South Dakota, 2024

Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, May 23, 2024

May 23, 2024 · NWS ABR · 18 events in 9 counties and zones

Widespread thunderstorms developed during the early afternoon hours on May 23rd in the vicinity of a low pressure system and its associated warm and cold fronts. These storms produced large hail, damaging winds and a pair of funnel clouds.

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
18

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 ABR wrote it up.

Widespread thunderstorms developed during the early afternoon hours on May 23rd in the vicinity of a low pressure system and its associated warm and cold fronts. These storms produced large hail, damaging winds and a pair of funnel clouds. The largest hail observed was golf ball sized 9 miles west of Orient and 7 miles southeast of Burdette. 1 inch hail was also observed in the city of Aberdeen. In addition to the large hail, strong winds were also observed. A weather station 3 miles south of Saint Lawrence recording a wind gust of 76 mph, with an additional 4 other weather stations recording wind gusts in excess of 58 mph scattered across central, north central and northeast South Dakota.

The radar

The Aberdeen radar (KABR), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:30 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 2 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Funnel Cloud, McPherson

When
May 23, 3:30 PM CST
Where
McPherson County, 0.48 mi E of Leola
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.720, -98.940

The public relayed through Facebook the presence of a funnel cloud near the town of Leola.

Hail, Brown

When
May 23, 3:30 PM CST
Where
Brown County, 9.09 mi WSW of Winship
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.880, -98.700

Hail, Hyde

When
May 23, 3:30 PM CST
Where
Hyde County, 24 mi NNE of Highmore Arpt
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.870, -99.330

Hail, Faulk

When
May 23, 3:31 PM CST
Where
Faulk County, 9.3 mi W of Orient
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
44.900, -99.270

Hail, Hand

When
May 23, 3:45 PM CST
Where
Hand County, 8.44 mi WNW of Polo
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.840, -99.250

Funnel Cloud, Faulk

When
May 23, 4:04 PM CST
Where
Faulk County, 4.26 mi NNW of Chelsea
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.230, -98.770

A trained spotter observed a funnel cloud west of Warner.

Hail, Hughes

When
May 23, 4:11 PM CST
Where
Hughes County, 5.95 mi SE of De Grey
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.210, -99.850

Hail, Brown

When
May 23, 4:37 PM CST
Where
Brown County, 1.61 mi WSW of Aberdeen
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.460, -98.510

Hail, Brown

When
May 23, 4:39 PM CST
Where
Brown County, 1.46 mi NNW of Aberdeen
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.490, -98.490

Hail, Hughes

When
May 23, 4:50 PM CST
Where
Hughes County, 5.95 mi SE of De Grey
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.210, -99.850

Thunderstorm Wind, Hand

When
May 23, 5:05 PM CST
Where
Hand County, 0.85 mi SW of Miller
Measured
53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
44.510, -98.990

Thunderstorm Wind, Hand

When
May 23, 5:11 PM CST
Where
Hand County, 10.16 mi NE of Polo
Measured
51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
44.900, -98.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Hand

When
May 23, 5:19 PM CST
Where
Hand County, 3.49 mi S of St Lawrence
Measured
66 kt (76 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
44.470, -98.940

Hail, Hand

When
May 23, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Hand County, 10.78 mi NNE of Vayland
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.630, -98.720

Hail, Sully

When
May 23, 6:30 PM CST
Where
Sully County, 1.47 mi NNW of Agar
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.850, -100.080

Hail, Potter

When
May 23, 7:08 PM CST
Where
Potter County, 8.87 mi SW of Hoven
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
45.160, -99.930

Thunderstorm Wind, Brown

When
May 23, 8:55 PM CST
Where
Brown County, 4.37 mi NE of Groton Muni Arpt
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
45.570, -98.030

Thunderstorm Wind, Walworth

When
May 23, 9:11 PM CST
Where
Walworth County, 3.66 mi ESE of Selby Arpt
Measured
54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
45.450, -99.960

What these are

Funnel Cloud
A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
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 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, May 2024

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: 1178763, 1178765, 1178766, 1178767, 1178768, 1178764, 1178769, 1178770, 1178771, 1178772, 1178777, 1178776, 1178778, 1178773, 1178774, 1178775, 1178779, 1178780.