South Dakota, 2018

Damaging Winds in South Dakota, July 3, 2018

July 3, 2018 · NWS UNR · 4 events in 2 counties and zones

A line of severe thunderstorms clipped far northern Harding and Perkins Counties during the early morning hours. Wind gusts of 60 to 80 mph were reported parts of the area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

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  • Tropical storms and surge
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  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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 line of severe thunderstorms clipped far northern Harding and Perkins Counties during the early morning hours. Wind gusts of 60 to 80 mph were reported parts of the area.

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 2, 10:21 PM MST, 1 hour 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 2, 10:21 PM MST, 1 hour 54 minutes before
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The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 218 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 07:16 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Harding

When
July 3, 12:15 AM MST
Where
Harding County, 13.86 mi WNW of Ladner
Measured
61 kt (70 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.900, -104.000

Six inch diameter branches were broken off trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Harding

When
July 3, 1:00 AM MST
Where
Harding County, 8 mi NE of Ludlow
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.912, -103.262

Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Perkins

When
July 3, 1:30 AM MST
Where
Perkins County, 8 mi WSW of White Butte
Measured
61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.896, -102.514

Wind gusts were estimated near 70 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Perkins

When
July 3, 2:00 AM MST
Where
Perkins County, 6 mi SW of White Butte
Measured
70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.879, -102.448

A large steel grain bin was moved 300 yards.

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.

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 761359, 761360, 761361, 761363.