Tornado and Hail in South Dakota, August 9, 2015

Name: Tornado and Hail in South Dakota, August 9, 2015
Start: 2015-08-09T14:30
End: 2015-08-09T20:04
Location: South Dakota

August 9, 2015 · NWS FSD · 33 events in 15 counties and zones

Widespread severe storms spread from north of Interstate 90 to south during the afternoon and evening of August 9th. Numerous reports of large hail and damaging winds were received, and there was one brief tornado.

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: $5,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 33

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 FSD 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 Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 9, 1:14 PM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 9, 1:14 PM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
214 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015

.SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY)
ISSUED AT 214 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXPAND IN COVERAGE THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON AS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. TWO AREAS
TO WATCH. THE FIRST WILL BE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE THE
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST CWA NEAR A LOW LEVEL WARM/STATIONARY FRONT.
CAPE VALUES ABOUT 2500 J/KG AND DEEP LAYER SHEAR OF 40 KNOTS
SUPPORTS STRONG UPDRAFTS AND WITH RELATIVELY LOW LFC HEIGHTS A BRIEF
TORNADO WILL BE POSSIBLE. THE ONLY THING NOT SUPPORTING LANDSPOUT
TYPE TORNADOES ARE STRONG NEAR SURFACE LAPSE RATES. SO UPDRAFT
ACCELERATIONS WILL BE TAKING PLACE FAIRLY LOW IN THE ATMOSPHERE BUT
THESE MAY NOT EXTEND TO THE SURFACE. REGARDLESS HAIL TO AT LEAST
GOLF BALLS AS WELL AS WINDS OF 75 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE
STRONGEST STORMS.

THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL PRESS FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST
THIS EVENING WITH THE THREAT FOR SEVERE DIMINISHING AFTER SUNSET.
THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL LINGER IN NORTHWEST IOWA UNTIL LATE
TONIGHT. NORTH WINDS WILL FILTER INTO THE AREA ON MONDAY WITH MAINLY
DRY CONDITIONS EXPECTED AND PLEASANT TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 70S
TO LOWER 80S.

.LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY)
ISSUED AT 214 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015

SPLIT FLOW JET REGIME TO BEGIN THE PERIOD...HOWEVER THE SOUTHERN
BRANCH OF THE JET QUICKLY WEAKENS.  THIS LEAVES THE NORTHERN BRANCH
ACROSS CENTRAL CANADA THE MAIN JET THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK ALLOWING
UPPER LEVEL RIDGE TO BUILD INTO THE CENTRAL US.  WITH LARGE SCALE
SUBSIDENCE...HAVE REMOVED POP CHANCES THROUGH THE WEEK WITH GRADUAL
WARMING TREND EXPECTED.  COULD SEE STORM CHANCES RETURN NEXT WEEKEND
AS UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WEAKENS AND A SERIES OF SHORT WAVES PASS
THROUGH THE AREA.  HAVE MADE VERY FEW CHANGES TO THE EXTENDED WITH
ONGOING WEATHER.

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY AFTERNOON)
ISSUED AT 1240 PM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015

OCCASIONAL MVFR CEILINGS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON THEN THUNDERSTORMS
BECOME THE FOCUS AFTER ABOUT 20Z. A FEW OF THESE STORMS WILL BE
STRONG TO SEVERE. THE MAIN THREAT FOR MVFR CEILINGS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE BEFORE ABOUT 5Z.

&&

.FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SD...NONE.
MN...NONE.
IA...NONE.
NE...NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM...08
LONG TERM...
AVIATION...08

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 9, 3:40 AM CST, 10 hours 50 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
440 AM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015

SDZ050-052-057-058-063-064-100945-
GREGORY-JERAULD-BRULE-AURORA-CHARLES MIX-DOUGLAS-
440 AM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL
SOUTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH
DAKOTA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

ISOLATED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA THIS MORNING ARE NOT
EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE. SCATTERED STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE
INTO THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. THESE
STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL LARGER THAN GOLF BALL
SIZE...ALONG WITH WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH. ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL
ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH STORMS DURING THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON.
WHILE STORMS MAY LINGER INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...THE THREAT OF
SEVERE WEATHER SHOULD DIMINISH BY LATE EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE POSSIBLE BETWEEN 2 PM AND 10 PM.

IAZ001-012-020-031-MNZ098-NEZ013-014-SDZ038-039-053>056-059>062-
065>071-100945-
LYON IA-SIOUX-PLYMOUTH-WOODBURY-ROCK-DIXON-DAKOTA-BEADLE-
KINGSBURY-SANBORN-MINER-LAKE-MOODY-DAVISON-HANSON-MCCOOK-
MINNEHAHA-HUTCHINSON-TURNER-LINCOLN SD-BON HOMME-YANKTON-CLAY SD-
UNION-
440 AM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST
IOWA...SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA...NORTHEAST NEBRASKA...EAST CENTRAL
SOUTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE AREA DURING
THE AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING. THESE STORMS WILL
BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL TO GOLF BALL SIZE AND WIND GUSTS TO
70 MPH. AN ISOLATED TORNADO COULD ALSO OCCUR IN AREAS SOUTH OF
INTERSTATE 90 AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 29 DURING THE MID TO LATE
AFTERNOON. WHILE STORMS MAY LINGER INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...
THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER SHOULD DIMINISH TOWARD MIDNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE POSSIBLE BETWEEN 3 PM AND MIDNIGHT.

IAZ002-003-013-014-021-022-032-MNZ071-072-080-081-089-090-097-
SDZ040-100945-
OSCEOLA-DICKINSON-O'BRIEN-CLAY IA-CHEROKEE-BUENA VISTA-IDA-
LINCOLN MN-LYON MN-MURRAY-COTTONWOOD-NOBLES-JACKSON-PIPESTONE-
BROOKINGS-
440 AM CDT SUN AUG 9 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST
IOWA...SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND EAST CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE
AREA TOWARD EVENING AND CONTINUE INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. WHILE
THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER IS LOW...ISOLATED STRONGER STORMS
COULD PRODUCE HAIL TO HALF DOLLAR SIZE AND WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH
DURING THE EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.

The radar

The Aberdeen radar (KABR), 155 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:29 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 hail, 16 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Jerauld

When: August 9, 2:30 PM CST
Where: Jerauld County, 7.94 mi W of Wessington Spgs
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.080, -98.730

Hail, Jerauld

When: August 9, 2:32 PM CST
Where: Jerauld County, 5.53 mi N of Crow Lake
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.030, -98.730

Large hail caused an unknown amount of damage to vehicles.

Tornado, Aurora

When: August 9, 2:35 PM CST to 2:36 PM CST
Where: Aurora County, 6.11 mi SW of Storla to 6.07 mi SW of Storla
Rating: EF0
Path length: 0.32 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Reported by: Storm Chaser
Coordinates: 43.810, -98.440

A brief tornado, a landspout, caused no reported damage.

Thunderstorm Wind, Aurora

When: August 9, 2:45 PM CST
Where: Aurora County, 12.59 mi WNW of Storla
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.960, -98.570

Thunderstorm winds blew down up to 4 inch diameter trees and branches, and also blew down power lines.

Hail, Jerauld

When: August 9, 2:50 PM CST
Where: Jerauld County, 2.87 mi NE of Crow Lake
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.980, -98.690

Hail, Jerauld

When: August 9, 2:52 PM CST
Where: Jerauld County, 7.99 mi E of Crow Lake
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.960, -98.570

Hail, Aurora

When: August 9, 3:13 PM CST
Where: Aurora County, 3.6 mi NNW of Storla
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.920, -98.370

Hail from smooth quarter size to jagged ping pong ball size was observed.

Hail, Jerauld

When: August 9, 3:53 PM CST
Where: Jerauld County, 9.32 mi NW of Wessington Spgs
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.170, -98.710

Large hail, wind driven, shredded corn crops.

Thunderstorm Wind, Davison

When: August 9, 3:55 PM CST
Where: Davison County, 0.5 mi W of (Mhe)mitchell Arpt
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 43.770, -98.040

Thunderstorm Wind, Beadle

When: August 9, 4:19 PM CST
Where: Beadle County, 7.41 mi E of Bloomfield
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.620, -97.950

Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including branches blown down.

Hail, Hanson

When: August 9, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Hanson County, 1 mi E of Fulton
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.730, -97.800

Hail, Jerauld

When: August 9, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Jerauld County, 0.5 mi E of Lane
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 44.070, -98.410

Hail, Sanborn

When: August 9, 4:39 PM CST
Where: Sanborn County, 0.85 mi SW of Woonsocket
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.040, -98.280

Thunderstorm Wind, Sanborn

When: August 9, 4:42 PM CST
Where: Sanborn County, 3.24 mi NW of Cuthbert
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.000, -98.270

Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including branches blown down.

Hail, McCook

When: August 9, 4:53 PM CST
Where: McCook County, 4.18 mi S of Spencer
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 43.670, -97.590

Large hail caused an unknown amount of damage to vehicles. The hail was accompanied by estimated 45 mph wind gusts.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kingsbury

When: August 9, 4:55 PM CST
Where: Kingsbury County, 0.49 mi W of De Smet
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.380, -97.560

Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including up to 2.5 inch diameter branches blown down.

Hail, Hanson

When: August 9, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Hanson County, 7.07 mi WSW of Rockport
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.540, -97.930

Thunderstorm Wind, McCook

When: August 9, 5:05 PM CST
Where: McCook County, 4.86 mi N of Bridgewater
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.620, -97.490

Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including branches blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kingsbury

When: August 9, 5:14 PM CST
Where: Kingsbury County, 2.09 mi WSW of Hetland
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Storm Chaser
Coordinates: 44.360, -97.270

Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including branches blown down.

Hail, McCook

When: August 9, 5:31 PM CST
Where: McCook County, 2.81 mi S of Canistota
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.560, -97.290

Hail, Hanson

When: August 9, 5:36 PM CST
Where: Hanson County, 8.72 mi ESE of Alexandria
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.600, -97.620

Large hail was accompanied by damaging winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hanson

When: August 9, 5:36 PM CST
Where: Hanson County, 8.72 mi ESE of Alexandria
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.600, -97.620

Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including 1.5 inch diameter branches blown down. The winds were accompanied by large hail.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hutchinson

When: August 9, 5:40 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, 0.69 mi N of Menno
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.240, -97.580

Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage. The winds were accompanied by penny size hail.

Hail, Hutchinson

When: August 9, 5:40 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, 0.69 mi N of Menno
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.240, -97.580

Penny size hail was accompanied by damaging winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Turner

When: August 9, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Turner County, 1.22 mi NW of Pearsons Corner
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.180, -97.340

Thunderstorm winds caused an unknown amount of crop damage.

Hail, Hutchinson

When: August 9, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Hutchinson County, 8.77 mi ESE of Menno
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.180, -97.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Lake

When: August 9, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Lake County, 3.14 mi SSW of Smiths Park
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.890, -97.010

Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including several trees blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Yankton

When: August 9, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Yankton County, 4.61 mi NNE of Mayfield
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.140, -97.280

Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including large trees uprooted.

Thunderstorm Wind, Clay

When: August 9, 6:12 PM CST
Where: Clay County, 0.5 mi E of Irene
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.080, -97.160

Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including numerous branches blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Moody

When: August 9, 6:17 PM CST
Where: Moody County, 0.85 mi NE of Trent
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.910, -96.640

Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage, including large branches blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When: August 9, 6:54 PM CST
Where: Union County, 3.33 mi WSW of Alcester
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.000, -96.710

Thunderstorm winds cause tree damage, including trees snapped off.

Thunderstorm Wind, Clay

When: August 9, 8:04 PM CST
Where: Clay County, 4.42 mi SSE of Meckling
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 42.770, -97.040

Thunderstorm winds caused tree damage. The winds were accompanied by penny size hail.

Hail, Clay

When: August 9, 8:04 PM CST
Where: Clay County, 4.42 mi SSE of Meckling
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 42.770, -97.040

Hail was accompanied by damaging winds.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
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 The tornado archive for South Dakota, 2015 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: 597670, 597671, 597703, 597704, 597705, 597706, 597707, 597708, 597709, 597710, 597711, 597712, 597713, 597714, 597715, 597716, 597717, 597718, 597719, 597720, 597721, 597722, 597723, 597724, 597725, 597726, 597727, 597728, 597729, 597753, 597754, 597755, 597756.