South Dakota, 2018

Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, July 29, 2018

July 29, 2018 · NWS UNR · 6 events in 1 county or zone

A severe thunderstorm developed between Belle Fourche and Spearfish, then tracked southeast through portions of the northern Black Hills. The storm produced large hail and strong wind gusts along its path.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 developed between Belle Fourche and Spearfish, then tracked southeast through portions of the northern Black Hills. The storm produced large hail and strong wind gusts along its path.

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 29, 10:30 AM MST, 3 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 29, 10:30 AM MST, 3 hours 10 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 29, 4:03 AM MST, 9 hours 37 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 29, 12:38 PM MST, 1 hour 2 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 29, 1:23 PM MST, 17 minutes before
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The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 94 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:38 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Lawrence

When
July 29, 1:40 PM MST
Where
Lawrence County, 4 mi N of Spearfish
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
44.548, -103.860

Hail, Lawrence

When
July 29, 1:55 PM MST
Where
Lawrence County, 5 mi W of Whitewood
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.460, -103.741

Thunderstorm Wind, Lawrence

When
July 29, 1:55 PM MST
Where
Lawrence County, 5 mi W of Whitewood
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.460, -103.741

Wind gusts were estimated around 60 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lawrence

When
July 29, 2:10 PM MST
Where
Lawrence County, 4.55 mi SW of Galena
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.280, -103.700

Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph.

Hail, Lawrence

When
July 29, 2:15 PM MST
Where
Lawrence County, 4.55 mi SW of Galena
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.280, -103.700

Hail, Lawrence

When
July 29, 2:28 PM MST
Where
Lawrence County, 7.46 mi W of Nemo
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.200, -103.650

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

More

Every storm in South Dakota in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, July 2018

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: 770158, 770161, 770166, 770176, 770180, 770184.