South Dakota, 2020

Flooding in South Dakota, February 26 to 29, 2020

February 26 to 29, 2020 · NWS FSD · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

As temperatures moderated late month, runoff from melting snow resulted in rising river levels on portions of the James River.

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
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 FSD wrote it up.

As temperatures moderated late month, runoff from melting snow resulted in rising river levels on portions of the James River.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Sanborn

When
February 26, 3:00 PM CST to February 29, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Sanborn County, 2.13 mi NNE of Letcher to 6.28 mi SSE of Letcher
Cause
Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Reported by
River/Stream Gage
Coordinates
43.930, -98.120

The James River at Mitchell (gage site JRMS2) reached an end of month peak of 0.28 feet above flood stage. Impacts were limited to flooding of agricultural lands near the river. The river remained in minor flood at the end of the month.

Flood, Davison

When
February 26, 3:00 PM CST to February 29, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Davison County, 4.92 mi N of Loomis to 6.39 mi S of Ethan
Cause
Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Reported by
River/Stream Gage
Coordinates
43.851, -98.092

The James River at Mitchell (gage site JRMS2) reached an end of month peak of 0.28 feet above flood stage. Impacts were limited to flooding of agricultural lands near the river. The river remained in minor flood at the end of the month.

Flood, Hanson

When
February 26, 3:00 PM CST to February 29, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Hanson County, 4.22 mi NW of Plano to 3.78 mi W of Rockport
Cause
Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Reported by
River/Stream Gage
Coordinates
43.851, -97.967

The James River at Mitchell (gage site JRMS2) reached an end of month peak of 0.28 feet above flood stage. Impacts were limited to flooding of agricultural lands near the river. The river remained in minor flood at the end of the month.

Flood, Hutchinson

When
February 26, 3:00 PM CST to February 29, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Hutchinson County, 2.41 mi NE of Dimock to 5.37 mi SSE of Milltown
Cause
Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Reported by
River/Stream Gage
Coordinates
43.499, -97.953

The James River at Mitchell (gage site JRMS2) reached an end of month peak of 0.28 feet above flood stage. Impacts were limited to flooding of agricultural lands near the river. The river remained in minor flood at the end of the month.

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in South Dakota in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, February 2020

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: 874739, 874740, 874741, 874742.