South Dakota, 2018

Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, July 9, 2018

July 9, 2018 · NWS UNR · 6 events in 3 counties and zones

A severe thunderstorm developed over the northern Black Hills and moved northeast across portions of Butte and southern Perkins Counties. The storm produced large hail and strong wind gusts.

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
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 over the northern Black Hills and moved northeast across portions of Butte and southern Perkins Counties. The storm produced large hail and strong wind gusts.

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 9, 4:22 PM MST, 2 hours 43 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 9, 4:22 PM MST, 2 hours 43 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 9, 11:22 AM MST, 7 hours 43 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Rapid City SD
1222 PM MDT Mon Jul 9 2018

SDZ001-002-012>014-024>026-028>032-043-072>074-WYZ054>058-071-
101300-
Harding-Perkins-Butte-Northern Meade Co Plains-Ziebach-
Northern Black Hills-Northern Foot Hills-Rapid City-
Central Black Hills-Southern Black Hills-Custer Co Plains-
Pennington Co Plains-Haakon-Jackson-Sturgis/Piedmont Foot Hills-
Southern Meade Co Plains-Hermosa Foot Hills-Northern Campbell-
Southern Campbell-Western Crook-Wyoming Black Hills-Weston-
Northeastern Crook-
1222 PM MDT Mon Jul 9 2018

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northwestern
South Dakota...southwestern South Dakota...the Black Hills of
South Dakota...northeast Wyoming...and the Black Hills of
Wyoming.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight

There is a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms this afternoon
and evening. The strongest storms could produce large hail and
strong wind gusts. Locally heavy rainfall is also a possibility.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday

There will be occasional chances for showers and thunderstorms
through much of the week. There is a marginal risk for severe
storms over far northeast Wyoming and northwest South Dakota late
Tuesday into Tuesday night.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed today.

&&

Stay tuned to NOAA weather radio for further updates...or check
our web site at weather.gov/rapidcity

SDZ027-041-042-044-046-047-049-101300-
Southern Foot Hills-Fall River-Oglala Lakota-Bennett-Mellette-
Todd-Tripp-
1222 PM MDT Mon Jul 9 2018 /122 PM CDT Mon Jul 9 2018/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of south central
South Dakota...and southwestern South Dakota.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight

No Hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday

There will be occasional chances for showers and thunderstorms
through much of the week. There is a marginal risk for severe
storms across far southwest and south central South Dakota late
Wednesday into Wednesday night.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed today.

&&

Stay tuned to NOAA weather radio for further updates...or check
our web site at weather.gov/rapidcity

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 9, 5:29 PM MST, 1 hour 36 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 9, 5:29 PM MST, 1 hour 36 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 9, 5:31 PM MST, 1 hour 34 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 9, 6:14 PM MST, 51 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 9, 6:15 PM MST, 50 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 9, 6:50 PM MST, 15 minutes before
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The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:05 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Lawrence

When
July 9, 7:05 PM MST
Where
Lawrence County, 5 mi W of Spearfish
Measured
51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.490, -103.961

Thunderstorm Wind, Lawrence

When
July 9, 7:19 PM MST
Where
Lawrence County, 2 mi NW of Spearfish
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.511, -103.889

Small tree branches were downed by the wind.

Hail, Butte

When
July 9, 8:00 PM MST to 8:05 PM MST
Where
Butte County, Newell
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.710, -103.420

Hail, Butte

When
July 9, 9:00 PM MST
Where
Butte County, 10.26 mi SSE of Hoover
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.970, -103.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Butte

When
July 9, 9:00 PM MST
Where
Butte County, 10.26 mi SSE of Hoover
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.970, -103.200

Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind, Perkins

When
July 9, 9:45 PM MST
Where
Perkins County, 8 mi WNW of Usta
Measured
70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.264, -102.312

Tree branches six to ten inches in diameter were downed by the wind.

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

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: 761631, 761634, 761637, 761639, 761642, 761644.