Hail and Damaging Wind in South Dakota, August 8, 2015

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in South Dakota, August 8, 2015
Start: 2015-08-08T18:16
End: 2015-08-08T18:26
Location: South Dakota

August 8, 2015 · NWS UNR · 4 events in 1 county or zone

A severe thunderstorm tracked northeastward from Crook County, Wyoming across southern Butte County. The storm produced large hail and strong wind gusts in Belle Fourche.

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: 4

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 severe thunderstorm tracked northeastward from Crook County, Wyoming across southern Butte County. The storm produced large hail and strong wind gusts in Belle Fourche.

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 8, 1:37 PM MST, 4 hours 39 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 8, 1:37 PM MST, 4 hours 39 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR WESTERN SD AND NORTHEASTERN WY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
237 PM MDT SAT AUG 8 2015

.SHORT TERM...THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT
ISSUED AT 222 PM MDT SAT AUG 8 2015

UPPER LEVEL ANALYSIS HAS COMPLEX PATTERN WITH RIDGE OVER THE SOUTH
CENTRAL CONUS...AND SEVERAL UPPER LOWS FROM THE GOA TO SOUTH
CENTRAL CANADA. UPPER LOW OF INTEREST IS CURRENTLY OVER THE
YELLOWSTONE AREA SLOWLY SHIFTING EAST. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
ARE CURRENTLY DEVELOPING OVER NORTHEAST WYOMING AND THE BLACK
HILLS...DRIFTING TO THE NORTHEAST. AT THE SURFACE...LOW PRESSURE
IS LOCATED ACROSS EASTERN WYOMING INTO SOUTHERN SOUTH DAKOTA.
TEMPERATURES AT 2PM ARE IN THE 70S AND 80S...WITH WINDS OUT OF THE
EAST TO SOUTHEAST ACROSS SD...AND OUT OF THE SOUTH ACROSS
NORTHEAST WY.

FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...UPPER LOW OVER THE YELLOWSTONE
AREA WILL SLOWLY WEAKEN AND TRACK EAST THIS EVENING. SHOWER AND
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT AND SPREAD EAST ACROSS
EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA...WITH THE SEVERE THREAT GENERALLY
DIMINISHING LATER IN THE EVENING. THE BEST CHANCES FOR PCPN LATE
TODAY INTO TONIGHT WILL BE FROM FAR NORTHEAST WY THROUGH THE
NORTHERN BLACK HILLS AREA AND ACROSS NORTHWEST SD.

BY SUNDAY MORNING...THE WEAKENING UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL BE
MOVING INTO THE WESTERN DAKOTAS...WITH THE BEST CHANCES FOR
RAINFALL SHIFTING TO EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA...ESPECIALLY
PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST INTO CENTRAL SD. WILL KEEP AT LEAST LOW
CHANCES POPS ACROSS MUCH OF THE CWA THROUGH THE DAY SUNDAY...WITH
SHOWERS AND STORMS PUSHING EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA SUNDAY NIGHT.
THE THREAT FOR ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS LATER ON SUNDAY
SHOULD MAINLY BE LIMITED TO CENTRAL SD. SUNDAY WILL BE A
RELATIVELY COOL DAY ACROSS THE AREA...WITH HIGHS ONLY IN THE 70S
AND LOWER 80S. BY SUNDAY EVENING...PRECIP CHANCES DECREASE AS THE
SYSTEM SHIFTS EAST. LOW TEMPERATURES WILL FALL INTO THE 50S TO
LOWER 60S.

.LONG TERM...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY
ISSUED AT 222 PM MDT SAT AUG 8 2015

HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE CENTRAL ROCKIES AND WESTERN HIGH
PLAINS THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD. LARGE SCALE
SUBSIDENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER RIDGE WILL LEAD TO MAINLY DRY
CONDITIONS AND VERY WARM TEMPERATURES. A PERSISTENT LEE SIDE
TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO DRAW LOW LEVEL MOISTURE NORTHWARD INTO THE
FORECAST AREA. ALTHOUGH THE CAPPING INVERSION WILL BE QUITE STRONG
UNDER THE STRENGTHENING UPPER RIDGE...ISOLD AFTN/EVE THUNDERSTORMS
WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE BLACK HILLS ON MANY DAYS.

TOWARD THE END OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD THE MODELS HAVE A VARIETY OF
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS REGARDING AN UPPER LOW IN THE WESTERN TROF
TRACKING THROUGH THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS.
THERE ARE CONSIDERABLE DIFFERENCES IN THE TIMING...STRENGTH AND PATH
THE UPPER LOW MAY TAKE. OVERALL IT APPEARS THE UPPER RIDGE WILL
BREAK DOWN BY THE END OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD. MOST OF THE ENERGY
SHOULD BE IN THE NORTHERN STREAM...ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA. A SURFACE
LOW LOOKS TO DEVELOP OVER MONTANA/DAKOTAS...BRINGING A SLIGHT CHANCE
FOR STORMS FRIDAY AND INTO THE WEEKEND.

&&

.AVIATION...FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY
ISSUED AT 222 PM MDT SAT AUG 8 2015

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND SPREAD
ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION THIS EVENING. ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE. THE THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH THE NIGHT AND INTO SUNDAY. LCL MVFR CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE NEAR ANY THUNDERSTORMS...OTHERWISE VFR CONDITIONS WILL
PREVAIL.

&&

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

SHORT TERM...15
LONG TERM...MLS
AVIATION...MLS

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 8, 5:43 AM MST, 12 hours 33 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
643 AM MDT SAT AUG 8 2015

SDZ001-002-012>014-024>032-041>044-046-047-049-072>074-WYZ054>058-
071-091245-
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-
643 AM MDT SAT AUG 8 2015

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

WIDESPREAD CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHEAST
WYOMING AND WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WIND GUSTS
WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS FROM ANY SEVERE STORMS...WITH A VERY
SMALL CHANCE FOR A TORNADO OVER FAR NORTHEAST WYOMING AND PARTS
OF NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO
POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS FAR NORTHEAST WYOMING AND NORTHWEST
SOUTH DAKOTA.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL PERSIST ON SUNDAY ACROSS MUCH OF
THE AREA. ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE
AFTERNOON...MAINLY TO THE EAST OF THE BLACK HILLS TOWARD SOUTH
CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA.

.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, Aug 8, 5:39 PM MST, 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
639 PM MDT SAT AUG 08 2015

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

0630 PM     TSTM WND GST     3 NW WASTA              44.10N 102.49W
08/08/2015  M72 MPH          PENNINGTON         SD   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

&&

MCKEMY

Local storm report, Aug 8, 5:42 PM MST, 34 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
642 PM MDT SAT AUG 08 2015

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

0635 PM     HAIL             5 WSW ALADDIN           44.59N 104.27W
08/08/2015  E1.00 INCH       CROOK              WY   PUBLIC

            MOSTLY 1/2 HAIL A FEW PIECES WERE 1

&&

MLS

Local storm report, Aug 8, 5:50 PM MST, 26 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
650 PM MDT SAT AUG 08 2015

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

0640 PM     TSTM WND GST     2 SW BRIDGER            44.53N 101.94W
08/08/2015  M63 MPH          HAAKON             SD   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

&&

MCKEMY

Special weather statement, Aug 8, 5:54 PM MST, 22 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
654 PM MDT SAT AUG 8 2015

SDZ012-WYZ071-090130-
BUTTE SD-NORTHEASTERN CROOK WY-
654 PM MDT SAT AUG 8 2015

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN BUTTE AND
NORTHEASTERN CROOK COUNTIES UNTIL 730 PM MDT...

AT 654 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8
MILES WEST OF BELLE FOURCHE...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BELLE FOURCHE...FRUITDALE AND BELLE FOURCHE RESERVOIR.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

&&

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM MDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA AND NORTHEASTERN WYOMING.

LAT...LON 4459 10406 4477 10407 4486 10371 4462 10353
TIME...MOT...LOC 0054Z 254DEG 31KT 4467 10402

CARSTENS

Special weather statement, Aug 8, 6:05 PM MST, 11 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
705 PM MDT SAT AUG 8 2015

SDZ012-025-090130-
NORTHERN FOOT HILLS SD-BUTTE SD-
705 PM MDT SAT AUG 8 2015

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTH CENTRAL LAWRENCE AND
SOUTHWESTERN BUTTE COUNTIES UNTIL 730 PM MDT...

AT 705 PM MDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
BELLE FOURCHE...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BELLE FOURCHE...NISLAND...FRUITDALE AND BELLE FOURCHE RESERVOIR.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

IF ON OR NEAR BELLE FOURCHE RESERVOIR...GET OUT OF THE WATER AND
MOVE INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE
OUT TO 15 MILES FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM. IF YOU CAN HEAR
THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE TO
SAFE SHELTER NOW. DO NOT BE CAUGHT ON THE WATER IN A THUNDERSTORM.

&&

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM MDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA.

LAT...LON 4486 10369 4461 10351 4458 10405 4460 10406
      4478 10406
TIME...MOT...LOC 0105Z 253DEG 33KT 4465 10398

CARSTENS

Local storm report, Aug 8, 6:16 PM MST, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD
716 PM MDT SAT AUG 08 2015

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

0655 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 NW WALL               44.00N 102.25W
08/08/2015  M54 MPH          PENNINGTON         SD   AWOS

&&

MCKEMY

The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 101 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:17 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Hail, Butte

When: August 8, 6:16 PM MST
Where: Butte County, Belle Fourche
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 44.670, -103.850

Hail, Butte

When: August 8, 6:23 PM MST
Where: Butte County, 1 mi SSW of Belle Fourche
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.657, -103.858

Thunderstorm Wind, Butte

When: August 8, 6:23 PM MST
Where: Butte County, 1 mi SSW of Belle Fourche
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.657, -103.858

The combination of strong wind and large hail caused property damage in Belle Fourche.

Hail, Butte

When: August 8, 6:26 PM MST
Where: Butte County, 1 mi E of Belle Fourche
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 44.670, -103.830

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 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: 595983, 595984, 595985, 599965.