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

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, May 25, 2013
Start: 2013-05-25T19:45
End: 2013-05-25T23:34
Location: South Dakota

May 25, 2013 · NWS UNR · 7 events in 3 counties and zones

A long-lived severe thunderstorm tracked from southeastern Montana across northwestern South Dakota during the mid to late evening. The storm produced very large hail and gusty winds across central Harding, southern Perkins, and northern Ziebach Counties.

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: $20,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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 May 25, 7:43 PM MST, 2 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 25, 7:43 PM MST, 2 minutes before

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

.UPDATE...
ISSUED AT 836 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

TORNADIC THREAT HAS ALL BUT ENDED ACROSS THE CWFA AS STORMS ARE
BECOMING MORE ELEVATED IN NATURE. SVR THREAT (HAIL/WIND) WILL
CONTINUE FOR A COUPLE MORE HOURS ACROSS NWRN SD. SOME MINOR CONCERN
LATER ON THIS EVENING/OVERNIGHT FOR MORE SVR STORMS ACROSS SCNTRL
SD AS LLJ RAMPS UP.

UPDATE ISSUED AT 639 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

DRY LINE HAS PUSHED THROUGH MOST OF NERN WY...WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF FAR NERN CAMPBELL AND CROOK COUNTIES. BEST SEVERE THREAT HAS
SHIFTED OUT OF NERN WY SO HAVE CANCELLED THE TORNADO WATCH THAT
AREA. SEVERE THREAT CONTINUES ACROSS MUCH OF WRN SD.

&&

.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 SVR STORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS NWRN SD FOR THE NEXT COUPLE
HOURS...WITH AN OVERALL DECREASE IN ACTIVITY BY LATE EVENING. SOME
LOW CIGS MAY DEVELOP OVERNIGHT OVER PTNS OF THE SD
PLAINS...BRINGING AREAS OF MVFR/IFR CIGS.

&&

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

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

Hazardous weather outlook, May 25, 4:39 AM MST, 15 hours 6 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

Local storm report, May 25, 6:57 PM MST, 48 minutes before

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

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

0740 PM     HAIL             8 N RALPH               45.89N 103.06W
05/25/2013  E1.75 INCH       HARDING            SD   PUBLIC

&&

ME

Local storm report, May 25, 7:01 PM MST, 44 minutes before

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

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

0800 PM     HAIL             2 NW LUDLOW             45.85N 103.41W
05/25/2013  E1.00 INCH       HARDING            SD   PUBLIC

&&

ME

Local storm report, May 25, 7:02 PM MST, 43 minutes before

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

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

0740 PM     HAIL             3 E SHADEHILL           45.77N 102.12W
05/25/2013  M3.00 INCH       PERKINS            SD   PUBLIC

&&

KCLARK

Local storm report, May 25, 7:14 PM MST, 31 minutes before

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

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

0435 PM     HAIL             4 SW LADNER             45.79N 103.79W
05/25/2013  E1.75 INCH       HARDING            SD   PUBLIC

            SOME LAMBS KILLED

&&

ME

Special weather statement, May 25, 7:34 PM MST, 11 minutes before

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

SDZ014-032-260315-
HAAKON SD-ZIEBACH SD-
834 PM MDT SAT MAY 25 2013

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN ZIEBACH AND
NORTHEASTERN HAAKON COUNTIES UNTIL 915 PM MDT...

AT 829 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF CHERRY CREEK...OR 24 MILES
SOUTH OF LANTRY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

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

LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  SOUTH EAGLE BUTTE...

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 4499 10112 4470 10112 4468 10114 4461 10115
      4453 10138 4469 10160 4500 10145 4500 10114
TIME...MOT...LOC 0233Z 221DEG 22KT 4469 10134

SCHILD

Local storm report, May 25, 7:37 PM MST, 8 minutes before

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

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

0745 PM     HAIL             12 N OWANKA             44.19N 102.58W
05/25/2013  M1.75 INCH       MEADE              SD   PUBLIC

&&

KCLARK

The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 178 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:43 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Harding

When: May 25, 7:45 PM MST
Where: Harding County, 4.18 mi SSW of Camp Crook
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.491, -103.999

Thunderstorm Wind, Harding

When: May 25, 8:38 PM MST to 8:42 PM MST
Where: Harding County, 0.41 mi SSW of Reva
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.545, -103.084

Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph.

Hail, Perkins

When: May 25, 9:45 PM MST
Where: Perkins County, 10.57 mi SSW of Bison
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.384, -102.571

Hail, Perkins

When: May 25, 10:50 PM MST
Where: Perkins County, 7.85 mi WNW of Usta
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.254, -102.314

Thunderstorm Wind, Perkins

When: May 25, 10:50 PM MST
Where: Perkins County, 7.85 mi WNW of Usta
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.254, -102.314

The combination of wind and large hail broke windows and damaged shingles.

Thunderstorm Wind, Perkins

When: May 25, 11:30 PM MST
Where: Perkins County, 7 mi SSE of Meadow
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 45.436, -102.165

Thunderstorm Wind, Meade

When: May 25, 11:34 PM MST
Where: Meade County, (D07)faith Arpt
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 45.030, -102.020

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: 445766, 445767, 445768, 445769, 445770, 445771, 445772.