Hail in South Dakota, July 26, 2016

Name: Hail in South Dakota, July 26, 2016
Start: 2016-07-26T16:08
End: 2016-07-26T17:43
Location: South Dakota

July 26, 2016 · NWS UNR · 5 events in 2 counties and zones

A long-lived supercell thunderstorm developed in the Custer area and moved southeast through eastern Fall River County into Nebraska. The storm produced large hail from Wind Cave to Hot Springs to Oelrichs.

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: 5

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.

NWS Rapid City, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 26, 1:47 PM MST, 2 hours 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 26, 1:47 PM MST, 2 hours 21 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 26, 3:26 AM MST, 12 hours 42 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 26, 1:42 PM MST, 2 hours 26 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 26, 2:49 PM MST, 1 hour 19 minutes before

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Local storm report, Jul 26, 3:30 PM MST, 38 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 26, 3:34 PM MST, 34 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Jul 26, 3:37 PM MST, 31 minutes before

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The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 76 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:09 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Custer

When: July 26, 4:08 PM MST to 4:14 PM MST
Where: Custer County, 0.84 mi N of Custer Co Arpt
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.742, -103.618

Hail, Custer

When: July 26, 4:38 PM MST
Where: Custer County, Wind Cave
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: Park/Forest Service
Coordinates: 43.550, -103.480

Hail, Fall River

When: July 26, 4:40 PM MST to 4:50 PM MST
Where: Fall River County, 0.78 mi NNE of Hot Springs to 1.03 mi NNE of Hot Springs
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 43.441, -103.475

Large hail and gusty winds on the north side of Hot Springs damaged vehicles and broke house windows.

Hail, Fall River

When: July 26, 4:50 PM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where: Fall River County, 4.6 mi N of Hot Springs Municipal Airport
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 43.436, -103.370

Golf ball size hail and 50 mph wind gusts broke windows and damaged vehicles at the Fall River Gun Club.

Hail, Fall River

When: July 26, 5:43 PM MST
Where: Fall River County, 3 mi E of Oelrichs
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 43.188, -103.171

What these are

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 2016 Every state in 2016 This day in weather history Warnings in South Dakota, July 2016

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 645134, 645138, 645155, 645149, 645141.