Hail and Damaging Wind in South Dakota, May 25, 2013

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in South Dakota, May 25, 2013
Start: 2013-05-25T14:55
End: 2013-05-25T17:00
Location: South Dakota

May 25, 2013 · NWS UNR · 6 events in 2 counties and zones

A cluster of severe thunderstorms developed across far northeastern Harding and northern Perkins Counties. Large hail and gusty winds were reported across the area.

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: $350,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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 cluster of severe thunderstorms developed across far northeastern Harding and northern Perkins Counties. Large hail and gusty winds were reported across the area.

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 25, 1:13 PM MST, 1 hour 42 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 25, 1:13 PM MST, 1 hour 42 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WESTERN SD AND NORTHEASTERN WY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
213 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

.SHORT TERM...THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT
ISSUED AT 157 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

WATER VAPOR SHOWS DISTINCT SHORT WAVE MOVING THROUGH FAR ERN WY
INTO THE WRN DAKOTAS...WITH CONVECTION BEGINNING TO INTENSIFY FROM
THE NRN BLKHLS INTO NWRN SD. CONVECTIVE PARAMETERS REMAIN IN PLACE
FOR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT/INTENSIFICATION OF STORMS THROUGH THIS
EVENING WITH VERY LARGE HAIL A POSSIBILITY...AND JUST ENOUGH LOW
LEVEL SHEAR AND LOW LCL'S TO INCLUDE A THREAT FOR TORNADOES...AND
A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL BUT TRIPP COUNTY UNTIL 04Z.
STRAIGHT LINE WINDS COULD BECOME MORE OF AN ISSUE LATER AS STORMS
POSSIBLY MERGE INTO A LARGE SCALE COMPLEX TURNING INTO A SQUALL
LINE/MCS OVER FAR EASTERN REACHES OF THE CWFA...ESPECIALLY AS LOW
LEVEL JET INCREASES.

ON SUNDAY...DEPENDING ON WHERE TODAY/S CONVECTION ENDS
UP...LEFTOVER LEE TROUGH/WARM FRONT/SURFACE BOUNDARY WILL BE
STRETCHED ACROSS CWA. SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL CONTINUE. DAYTIME
INSOLATION WILL RESULT IN 2-3KJ/KG MLCAPE...BUT SHEAR WON/T BE
QUITE AS PRONOUNCED AS TODAY. SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
LOOKS REASONABLE GIVEN THERMODYNAMICS PRESENT. TEMPERATURES WILL
BE NEAR GUIDANCE.

&&

.LONG TERM...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
ISSUED AT 157 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

PERSISTENT TROF ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST WILL KEEP
THE NORTHERN PLAINS UNDER ACTIVE SOUTHWEST FLOW THROUGH NEXT
WEEK. DAILY CHANCES FOR TSTMS WILL CONTINUE AS LIGHT EAST TO
SOUTHEAST BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW CONTINUES TO BRING MOIST AIR INTO
THE REGION...AND WEAK ENERGY EJECTS OUT OF THE WESTERN TROF INTO
THE NORTHERN PLAINS. A STRONGER SHORTWAVE IS PROGGED TO CROSS THE
AREA ON MONDAY...LEADING TO THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TO POSSIBLY
SEVERE STORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. LONGER RANGE
GUIDANCE IS STILL SUGGESTING A STRONG NEGATIVELY TILTED UPPER TROF
WORKING THROUGH THE NORTHERN PLAINS MID TO LATE NEXT WEEK...WHICH
COULD PROVIDE WIDESPREAD SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL. TEMPERATURES WILL
REMAIN ABOVE AVERAGE WITH SOME COOLING EXPECTED TOWARDS THE END OF
THE WEEK AS THE UPPER TROF MOVES INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS.

&&

.AVIATION...FOR THE 18Z/00Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z/00Z SUNDAY AFTERNOON
ISSUED AT 157 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

SCT/NMRS TSRA ARE EXPECTED THIS AFT/EVE WITH SOME LINGERING
OVERNIGHT BRINGING MVFR/IFR VIS IN HEAVIER PRECIP. SOME TS MAY
BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL/STRONG GUSTS. SOME LOW CIGS MAY
DEVELOP OVERNIGHT OVER PTNS OF THE SD PLAINS...BRINGING AREAS OF
MVFR/IFR CIGS. OTHERWISE...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED.

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

SHORT TERM...JOHNSON
LONG TERM...77
AVIATION...77

Hazardous weather outlook, May 25, 4:39 AM MST, 10 hours 16 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
539 AM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

SDZ001-002-012>014-024>032-041>044-046-047-049-072>074-WYZ054>058-
071-261300-
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-
539 AM MDT (639 AM CDT) SAT MAY 25 2013

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 ACROSS NORTHEAST
WYOMING AND WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.
STORMS WILL LIKELY START AROUND LUNCHTIME NEAR THE BLACK HILLS AND
THEN SPREAD OVER THE PLAINS. VERY LARGE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG
WITH DAMAGING WINDS. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING.

IN ADDITIONAL TO THE SEVERE WEATHER...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL MAY
OCCUR.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED SUNDAY THROUGH NEXT WEEK. THERE
IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHEAST WYOMING AND
WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA SUNDAY AND MONDAY. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT.

.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 25, 12:54 PM MST, 2 hours 1 minute before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
154 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

SDZ002-252100-
PERKINS SD-
154 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN PERKINS COUNTY UNTIL
300 PM MDT...

AT 148 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SHADEHILL RESERVOIR...OR 19
MILES SOUTH OF LEMMON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH
BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  LEMMON...
  SHADEHILL RESERVOIR...
  SHADEHILL...
  NORTH LEMMON...

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 4594 10199 4567 10199 4567 10200 4556 10215
      4567 10235 4596 10216 4596 10201
TIME...MOT...LOC 1953Z 217DEG 25KT 4569 10216

CLARK

Local storm report, May 25, 1:20 PM MST, 1 hour 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
220 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

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

0134 PM     HAIL             1 S DOWNTOWN BELLE FOUR 44.66N 103.85W
05/25/2013  E1.00 INCH       BUTTE              SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

            REPORTED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF BELLE FOURCHE...TIME
            ESTIMATED FROM RADAR

&&

JC

Local storm report, May 25, 1:34 PM MST, 1 hour 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
234 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

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

0230 PM     HAIL             13 NNE DOWNTOWN STURGIS 44.59N 103.41W
05/25/2013  E1.75 INCH       MEADE              SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

JJOHNSON

Local storm report, May 25, 2:06 PM MST, 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
306 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

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

0258 PM     HAIL             2 W VALE                44.62N 103.44W
05/25/2013  M1.75 INCH       BUTTE              SD   PUBLIC

&&

KCLARK

Local storm report, May 25, 2:41 PM MST, 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
341 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

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

0335 PM     HAIL             1 S BEAR BUTTE STATE PA 44.47N 103.42W
05/25/2013  M1.75 INCH       MEADE              SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

KCLARK

Special weather statement, May 25, 2:54 PM MST, 1 minute before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
354 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

WYZ057-058-252245-
WESTON WY-WYOMING BLACK HILLS WY-
354 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL WESTON COUNTY UNTIL 445
PM MDT...

AT 349 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CLARETON...OR 28 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN
NEWCASTLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

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

LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  OSAGE...

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY....AND A TORNADO 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.

&&

LAT...LON 4410 10467 4401 10419 4361 10464 4369 10487
TIME...MOT...LOC 2154Z 206DEG 29KT 4373 10470

SCHILD

The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 195 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:53 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Harding

When: May 25, 2:55 PM MST
Where: Harding County, 8.51 mi NE of Ralph
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.878, -102.962

Thunderstorm Wind, Perkins

When: May 25, 2:55 PM MST
Where: Perkins County, 7.18 mi NNW of Lodgepole
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.897, -102.726

Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph.

Hail, Perkins

When: May 25, 3:35 PM MST
Where: Perkins County, Lemmon
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.940, -102.160

Hail, Perkins

When: May 25, 4:35 PM MST
Where: Perkins County, 10.45 mi NE of Lodgepole
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.907, -102.516

Hail, Perkins

When: May 25, 4:55 PM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where: Perkins County, Lemmon
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $300,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.940, -102.160

Hail damaged vehicles and homes in Lemmon.

Hail, Perkins

When: May 25, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Perkins County, 0.49 mi SE of Lemmon
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 45.935, -102.153

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.

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: 445721, 445722, 445723, 445725, 445728, 445730.