Hail in South Dakota, May 12, 2022

Name: Hail in South Dakota, May 12, 2022
Start: 2022-05-12T12:45
End: 2022-05-12T12:45
Location: South Dakota

May 12, 2022 · NWS UNR · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A thunderstorm briefly became severe west of Spearfish, producing lots of small hail and a few stones around quarter size.

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: 1

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 thunderstorm briefly became severe west of Spearfish, producing lots of small hail and a few stones around quarter size.

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 May 12, 12:12 PM MST, 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 12, 12:12 PM MST, 33 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, May 12, 4:56 AM MST, 7 hours 49 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Rapid City SD
556 AM MDT Thu May 12 2022

SDZ001-002-012>014-024>032-041>044-072>074-WYZ054>058-071-131300-
Harding-Perkins-Butte-Northern Meade Co Plains-Ziebach-
Northern Black Hills-Northern Foot Hills-Rapid City-
Southern Foot Hills-Central Black Hills-Southern Black Hills-
Custer Co Plains-Pennington Co Plains-Haakon-Fall River-
Oglala Lakota-Jackson-Bennett-Sturgis/Piedmont Foot Hills-
Southern Meade Co Plains-Hermosa Foot Hills-Northern Campbell-
Southern Campbell-Western Crook-Wyoming Black Hills-Weston-
Northeastern Crook-
556 AM MDT Thu May 12 2022

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of western South
Dakota and northeastern Wyoming.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

There is a good chance for showers and thunderstorms, especially
this afternoon into the early evening hours. Severe thunderstorms
are not expected, but a strong storm or two with small hail and
gusty winds is possible this afternoon.

Gusty westerly winds will develop behind a passing cold front
today. Some gusts of 40 to 50 mph are possible this afternoon and
evening, especially across northwest South Dakota.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday

There is a chance for thunderstorms Friday afternoon, especially
across the Black Hills area and northwest South Dakota. Severe
thunderstorms are not expected at this time, but small hail and
gusty winds are possible with a stronger storm or two.

Gusty westerly winds are possible again on Friday, especially
across northwest South Dakota, where some gusts of 40 to 50 mph
look possible in the late morning and afternoon.

.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

SDZ046-047-049-131300-
Mellette-Todd-Tripp-
656 AM CDT Thu May 12 2022

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

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Chances for showers and thunderstorms will continue today,
mainly during the afternoon. There is a marginal risk (level 1 of
5) of severe thunderstorms today, meaning that isolated severe
storms are possible. Primary hazards include large hail and strong
wind gusts.

Gusty westerly winds will develop behind a passing cold front
later today. Gusts of up to around 45 mph are possible late this
afternoon and evening.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may 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, May 12, 12:02 PM MST, 43 minutes before

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Local storm report, May 12, 12:13 PM MST, 32 minutes before

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Special weather statement, May 12, 12:27 PM MST, 18 minutes before

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Local storm report, May 12, 12:31 PM MST, 14 minutes before

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Local storm report, May 12, 12:44 PM MST, 1 minute before

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Special weather statement, May 12, 12:45 PM MST, 0 minutes before

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The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:44 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Lawrence

When: May 12, 12:45 PM MST
Where: Lawrence County, 8.9 mi W of Spearfish
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.500, -104.040

The ground was covered with hail, mostly dime size or less.

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 2022 Every state in 2022 This day in weather history Warnings in South Dakota, May 2022

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: 1015909.