Damaging Winds in South Dakota, September 15, 2025

Name: Damaging Winds in South Dakota, September 15, 2025
Start: 2025-09-15T17:00
End: 2025-09-15T19:39
Location: South Dakota

September 15, 2025 · NWS UNR · 4 events in 2 counties and zones

A few isolated thunderstorms that remained nearly stationary over the Black Hills mainly impacted Custer and Meade counties. The strongest storms ended up producing low end severe weather with large hail occurring in Custer county.

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: 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.

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 Sep 15, 4:43 PM MST, 17 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 15, 4:43 PM MST, 17 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 15, 2:25 AM MST, 14 hours 35 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Rapid City SD
325 AM MDT Mon Sep 15 2025

SDZ014-032-043-044-046-047-049-077-161300-
Ziebach-Haakon-Northern Jackson-Bennett-Mellette-Todd-Tripp-
Southern Jackson-
325 AM MDT Mon Sep 15 2025 /425 AM CDT Mon Sep 15 2025/

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

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms are possible tonight. Severe weather is not
expected.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday

Scattered to isolated thunderstorms are possible through Friday.
Severe weather is not expected.

.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

SDZ001-002-012-013-024>031-041-042-072>076-078-WYZ054>060-161300-
Harding-Northern Perkins-Butte-Northern Meade Co Plains-
Northern Black Hills-Northern Foothills-Rapid City-
Southern Foothills-Central Black Hills-Southern Black Hills-
Custer Co Plains-Pennington Co Plains-Western Fall River-
Northern Oglala Lakota-Sturgis/Piedmont Foothills-
Southern Meade Co Plains-Hermosa Foothills-Eastern Fall River-
Southern Oglala Lakota-Southern Perkins-Northern Campbell-
Southern Campbell-Western Crook-Wyoming Black Hills-
Weston County Plains-Newcastle-Northeastern Crook-
325 AM MDT Mon Sep 15 2025

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

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

There is a marginal risk (level 1 of 5) of severe thunderstorms
today, meaning that isolated severe storms are possible. The
primary hazard will be strong gusty winds.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday

Scattered to isolated thunderstorms are possible through
Thursday. Severe weather is not expected.

.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

Special weather statement, Sep 15, 4:12 PM MST, 48 minutes before

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Local storm report, Sep 15, 4:15 PM MST, 45 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Sep 15, 4:17 PM MST, 43 minutes before

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Local storm report, Sep 15, 4:25 PM MST, 35 minutes before

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Special weather statement, Sep 15, 4:45 PM MST, 15 minutes before

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Local storm report, Sep 15, 4:46 PM MST, 14 minutes before

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The radar

The Rapid City radar (KUDX), 107 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Custer

When: September 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Custer County, 10.51 mi W of Jewel Cave Natl Mon
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 43.720, -104.040

SD Mesonet Station recorded the wind gust.

Thunderstorm Wind, Custer

When: September 15, 5:08 PM MST
Where: Custer County, 10.51 mi W of Jewel Cave Natl Mon
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 43.720, -104.040

SD Mesonet Station recorded the wind gust.

Thunderstorm Wind, Custer

When: September 15, 5:10 PM MST
Where: Custer County, 10.51 mi W of Jewel Cave Natl Mon
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 43.720, -104.040

SD Mesonet Station recorded the wind gust.

Thunderstorm Wind, Meade

When: September 15, 7:39 PM MST
Where: Meade County, 1.2 mi NE of Mud Butte
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 45.010, -102.860

SD Mesonet Station recorded the wind gust.

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

Every storm in South Dakota in 2025 Every state in 2025 This day in weather history Warnings in South Dakota, September 2025

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: 1298106, 1298107, 1298108, 1298109.