South Dakota, 2026

Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, June 4, 2026

June 4, 2026 · NWS FSD · 11 events in 4 counties and zones

Leftover boundaries from June 3 thunderstorms and diurnally driven MLCAPE up to 1500-2000 J/kg triggered rapid storm development in the mid-James River Valley by mid-to-late afternoon. These storms intensified due to 40-45 kts of effective shear, producing hail as large as baseballs.

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
11

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.

Leftover boundaries from June 3 thunderstorms and diurnally driven MLCAPE up to 1500-2000 J/kg triggered rapid storm development in the mid-James River Valley by mid-to-late afternoon. These storms intensified due to 40-45 kts of effective shear, producing hail as large as baseballs.

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 Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 4, 11:52 AM CST, 1 hour 22 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Portions of southeast South Dakota and southwest Minnesota will see a level 2 of 5 risk for severe storms late this afternoon and evening, with lesser risks farther east and south. Large hail and damaging winds are the primary threats, with an isolated tornado also possible.
  • Some agreement on the better chance for scattered thunderstorms containing heavy rain to be generally near highway 14 later today into tonight. Confidence is fairly low however as there are quite a few differences across many models.
  • Heavy rain, roughly 2-5 inches, fell across parts of Hamlin and Deuel Counties yesterday evening. Will have to see what affect this has on the Big Sioux River in Brookings County, possibly coupled with additional rainfall today and tonight.
  • While details are far more uncertain, an isolated to scattered severe storm risk will linger into Friday. The greater risks at this time shift southeast into eastern Nebraska, Iowa and far southern Minnesota.
  • Temperatures remain in the 80s through the week and rise towards the low 90s by the end of the weekend.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 4, 11:52 AM CST, 1 hour 22 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
1252 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Portions of southeast South Dakota and southwest Minnesota
  will see a level 2 of 5 risk for severe storms late this
  afternoon and evening, with lesser risks farther east and
  south. Large hail and damaging winds are the primary threats,
  with an isolated tornado also possible.

- Some agreement on the better chance for scattered
  thunderstorms containing heavy rain to be generally near
  highway 14 later today into tonight. Confidence is fairly low
  however as there are quite a few differences across many
  models.

- Heavy rain, roughly 2-5 inches, fell across parts of Hamlin
  and Deuel Counties yesterday evening. Will have to see what
  affect this has on the Big Sioux River in Brookings County,
  possibly coupled with additional rainfall today and tonight.

- While details are far more uncertain, an isolated to
  scattered severe storm risk will linger into Friday. The
  greater risks at this time shift southeast into eastern
  Nebraska, Iowa and far southern Minnesota.

- Temperatures remain in the 80s through the week and rise
  towards the low 90s by the end of the weekend.

&&

.UPDATE...
Issued at 258 AM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

The right entrance region of the upper level jet will exit the area
through the afternoon. This will bring a weak wave to NE into
northwest IA by afternoon and could maintain and area of showers and
thunderstorms through the day over parts of northeast NE and
northwest IA. This will keep showers and thunderstorms over these
areas through the day into tonight. For now these storms should not
be severe or at least any severe weather will be very isolated. To
the north clearing is expected today with instability expected to
build through mid to late afternoon. Still some details to work out
on just where the lower level boundary will be, but a wave is
expected to move into central and northern SD this afternoon and
evening. Ahead of this wave southerly flow will increase a bit, with
the the 925-850 mb warm front expected to set up somewhere close to
highway 14. While deeper layer shear will only be on the weaker
side, roughly 30 knots, CAPE values will climb to 1500-2000 J/kg.
This should support a few strong updrafts with hail to the size of
ping pong balls and wind gusts to 65 mph. However, with freezing
levels about 11.5-12 kft and possible training of cells heavy rain
may become a threat. The latest GEFS and Canadian ensembles are
pointing towards a good chance (30-40 percent) of more than an inch
of rain near and north of highway 14. The 6z HRRR, 0z RRFS and 0z
WRF ARW all point to this location as well with pockets of 2-4", so
will need to keep a close eye on where everything sets up Thursday
afternoon. The KFSD radar indicates a solid core of 3-5" of rain
just north of Brookings county with 1-3" of rain across northern
parts of Brookings county into northern parts of Lincoln and Lyon
counties in MN as well.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 304 PM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026

An active few days are in store for the region beginning this
afternoon as an upper trough located over Alberta sends several
waves through the region. Through the day today a deep, warm
layer of moist air will advect into the region from the south.
Highs will climb into the 80s with dew points in the mid 60s.
Plentiful instability (1500-2500+ J/kg) will build into the
region ahead of an approaching cold front. This combined with
steep low and mid-level lapse rates, an increasing LLJ, veering
winds aloft (clockwise hodographs), in addition to strong
divergence aloft set the stage for isolated to scattered strong
to severe supercell thunderstorms to form over central South
Dakota late this afternoon. Low LCL to LFC heights, increasing
helicity and vorticity advection, and favorable shear profiles
(initially perpendicular to the front) indicate that tornados
may be possible with initial supercell formation. One or two of
those tornadoes could be strong, as indicated in the SPC Day 1
Outlook Slight Risk (level 2 of 5). In addition, large hail up
to 2+ inches and damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph are possible.
CAMs guidance varies a bit in timing of initialization, but most
likely it will be between 4-6 pm. Storms will progress eastward
through the evening and overnight. As shear becomes more
parallel to the front, expect that storms will grow upscale into
a quasi-linear system with one or more bowing segments. The
threat will then transition to damaging wind gusts, however a
few brief spin up tornado along the leading edge and hail remain
possible. Timing of storms entering the I-29 corridor region
again varies based on guidance, but in general between 10 pm and
midnight. Storms should then weaken as the move east, exiting
by early to mid-Thursday morning. As far as rain totals go, a
quarter to three quarters of an inch is possible. With a few
isolated areas seeing up to 1+ inches. Widespread flooding is
not expected, but areas that have seen recent rains may
experience isolated flooding.

Thursday will be similar in that another deep layer of moisture
rich, warm air will advect north into the region during the day.
While highs may be limited slightly due to lingering clouds, they
are still expected to reach convective temperatures in the 80s. With
dew points climbing into the upper 60s and low 70s, it will be
another humid day. With the moisture comes renewed instability.
Dynamic parameter's are all sufficient again for strong to
severe storm development as outlined in SPC Day 2 Slight Risk
(level 2 of 5). The difference Thursday will be that two areas
of development will be possible, and one may impact the other.
The first over northwest Iowa where WAA looks to trigger showers
and thunderstorms in the late afternoon and evening. This
northward push of warm air pushes against a southeastward
advancing cold front, causing it to stall out. As we continue
into the evening, storm initiation will occur as upslope flow
encounters the stalled front. With a similar dynamic setup as
today, strong to severe thunderstorms are once again possible.
Large hail and damaging wind gusts will be the primary threats,
however tornadoes will also be possible at storm initiation.
Overnight storms will grow upscale into a line with wind
becoming the primary threat.

Friday will be another day of increased risk for strong to severe
thunderstorms. However, this round will be highly dependent on how
the previous round played out. Light showers will hang around
through the morning, feeding off remnant outflow boundaries. Friday
afternoon upper ridging to the west and high pressure at the surface
begin to push into the region. This forces the surface low and quasi-
stationary boundary to jump southeast. Timing of this jump will
have a large impact on when and where storm formation will take
place. Current guidance indicates storms are more likely to
form over northwest Iowa, just southeast of the CWA border.
However, there are large differences in guidance, and therefore
certainty in timing is low. Once storms do form, they will have
the potential to be strong to severe as outlined by the SPC Day
3 Slight Risk (level 2 of 5).

Saturday we finally get a break from storms with a dry forecast.
Highs look to climb into the 80s and 90s with slightly breezy
southeast winds. During the day Sunday also looks to be dry with
another day of 80s and 90s and breezy southeast winds. Storm chances
return late Sunday night and continue into the first portion of next
week. However, model divergence increases greatly, keeping
confidence low.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 1249 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will develop through the
afternoon and especially into the evening and overnight hours. The
best chance of storms will be near Highway 14 west of I-29 into
south-central South Dakota. This puts the greatest confidence for
storms over KHON, especially for the overnight round. Otherwise, low
stratus looks to develop near and east of I-29 tonight into tomorrow
morning where storm chances are the lowest. This will bring mainly
MVFR conditions to those areas, but locally IFR CIGS will be
possible especially over northwest Iowa and far northeast Nebraska.

We'll see winds increase slightly through the afternoon, sustained
around 5-15 kts, highest in south-central South Dakota. Winds will
become light and variable to calm overnight, and remain on the
lighter side into tomorrow morning. Strong to severe storms will
bring a risk of higher wind gusts, locally as high as 50 kts
through about 05.07Z.

&&

.FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SD...None.
MN...None.
IA...None.
NE...None.

&&

UPDATE...08
DISCUSSION...AJP
AVIATION...Samet
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 4, 2:44 AM CST, 10 hours 30 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
344 AM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

MNZ071-072-080-081-097-SDZ038>040-050-052>065-068-050845-
Lincoln-Lyon-Murray-Cottonwood-Pipestone-Beadle-Kingsbury-Brookings-
Gregory-Jerauld-Sanborn-Miner-Lake-Moody-Brule-Aurora-Davison-Hanson-
McCook-Minnehaha-Charles Mix-Douglas-Hutchinson-Bon Homme-
344 AM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southwest Minnesota, central
South Dakota, east central South Dakota, south central South Dakota
and southeast South Dakota.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Strong to severe thunderstorms will again be possible this afternoon
through the evening. The strongest storms may contain hail to ping
pong balls and wind gusts to 65 mph. While tornadoes are unlikely,
and isolated tornado is possible. Additionally, heavy rain will be
possible with smaller pockets of 2 to 4 inches of rain.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

Hot conditions will be possible this weekend into the middle of next
week. Highs in the 90s are likely Sunday through Wednesday, with
Monday possibly remaining in the 80s.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-MNZ089-090-098-NEZ013-014-SDZ066-
067-069>071-050845-
Lyon-Osceola-Dickinson-Sioux-O'Brien-Clay-Plymouth-Cherokee-
Buena Vista-Woodbury-Ida-Nobles-Jackson-Rock-Dixon-Dakota-Turner-
Lincoln-Yankton-Union-
344 AM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest Iowa, west central
Iowa, southwest Minnesota, northeast Nebraska and southeast South
Dakota.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible throughout the
day into tonight. While severe weather is not expected, an isolated
storm could produce hail to the size of half dollars and wind gusts
to 60 mph.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

While confidence is low a few severe storms will also be possible on
Friday.

Hot conditions will be possible this weekend into the middle of next
week. Highs in the 90s are likely Sunday through Wednesday, with
Monday possibly remaining in the 80s.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 4, 9:26 AM CST, 3 hours 48 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
1026 AM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0634 PM     Hail             4 NE Broadland          44.53N 98.28W
06/03/2026  M1.00 Inch       Beadle             SD   Public

&&

JC
Local storm report, Jun 4, 9:36 AM CST, 3 hours 38 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
1036 AM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0643 PM     Hail             8 ESE Hitchcock         44.59N 98.25W
06/03/2026  M0.88 Inch       Beadle             SD   Public

&&

JC
Local storm report, Jun 4, 9:48 AM CST, 3 hours 26 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
1048 AM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0640 PM     Hail             7 NE Broadland          44.57N 98.27W
06/03/2026  M1.25 Inch       Beadle             SD   Public

&&

JC
Local storm report, Jun 4, 11:31 AM CST, 1 hour 43 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
1231 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1014 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     5 SW Winfred            43.94N 97.42W
06/03/2026  M59 MPH          Miner              SD   Mesonet

            Personal Weather Station.

0920 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     1 WNW Mount Vernon      43.72N 98.28W
06/03/2026  M66 MPH          Davison            SD   Mesonet

            Mesonet station VNMS2 Mount Vernon (SD
            Mesonet).

0705 PM     Hail             5 S Chamberlain         43.74N 99.31W
06/03/2026  E0.70 Inch       Brule              SD   CO-OP Observer

            Ongoing heavy rain and pea to dime sized
            hail.

0835 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     15 WNW Platte           43.50N 99.09W
06/03/2026  M58 MPH          Brule              SD   Mesonet

            Mesonet station ACMS2 Academy 3NNW (SD
            Mesonet).

0540 PM     Hail             2 SSE Wessington        44.42N 98.69W
06/03/2026  E1.50 Inch       Beadle             SD   CO-OP Observer

            Pea to ping pong ball sized hail. Time
            estimated by radar.

0634 PM     Hail             4 NE Broadland          44.53N 98.28W
06/03/2026  M1.00 Inch       Beadle             SD   Public

0640 PM     Hail             7 NE Broadland          44.57N 98.27W
06/03/2026  M1.25 Inch       Beadle             SD   Public

0643 PM     Hail             8 ESE Hitchcock         44.59N 98.25W
06/03/2026  M0.88 Inch       Beadle             SD   Public

0830 PM     Hail             1 ESE Cavour            44.37N 98.03W
06/03/2026  E1.25 Inch       Beadle             SD   Public

            Hail a bit larger than quarters along with
            heavy rain. Exact location estimated by
            radar.

0855 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     1 ENE White Lake        43.73N 98.69W
06/03/2026  M69 MPH          Aurora             SD   Mesonet

            Mesonet station WTES2 White Lake (SD
            Mesonet).

0859 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     5 W Plankinton          43.71N 98.58W
06/03/2026  M58 MPH          Aurora             SD   Mesonet

            Mesonet station 214 SD RWIS Plankinton.

&&

The radar

The Aberdeen radar (KABR), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:14 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Beadle

When
June 4, 1:14 PM CST to 1:16 PM CST
Where
Beadle County, 7.96 mi NNE of (Hon)huron Arpt
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.480, -98.150

Hail, Beadle

When
June 4, 1:19 PM CST to 1:22 PM CST
Where
Beadle County, 6.27 mi NNE of (Hon)huron Arpt
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.460, -98.170

Hail, Beadle

When
June 4, 1:31 PM CST to 1:35 PM CST
Where
Beadle County, 0.49 mi W of Yale
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.430, -97.990

Hail, Beadle

When
June 4, 1:39 PM CST to 1:43 PM CST
Where
Beadle County, 4.03 mi ENE of Yale
Measured
2.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.460, -97.910

Photo showed hail of various size from golf ball to baseball size.

Hail, Beadle

When
June 4, 1:47 PM CST to 1:49 PM CST
Where
Beadle County, 5.55 mi N of Iroquois
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.450, -97.860

Hail, Kingsbury

When
June 4, 1:50 PM CST to 1:53 PM CST
Where
Kingsbury County, 0.49 mi W of Osceola
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
44.470, -97.840

Thunderstorm Wind, Beadle

When
June 4, 6:04 PM CST to 6:06 PM CST
Where
Beadle County, 4.4 mi NNW of Wolsey
Measured
62 kt (71 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
44.460, -98.500

Thunderstorm wind gusts measured by the South Dakota Road Weather Information System site near Wolsey.

Thunderstorm Wind, Beadle

When
June 4, 6:33 PM CST to 6:34 PM CST
Where
Beadle County, 0.69 mi N of (Hon)huron Arpt
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
44.390, -98.230

Thunderstorm wind gust measured by ASOS station KHON at the Huron Regional Airport.

Hail, Beadle

When
June 4, 6:39 PM CST to 6:41 PM CST
Where
Beadle County, 9.69 mi S of Wessington
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
44.310, -98.690

Hail, Jerauld

When
June 4, 8:31 PM CST to 8:33 PM CST
Where
Jerauld County, 0.69 mi N of Lane
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
44.080, -98.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Brule

When
June 4, 10:28 PM CST to 10:29 PM CST
Where
Brule County, (9v9)chamberlain Arp
Measured
54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
43.770, -99.320

Thunderstorm wind gust measured by AWOS station K9V9 near Chamberlain.

What these are

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 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in South Dakota, June 2026

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: 1345471, 1345472, 1345473, 1345474, 1345475, 1345476, 1345479, 1345480, 1345477, 1345478, 1345481.