High Wind in South Dakota, August 22, 2015

Name: High Wind in South Dakota, August 22, 2015
Start: 2015-08-22T01:00
End: 2015-08-22T18:00
Location: South Dakota

August 22, 2015 · NWS UNR · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

A strong cold front passed through the area during the early morning hours. Behind the front, very gusty northwest winds developed and persisted through much of the day.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

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 strong cold front passed through the area during the early morning hours. Behind the front, very gusty northwest winds developed and persisted through much of the day. The strongest winds were across the northwest South Dakota plains, where gusts near 70 mph were recorded during the afternoon.

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 Aug 21, 9:25 PM MST, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 21, 9:25 PM MST, 3 hours 35 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WESTERN SD AND NORTHEASTERN WY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
1025 PM MDT FRI AUG 21 2015

.SHORT TERM...THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT
ISSUED AT 210 PM MDT FRI AUG 21 2015

WATER VAPOR SHOWS STRONG UPPER LOW TRACKING EWD OVER
FROM FAR SRN BC. AT THE SFC...ASSOCIATED SFC LOW IS TAKING SHAPE
OVER ERN MT. MAINLY CLEAR SKIES ACRS THE CWFA THIS AFTN...ALTHOUGH
SMOKE FROM WRN FIRES STILL TRACKING OVERHEAD.

TONIGHT...MILD TEMPS EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY IN OUR ERN ZONES WITH
NEAR 50KT LLJ DEVELOPING AHEAD OF DEEPENING SFC LOW. HRRR/RAP
SUGGEST A STORM OR TWO MAY DEVELOP LATE THIS AFTN/EVE OVER SCNTRL SD
ALONG PREFRONTAL TROF/DRYLINE. SFC LOW WILL PUSH INTO SWRN ND/NWRN
SD SHORTLY AFT MIDNIGHT...WITH COLD FRONT BLASTING THROUGH THE WRN
HALF OF OUR ZONES BEFORE DAYBREAK. PRES RISES UP TO 9MB/3HR COMBINED
WITH 850 MB WINDS AROUND 50KTS AND ROBUST CAA WILL CREATE WARNING
CRITERIA WINDS ACRS NWRN SD BEFORE DAYBREAK. A FEW -TSRA/SHRA MAY
SKIRT OUR NRN ZONES BUT BULK OF ACTIVITY WILL DEVELOP FURTHER NORTH.

SATURDAY...CDFNT SWEEPS THROUGH OUR ERN ZONES BY MIDDAY. 6-9MB/3HR
PRES RISES ALONG WITH ROBUST CAA AND 850MB WINDS IN THE 45-55KT
RANGE WILL BRING VERY GUSTY WINDS TO THE ENTIRE CWFA...WITH WARNING
CRITERIA GENERALLY NORTH OF I-90 IN SD AND ADVISORY CRITERIA TO THE
NEB BORDER. A 700MB TROF ROTATING THROUGH IN THE AFTN WILL KEEP THE
STRONG WINDS GOING FOR MUCH OF THE AFTN SO WILL KEEP THE HIGHLIGHTS
GOING INTO THE EARLY EVE. TEMPS WILL BE TRICKY DEPENDING ON EXACT
FRONTAL TIMING...WITH GENERALLY 60S IN THE WEST TO NEAR 80 IN THE
FAR EAST. SOME -SHRA REMAIN POSSIBLE ALTHOUGH BULK OF ENERGY WILL
PASS TO OUR NORTH.

SATURDAY NIGHT...WINDS WILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDE WITH SFC HIGH
SETTLING INTO ERN WY. CHILLY TEMPS EXPECTED...WITH SOME HIGHER
VALLEYS IN THE BLKHLS POSSIBLE FLIRTING WITH FREEZING TEMPS.

.LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
ISSUED AT 210 PM MDT FRI AUG 21 2015

AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDING OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF
THE CONUS WILL CREATE DRY WEATHER AND WARMING TEMPERATURES THROUGH
THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. AN UPPER SHORTWAVE WILL FLATTEN THE RIDGE
ON WEDNESDAY CREATING A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. THURSDAY AND
FRIDAY WILL SEE SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES BEHIND A COOL FRONT
ALONG WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 1016 PM MDT FRI AUG 21 2015

MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT AND ON SATURDAY. AREAS
OF MVFR VSBYS ARE POSSIBLE DUE TO SMOKE FROM THE WESTERN
WILDFIRES. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE
POSSIBLE OVER PARTS OF FAR NORTHEASTERN WYOMING AND NORTHWESTERN
SOUTH DAKOTA TONIGHT AND ON SATURDAY. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL
BRING WIND GUSTS GREATER THAN 40KTS TO FAR NERN WY AND WRN SD
TOWARD SATURDAY MORNING...CONTINUING THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY ON
SATURDAY. HIGHER GUSTS TO AROUND 50 KNOTS CAN BE EXPECTED SAT
AFTERNOON.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
ISSUED AT 210 PM MDT FRI AUG 21 2015

THE WARM DRY AND BREEZY CONDITIONS OVER NORTHEASTERN
WYOMING WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY EVENING...SO THE RED FLAG
WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM MDT.

VERY GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP BEHIND A COLD FRONT PASSING
ACROSS THE AREA LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY. COOLER TEMPERATURES
ARE EXPECTED BEHIND THE FRONT ON SATURDAY.

&&

.UNR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SD...WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 AM MDT /7 AM CDT/ TO 9 PM MDT /10 PM CDT/
     SATURDAY FOR SDZ025-030-041>044-046-047-049-074.

     HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 3 AM TO 9 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR SDZ001-002-
     012-013.

     HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 6 AM TO 9 PM MDT SATURDAY FOR SDZ014-026-
     031-032-072-073.

WY...NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM...JOHNSON
LONG TERM...10
AVIATION...JC
FIRE WEATHER...10

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 21, 7:23 PM MST, 5 hours 37 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
823 PM MDT FRI AUG 21 2015

SDZ001-002-012>014-024>032-041>044-046-047-049-072>074-WYZ054>058-
071-221300-
HARDING-PERKINS-BUTTE-NORTHERN MEADE CO PLAINS-ZIEBACH-
NORTHERN BLACK HILLS-NORTHERN FOOT HILLS-RAPID CITY-
SOUTHERN FOOT HILLS-CENTRAL BLACK HILLS-SOUTHERN BLACK HILLS-
CUSTER CO PLAINS-PENNINGTON CO PLAINS-HAAKON-FALL RIVER-SHANNON-
JACKSON-BENNETT-MELLETTE-TODD-TRIPP-STURGIS/PIEDMONT FOOT HILLS-
SOUTHERN MEADE CO PLAINS-HERMOSA FOOT HILLS-NORTHERN CAMPBELL-
SOUTHERN CAMPBELL-WESTERN CROOK-WYOMING BLACK HILLS-WESTON-
NORTHEASTERN CROOK-
823 PM MDT FRI AUG 21 2015

...HIGH WIND WARNING FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING
NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA...
...WIND ADVISORY FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING
SOUTHWEST THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA...

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE REGION
TONIGHT. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL OCCUR BEHIND THE
FRONT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA TOWARD DAWN.
SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 60 ARE
EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL BRING GUSTY WINDS TO THE AREA SATURDAY
MORNING INTO SATURDAY EVENING. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 45
MPH...WITH GUSTS NEAR 60 MPH..WILL DEVELOP ACROSS MUCH OF THE
WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA PLAINS...ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTHWEST SOUTH
DAKOTA AND AREAS JUST EAST OF THE BLACK HILLS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY.

&&

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

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Harding

When: August 22, 1:00 AM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where: Harding forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 45.580, -103.496 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Butte

When: August 22, 3:00 AM MST to 5:00 AM MST
Where: Butte forecast zone
Measured: 38 kt (44 mph) measured sustained
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 44.906, -103.508 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Pennington Co Plains

When: August 22, 4:30 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
Where: Pennington Co Plains forecast zone
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 44.004, -102.824 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Jackson

When: August 22, 5:00 AM MST to 3:00 PM MST
Where: Jackson forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 43.694, -101.628 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Sturgis/Piedmont Foothills

When: August 22, 5:00 AM MST to 7:00 AM MST
Where: Sturgis/Piedmont Foothills forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) measured sustained
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 44.567, -102.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Haakon

When: August 22, 6:00 AM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where: Haakon forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 44.294, -101.540 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Perkins

When: August 22, 7:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where: Perkins forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 45.491, -102.476 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Northern Meade County Plains

When: August 22, 7:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where: Northern Meade County Plains forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 44.567, -102.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Ziebach

When: August 22, 7:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where: Ziebach forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 44.980, -101.666 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Rapid City

When: August 22, 7:00 AM MST to 9:00 AM MST
Where: Rapid City forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 44.004, -102.824 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Southern Meade Co Plains

When: August 22, 7:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where: Southern Meade Co Plains forecast zone
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 44.567, -102.717 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in South Dakota in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in South Dakota, August 2015

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: 597082, 597085, 597127, 597149, 597161, 597136, 597083, 597092, 597094, 597125, 597162.