Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in South Dakota, July 24 to 25, 2015

Name: Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in South Dakota, July 24 to 25, 2015
Start: 2015-07-24T22:23
End: 2015-07-25T22:45
Location: South Dakota

July 24 to 25, 2015 · NWS ABR · 34 events in 11 counties and zones

A weak upper level low pressure trough along with a surface warm front brought numerous thunderstorms to the region. Large hail, damaging winds, flash flooding, along with a few tornadoes occurred.

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: 34

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 ABR wrote it up.

A weak upper level low pressure trough along with a surface warm front brought numerous thunderstorms to the region. Large hail, damaging winds, flash flooding, along with a few tornadoes occurred.

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 Aberdeen, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 24, 6:45 PM MST, 3 hours 38 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 24, 6:45 PM MST, 3 hours 38 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
845 PM CDT FRI JUL 24 2015

.UPDATE...
ISSUED AT 845 PM CDT FRI JUL 24 2015

SOME ELEVATED CONVECTION ALREADY DEVELOPING OUT WEST THIS EVENING
AND MOVING EAST. EXPECT THIS DEVELOPMENT TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE
NIGHT AS SHOWN BY THE HRRR MODEL. IT SHOULD REMAIN WEST OF THE
JAMES RIVER VALLEY. ADJUSTED WEATHER AND POPS FOR THE NIGHT.

UPDATE ISSUED AT 624 PM CDT FRI JUL 24 2015

00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION UPDATED BELOW.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 247 PM CDT FRI JUL 24 2015

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FORECAST CHALLENGES IN THE SHORT TERM
REGARDING THUNDERSTORM CHANCES AND SEVERE POTENTIAL. MODELS ARE IN
GENERAL AGREEMENT ON THE OVERALL SYNOPTIC PATTERN BUT THERE ARE SOME
SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN PLACEMENT/TIMING ON THE NEW 12Z RUNS
BETWEEN THE HI-RES CAMS AND THE GLOBAL MODELS. THE ECMWF IS ALSO
FARTHER SOUTH THAN PREVIOUS SOLUTIONS WHILE THE GFS ENHANCED THE
EASTERN H5 SHORTWAVE SAT EVENING AND THEREFORE KEEPS A RATHER ROBUST
QPF FIELD ACROSS THE EASTERN CWA.

STUCK WITH THE HI-RES SOLUTIONS THIS EVENING WHICH GENERATE SOME
STORMS WEST RIVER BY 0Z. WHILE CAPE IS UNDERWHELMING..LESS THAN 1000
J/KG ON THE RAP...UNTIL CLOSE TO 12Z SAT SHEAR IS AROUND 45 TO 55
KTS AND CIN IS MINIMAL. THESE STORMS WILL NOT MIGRATE VERY FAR EAST
UNTIL CLOSER TO MORNING. ANY LEFT OVER CLOUDINESS MAY HAMPER INITIAL
RE-DEVELOPMENT SAT AFTERNOON AS A STRONG SHORTWAVE BEGINS TO MOVE
FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN CWA. SHEAR IN THE BAROCLINIC
ZONE WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR ANY STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP TO BECOME
SEVERE.

MOST OF THE DAY SUNDAY WILL BE DRY IN BETWEEN SYSTEMS. THERE IS AN
APPROACHING SFC LOW AND SOME WEAKER SHORTWAVE ENERGY SUNDAY EVENING
THAT MAY FIRE OFF A FEW STORMS BUT MODELS DIVERGE GREATLY ON
PLACEMENT WITH SOME KEEPING ANY PRECIP CHANCE OUT OF THIS CWA.

.LONG TERM...(MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)
ISSUED AT 247 PM CDT FRI JUL 24 2015

SLIGHT PRECIP CHANCES REMAIN IN THE FORECAST FOR EARLY IN THE
WORKWEEK AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVES OUT OF THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST...ALTHOUGH 700 MB TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 12 C TO 16 C
WILL KEEP A CAP ON MOST CONVECTION. NORTHWEST FLOW BEHIND THE TROUGH
WILL THEN BRING COOLER AND DRIER CONDITIONS BY MID WEEK...AS WELL AS
GUSTY WINDS. THIS WILL BE SHORT LIVED HOWEVER...AS 500 MB HEIGHTS
ARE ON THE RISE BY THE END OF THE WORKWEEK...WITH FORECAST MAX
TEMPERATURES BACK IN THE UPPER 80S AND 90S BY FRIDAY.

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY EVENING)
ISSUED AT 624 PM CDT FRI JUL 24 2015

VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT ALL LOCATIONS THROUGH TONIGHT AND
SATURDAY. A COUPLE ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED INTO
SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THE FIRST ROUND OF STORMS WERE DEVELOPING EARLY
THIS EVENING OUT WEST AND ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO CENTRAL SD LATER
THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. AT THIS TIME...PIR AND MAYBE MBG COULD
BE AFFECTED. THE NEXT ROUND WILL COME SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND COULD
POSSIBLY AFFECT ALL LOCATIONS.

&&

.ABR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SD...NONE.
MN...NONE.
&&

UPDATE...MOHR
SHORT TERM...WISE
LONG TERM...SERR
AVIATION...MOHR

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 24, 1:50 AM MST, 20 hours 33 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
350 AM CDT FRI JUL 24 2015

MNZ039-046-SDZ003>011-015>023-033>037-045-048-051-250900-
TRAVERSE-BIG STONE-CORSON-CAMPBELL-MCPHERSON-BROWN-MARSHALL-
ROBERTS-WALWORTH-EDMUNDS-DAY-DEWEY-POTTER-FAULK-SPINK-CLARK-
CODINGTON-GRANT-HAMLIN-DEUEL-STANLEY-SULLY-HUGHES-HYDE-HAND-JONES-
LYMAN-BUFFALO-
350 AM CDT FRI JUL 24 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA...NORTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA AND
NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

ELEVATED STORMS WILL RETURN TO THE REGION EARLY SATURDAY. THE
SEVERE WEATHER RISK REMAINS LOW UNTIL THE AFTERNOON. THE MAIN
RISKS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING IS HAIL AND STRONG
WINDS...AS WELL AS HEAVY RAIN. THE AREA AT GREATEST RISK IS
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

CONNELLY

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 24, 10:08 PM MST, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
1208 AM CDT SAT JUL 25 2015

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

1200 AM     HAIL             LANTRY                  45.02N 101.42W
07/25/2015  M0.50 INCH       DEWEY              SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

EVENT NUMBER ABR1500666

CONNELLY

The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 171 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:23 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 thunderstorm wind, 11 hail, 4 flash flood, 2 tornado, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dewey

When: July 24, 10:23 PM MST
Where: Dewey County, 1.47 mi NNW of Parade
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.050, -101.110

Eighty mph winds downed several cottonwood and ash trees.

Hail, Dewey

When: July 24, 10:45 PM MST
Where: Dewey County, 1.19 mi NW of La Plant
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.140, -100.690

Thunderstorm Wind, Jones

When: July 25, 6:40 AM CST
Where: Jones County, 3.14 mi SSW of Capa
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.080, -101.010

Sixty mph winds downed several tree branches.

Hail, Jones

When: July 25, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Jones County, 2.58 mi ESE of Okaton
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.860, -100.850

Hail, Campbell

When: July 25, 2:29 PM CST
Where: Campbell County, 7.74 mi S of Artas
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.770, -99.850

Hail, McPherson

When: July 25, 2:57 PM CST
Where: McPherson County, 6.88 mi WSW of Long Lake
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.860, -99.370

Hail, McPherson

When: July 25, 3:00 PM CST
Where: McPherson County, 4.09 mi WSW of Long Lake
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.860, -99.310

Hail, McPherson

When: July 25, 3:10 PM CST
Where: McPherson County, 2.37 mi NW of Long Lake
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.900, -99.270

Hail, McPherson

When: July 25, 3:15 PM CST
Where: McPherson County, Long Lake
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Storm Chaser
Coordinates: 45.880, -99.230

Funnel Cloud, McPherson

When: July 25, 3:15 PM CST
Where: McPherson County, Long Lake
Reported by: Storm Chaser
Coordinates: 45.880, -99.230

Tornado, McPherson

When: July 25, 3:44 PM CST to 3:46 PM CST
Where: McPherson County, 4.51 mi NW of Leola to 4.42 mi NW of Leola
Rating: EF0
Path length: 0.09 mi
Path width: 10 yd
Reported by: Storm Chaser
Coordinates: 45.770, -99.010

A small rope tornado touched down briefly in an open field.

Hail, McPherson

When: July 25, 3:50 PM CST
Where: McPherson County, 7.97 mi NNW of Leola
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.830, -99.000

Tornado, McPherson

When: July 25, 4:05 PM CST to 4:07 PM CST
Where: McPherson County, 2.78 mi WNW of Leola to 2.6 mi WNW of Leola
Rating: EF0
Path length: 0.18 mi
Path width: 20 yd
Reported by: Storm Chaser
Coordinates: 45.740, -99.000

A second brief tornado occurred northwest of Leola in an open field.

Thunderstorm Wind, Edmunds

When: July 25, 4:34 PM CST
Where: Edmunds County, 0.69 mi N of Loyalton
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.290, -99.280

Sixty mph winds were estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Faulk

When: July 25, 4:55 PM CST
Where: Faulk County, 5.07 mi NW of Cresbard
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.230, -99.030

Sixty mph winds downed several tree branches.

Thunderstorm Wind, Edmunds

When: July 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Edmunds County, 9.86 mi SSW of Craven
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 45.300, -99.030

Sixty mph winds were estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Faulk

When: July 25, 5:24 PM CST
Where: Faulk County, 1.47 mi SSE of Chelsea
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.150, -98.740

Sixty mph winds were estimated.

Flash Flood, Edmunds

When: July 25, 5:30 PM CST to 8:30 PM CST
Where: Edmunds County, 0.69 mi S of Ipswich
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 45.440, -99.030

Heavy rains resulted in water flowing over South Dakota State Highway 45 just south of Ipswich.

Thunderstorm Wind, Spink

When: July 25, 5:39 PM CST
Where: Spink County, 0.85 mi NW of Mellette
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 45.160, -98.510

Hail, Spink

When: July 25, 5:40 PM CST
Where: Spink County, Mellette
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.150, -98.500

Thunderstorm Wind, Spink

When: July 25, 5:40 PM CST
Where: Spink County, Mellette
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.150, -98.500

Sixty mph winds were estimated.

Flash Flood, Potter

When: July 25, 5:45 PM CST to 8:45 PM CST
Where: Potter County, 0.85 mi NW of Tolstoy to 1.62 mi WNW of Tolstoy
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.210, -99.640

Heavy rains of over three inches flooded some area fields along with a few roads.

Thunderstorm Wind, Spink

When: July 25, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Spink County, Turton
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.050, -98.100

Seventy mph winds were estimated.

Hail, Hand

When: July 25, 6:20 PM CST
Where: Hand County, 4.43 mi W of Miller
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.520, -99.070

Thunderstorm Wind, Hand

When: July 25, 6:26 PM CST
Where: Hand County, 4.81 mi SE of Ree Hgts
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 44.480, -99.120

Thunderstorm Wind, Clark

When: July 25, 6:35 PM CST
Where: Clark County, 2.08 mi WSW of Raymond
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 44.910, -97.960

Sixty mph winds were estimated.

Hail, Hand

When: July 25, 6:42 PM CST
Where: Hand County, 6.24 mi S of Miller
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 44.430, -98.990

Thunderstorm Wind, Clark

When: July 25, 6:50 PM CST
Where: Clark County, 5.09 mi NE of Carpenter
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 44.690, -97.840

Sixty mph winds downed several tree branches.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hand

When: July 25, 6:50 PM CST
Where: Hand County, 4.17 mi S of Miller
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 44.460, -98.990

Seventy mph winds were estimated.

Flash Flood, Edmunds

When: July 25, 7:00 PM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Edmunds County, 4.39 mi NNE of Loyalton to 4.99 mi NNE of Loyalton
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.340, -99.250

Heavy rains of over three inches caused a road to be flooded for a period of time.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hand

When: July 25, 7:14 PM CST
Where: Hand County, 6.93 mi S of St Lawrence
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 44.420, -98.940

Sixty mph winds downed several large tree limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hand

When: July 25, 7:15 PM CST
Where: Hand County, 6.93 mi S of St Lawrence
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 44.420, -98.940

Seventy mph winds downed a small wood structure.

Flash Flood, Potter

When: July 25, 7:45 PM CST to 10:45 PM CST
Where: Potter County, 7.37 mi SW of Hoven to 6.86 mi SW of Hoven
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.170, -99.900

Heavy rains caused the flash flooding of several roads with the gravel being washed away in places.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lyman

When: July 25, 8:20 PM CST
Where: Lyman County, 1.65 mi WSW of Iona
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.520, -99.460

Sixty mph winds brought some tree branches down.

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.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
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.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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, 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 596970, 596929, 596971, 596930, 596931, 596932, 596933, 596934, 596996, 596998, 596963, 596935, 596965, 596973, 596975, 596977, 596978, 596915, 596979, 596936, 596980, 596916, 596981, 596937, 596988, 596989, 596938, 596990, 596991, 596918, 596966, 596967, 596921, 596992.