High Wind in South Dakota, March 28, 2026

Name: High Wind in South Dakota, March 28, 2026
Start: 2026-03-28T08:02
End: 2026-03-28T11:45
Location: South Dakota

March 28, 2026 · NWS ABR · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A departing high pressure system generated strong southwest winds, with a peak wind gust of 70 mph at the South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) Road Weather Information System (RWIS) station 6 miles south southwest of Peever. Additionally, the SDDOT RWIS 4 miles north of Altamont recorded a peak gust of 68 mph, while the SDDOT RWIS in Summit topped 66 mph.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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
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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 ABR wrote it up.

These high winds were directly responsible for a grassfire 2 miles west of the town of Gary in Deuel County, which burned approximately 100 acres of pasture and farmland. The high winds also caused intermittent near zero visibility due to blowing dust along a portion of Highway 14 between Ree Heights and the city of Miller. 3 trees collapsed due to the wind stress in the city of Miller as well.

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 Aberdeen, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 27, 1:55 PM CST, 18 hours 7 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 27, 1:55 PM CST, 18 hours 7 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 27, 2:08 PM CST, 17 hours 54 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Day

When: March 28, 8:02 AM CST
Where: Day forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 45.367, -97.607 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hand

When: March 28, 9:04 AM CST
Where: Hand forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 44.548, -99.005 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The South Dakota Department of Transportation mesonet station near Ree Heights recorded a peak wind gust of 61 mph. Due to these high winds and an ongoing dry spell, areas of blowing dust resulted in intermittent near-zero visibility along portions of Highway 14 between Ree Heights and Miller. Additionally, three trees collapsed within the city of Miller due to wind stress.

High Wind, Roberts

When: March 28, 9:17 AM CST to 9:54 AM CST
Where: Roberts forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 45.630, -96.946 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Deuel

When: March 28, 10:02 AM CST to 11:45 AM CST
Where: Deuel forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 44.760, -96.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in South Dakota in 2026 Every state in 2026 This day in weather history Warnings in South Dakota, March 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1316008, 1316007, 1316006, 1316005.