Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, July 12, 2015

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, July 12, 2015
Start: 2015-07-12T18:25
End: 2015-07-12T20:40
Location: South Dakota

July 12, 2015 · NWS UNR · 13 events in 3 counties and zones

A severe thunderstorm developed over the northeast slopes of the Black Hills and tracked eastward across the west central South Dakota plains. The storm produced large hail and strong wind gusts initially, then mainly strong winds east of the Black Hills.

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: $100,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 13

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.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 12, 5:36 PM MST, 49 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 12, 5:38 PM MST, 47 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 12, 5:54 PM MST, 31 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jul 12, 6:03 PM MST, 22 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 12, 6:06 PM MST, 19 minutes before

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The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 34 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:26 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Meade

When: July 12, 6:25 PM MST
Where: Meade County, 7.14 mi NNE of Black Hawk
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.236, -103.230

Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph.

Hail, Meade

When: July 12, 6:25 PM MST
Where: Meade County, 7.14 mi NNE of Black Hawk
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.236, -103.230

Hail, Meade

When: July 12, 6:28 PM MST
Where: Meade County, 6.46 mi NNE of Black Hawk
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.233, -103.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Meade

When: July 12, 6:28 PM MST
Where: Meade County, 6.46 mi NNE of Black Hawk
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) measured gust
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.233, -103.250

Property damage was reported in the Golden Valley subdivision.

Hail, Meade

When: July 12, 6:45 PM MST
Where: Meade County, 4.4 mi NNE of Ellsworth Afb
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Storm Chaser
Coordinates: 44.210, -103.070

Thunderstorm Wind, Meade

When: July 12, 6:55 PM MST
Where: Meade County, 13.75 mi ENE of Ellsworth Afb
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.189, -102.828

The spotter estimated wind gusts at 70 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Meade

When: July 12, 7:15 PM MST
Where: Meade County, 5.87 mi SSW of Elm Springs
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.230, -102.570

Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Meade

When: July 12, 7:18 PM MST
Where: Meade County, 3.05 mi E of Elm Springs
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 44.308, -102.469

Wind gusts were estimated around 60 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pennington

When: July 12, 7:30 PM MST
Where: Pennington County, Wall
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.990, -102.240

Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pennington

When: July 12, 7:35 PM MST
Where: Pennington County, 3.14 mi NNE of Creighton
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.290, -102.180

Wind gusts were estimated at 70 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Haakon

When: July 12, 7:50 PM MST
Where: Haakon County, 16.25 mi NW of Philip
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.200, -101.910

Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Haakon

When: July 12, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Haakon County, Philip
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.040, -101.670

The spotter estimated wind gusts at 60 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Haakon

When: July 12, 8:40 PM MST
Where: Haakon County, 1 mi NE of Midland
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 44.080, -101.136

What these are

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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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, July 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 592095, 592640, 592094, 592639, 592096, 592098, 592099, 592103, 592106, 592641, 592111, 592114, 592116.