLS SD-NORTHERN BLACK HILLS SD-STURGIS/PIEDMONT FOOT
HILLS SD-
327 PM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN LAWRENCE...WESTERN
PENNINGTON AND SOUTHWESTERN MEADE COUNTIES UNTIL 400 PM MDT...

AT 326 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR NEMO...OR 13 MILES WEST OF DOWNTOWN RAPID
CITY...MOVING NORTH AT 15 MPH.

HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG
WITH HEAVY RAIN.

LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  NEMO...
  PIEDMONT...

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 90 BETWEEN SOUTH DAKOTA MILE MARKERS 42 AND
51...

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR THIS AREA. BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV
STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED
ROADWAY.

&&

LAT...LON 4409 10359 4430 10355 4427 10326 4414 10334
      4413 10337 4410 10336 4404 10340
TIME...MOT...LOC 2128Z 197DEG 13KT 4415 10346

CARSTENS

Local storm report, May 18, 2:37 PM MST, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
337 PM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

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

0215 PM     HAIL             14 ENE DOWNTOWN STURGIS 44.49N 103.25W
05/18/2013  E0.75 INCH       MEADE              SD   PUBLIC

&&

ME

Special weather statement, May 18, 2:37 PM MST, 13 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
337 PM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

SDZ024-072-073-182215-
NORTHERN BLACK HILLS SD-SOUTHERN MEADE CO PLAINS SD-STURGIS/PIEDMONT
FOOT HILLS SD-
337 PM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN LAWRENCE AND
SOUTHWESTERN MEADE COUNTIES UNTIL 415 PM MDT...

AT 336 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR BLACK HAWK...OR 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF
DOWNTOWN RAPID CITY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG
WITH HEAVY RAIN.

LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  BLACK HAWK...
  PIEDMONT...

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 90 BETWEEN SOUTH DAKOTA MILE MARKERS 42 AND
53...

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN
EFFECT FOR THIS AREA. BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV
STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED
ROADWAY.

&&

LAT...LON 4432 10339 4424 10315 4414 10323 4414 10357
TIME...MOT...LOC 2138Z 217DEG 18KT 4416 10339

CARSTENS

Local storm report, May 18, 2:38 PM MST, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
338 PM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

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

0225 PM     HAIL             4 NW NEMO               44.23N 103.56W
05/18/2013  E0.70 INCH       LAWRENCE           SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

ME

Local storm report, May 18, 2:39 PM MST, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
339 PM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

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

0315 PM     HAIL             PACTOLA RESERVOIR       44.07N 103.50W
05/18/2013  E0.70 INCH       PENNINGTON         SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

ME

Local storm report, May 18, 2:50 PM MST, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
350 PM MDT SAT MAY 18 2013

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

0340 PM     HAIL             5 S MUD BUTTE           44.93N 102.88W
05/18/2013  E0.75 INCH       MEADE              SD   PUBLIC

&&

POJORLIE

The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 37 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:50 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Meade

When: May 18, 2:50 PM MST
Where: Meade County, 3 mi NNE of Black Hawk
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.190, -103.287

Hail, Meade

When: May 18, 2:50 PM MST
Where: Meade County, 2.91 mi SE of Piedmont
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 44.198, -103.352

Hail, Meade

When: May 18, 3:20 PM MST
Where: Meade County, 10 mi N of Ellsworth Afb
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.295, -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

Every storm in South Dakota in 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in South Dakota, May 2013

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: 445544, 445545, 445546.