Storm Records: South Dakota
Every storm the National Weather Service has filed in South Dakota: its floods, heat, cold, winter storms, hail, wind, lightning and tornadoes, year by year and county by county, each episode with its narrative.
The worst in South Dakota on the map
The deadliest and costliest episodes on record here, colored by kind of event.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 55,877
- Deaths
- 147
- Injuries
- 999
- Damage
- $2.9 billion
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.
Every year
Tap a year for every episode in it.
Deaths each year
By kind of event
| Kind of event | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 17,011 | 0 | 65 | $254 million |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 12,755 | 15 | 139 | $104 million |
| High Wind | 4,975 | 0 | 14 | $6.6 million |
| Winter Weather | 3,114 | 32 | 68 | $613,000 |
| Winter Storm | 2,895 | 6 | 28 | $92 million |
| Flood | 2,538 | 6 | 0 | $1.2 billion |
| Blizzard | 2,499 | 24 | 52 | $113 million |
| Drought | 2,012 | 0 | 0 | $750 million |
| Tornado | 1,947 | 19 | 488 | $260 million |
| Heavy Snow | 1,416 | 2 | 13 | $341,000 |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 1,388 | 6 | 0 | |
| Flash Flood | 839 | 4 | 8 | $56 million |
| Excessive Heat | 618 | 1 | 10 | $54,000 |
| Cold/Wind Chill | 605 | 6 | 2 | |
| Strong Wind | 279 | 1 | 5 | $514,000 |
| Heat | 259 | 1 | 0 | |
| Ice Storm | 204 | 9 | 67 | $26 million |
| Funnel Cloud | 171 | 0 | 1 | |
| Lightning | 127 | 5 | 20 | $5.0 million |
| Heavy Rain | 85 | 1 | 4 | $182,000 |
| Wildfire | 84 | 1 | 2 | $120,000 |
| Dense Fog | 15 | 8 | 10 | $20,000 |
| Lakeshore Flood | 13 | 0 | 0 | |
| Dense Smoke | 10 | 0 | 0 | |
| Dust Storm | 8 | 0 | 0 | |
| Freezing Fog | 7 | 0 | 3 | |
| Dust Devil | 3 | 0 | 0 | $26,000 |
The deadliest
- Tornadoes in South Dakota, May 30, 1998A large and strengthening tornado destroyed buildings and other property on five farms and also destroyed trees and power lines before crossing the eastern edge of Hanson County.
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in South Dakota, December 12 to 16, 2022A powerful winter storm moved slowly across the central and northern Plains to the upper Midwest; bringing heavy snow, some mixed precipitation, strong winds, and periods of blizzard or near blizzard conditions across the plains for a multi-day period.
- Ice Storm in South Dakota, November 14 to 18, 1996An ice storm consisting of several periods of freezing rain caused widespread damage and paralyzed travel. Widespread damage occurred to electrical poles and lines, leaving thousands without power for up to four days.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, July 31, 1966
- Ice Storm in South Dakota, January 10, 1996A narrow band of freezing rain caused major disruption to traffic just after the beginning of rush hour, especially in the cities of Sioux Falls and Watertown. Over one hundred accidents occurred, including a collision near Watertown which caused 3 fatalities.
- Dense Fog in South Dakota, January 18, 2010Dense freezing fog created very low visibilities to 1/16 of a mile along with icy roads which contributed to a multi-vehicle wreck 11 miles south of Watertown. The accident killed three people and injured two others.
- Blizzard in South Dakota, October 3 to 5, 2013A historic blizzard pounded western South Dakota with record-setting snowfall and strong winds for almost 48 hours from the evening of October 3 through the afternoon of October 5.
- Winter Weather in South Dakota, March 10, 2018During the morning of March 10, an approaching weak mid-level wave brought a brief pulse of warm advection.
- Tornadoes and Hail in South Dakota, June 7, 1965
- Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, May 12, 2022A volatile environment featured a warm front from parts of east central South Dakota into western Minnesota, with a dryline extending to the southwest into Nebraska.
- Flash Flood and Hail in South Dakota, July 5, 2022A cluster of thunderstorms developed across eastern Montana and the western Dakotas during the morning hours. These storms organized and turned southeastward, feeding on rich inflow of post-frontal air with up to 3000 J/kg of MLCAPE and over 1000 J/kg of DCAPE.
- Ice Storm in South Dakota, March 6, 2002Freezing drizzle produced a thin coating of ice over Interstate I-90 19 miles west of Kadoka in Jackson County. A Semitrailer pulling a car hauler lost control on the westbound side of the interstate.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, September 24, 1986
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, June 11, 1984
- Blizzard in South Dakota, January 9 to 10, 1997A powerful Alberta Clipper and a deep Arctic High brought widespread and prolonged blizzard conditions, heavy drifting snow, and dangerous wind chills of 40 to 80 below to central and northeast South Dakota. North winds were from 30 to 50 mph gusting to 60 mph.
- Cold in South Dakota, January 15 to 16, 1997Temperatures a few degrees below zero were accompanied by wind gusts over 40 mph creating wind chills as cold as 70 below zero. Drifting snow and areas of low visibility in blowing snow also occurred in open areas.
- Winter Weather in South Dakota, April 15, 2011A large surface low pressure area brought 1 to 2 inches of snowfall resulting in slushy roads and difficult driving conditions across Hamlin County. The poor conditions contributed to a fatal accident.
- Flash Flooding in South Dakota, June 20 to 21, 2011A large upper level low pressure area along with deep moisture brought very heavy rains to central South Dakota. Rainfall amounts of 3 to 7 inches occurred across parts of the area resulting in flash flooding.
- Winter Weather in South Dakota, January 3, 2014Light freezing rain glazed the roads across parts of north central and northeast South Dakota during the mid afternoon hours. Due to slick roads, there was a two car and one semi accident six miles west of Mina on Highway 12 in eastern Edmunds County.
- Extreme Cold in South Dakota, January 1 to 2, 2017A couple became stranded northeast of Eagle Butte on Jan 1st in snow and low visibility when their vehicle went into the ditch. It was very cold when the couple decided to walk to safety with both of them freezing to death.
- Flooding in South Dakota, March 17 to 31, 2019A historic flooding event unfolded as heavy rainfall with a late winter storm drenched the area on March 13-14, 2019.
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in South Dakota, November 10, 2020Unusual warmth with a week of temperatures mainly in the 70s (even 50s and 60s on November 9 less than a day before this storm) was brought to an abrupt end as a deep trough of low pressure moved out of Rockies and into the Plains.
- Winter Weather in South Dakota, January 26, 2022A single roll-over vehicle accident occurred on Interstate 29 due to icy roadways. Two occupants were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in South Dakota, July 31, 2024A very moist and unstable atmosphere was present in the wake of earlier day convection, as another stronger mid-level wave and associated frontal boundary pushed through southeast South Dakota and southwest Minnesota during the evening and early overnight hours.
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in South Dakota, April 1 to 3, 2025A system to the south looped up into Minnesota, generating a band of heavy snow and strong winds across mainly northeast South Dakota, with a lull and partial melting before wrap around precipitation and a re-freeze resulted in additional ice and snowfall.
The costliest
- Flooding in South Dakota, June 1 to 30, 2019
- Flooding in South Dakota, June 1 to 30, 2019
- Drought in South Dakota, July 1 to 31, 2022
- Drought in South Dakota, June 1 to 30, 2022
- Flooding in South Dakota, June 20 to 30, 2024
- Drought in South Dakota, July 1 to 31, 2023
- Drought in South Dakota, August 1 to 31, 2022
- Winter Storm in South Dakota, April 9 to 11, 2013
- Drought in South Dakota, July 1 to 31, 2021
- Drought in South Dakota, July 26 to 31, 2022
- Blizzard in South Dakota, April 5 to 6, 1997
- Drought in South Dakota, October 1 to 31, 2023
- Blizzard in South Dakota, March 23 to 24, 2009
- Tornadoes and Hail in South Dakota, June 16, 1992
- Drought in South Dakota, September 13 to 30, 2022
- Drought in South Dakota, May 1 to 31, 2022
- Tornado and Flash Flood in South Dakota, August 30, 2013
- Tornadoes and Hail in South Dakota, June 19, 1979
- Flooding in South Dakota, March 13 to 15, 2019
- Drought in South Dakota, September 20 to 30, 2022
- Tornado and Hail in South Dakota, July 14, 1970
- Flooding in South Dakota, September 11 to 16, 2019
- Flooding in South Dakota, July 1 to 10, 2005
- Flash Flood and Hail in South Dakota, July 8 to 9, 2009
- Tornadoes and Hail in South Dakota, June 12, 2001
Counties
Every storm event filed in each county, including the zone-filed ones that covered it.
- Aurora County645
- Beadle County1,044
- Bennett County605
- Bon Homme County812
- Brookings County844
- Brown County1,437
- Brule County707
- Buffalo County416
- Butte County966
- Campbell County519
- Charles Mix County958
- Clark County678
- Clay County708
- Codington County782
- Corson County939
- Custer County1,661
- Davison County808
- Day County747
- Deuel County534
- Dewey County814
- Douglas County547
- Edmunds County819
- Fall River County1,001
- Faulk County615
- Grant County566
- Gregory County751
- Haakon County843
- Hamlin County634
- Hand County867
- Hanson County566
- Harding County1,107
- Hughes County801
- Hutchinson County832
- Hyde County568
- Jackson County959
- Jerauld County529
- Jones County540
- Kingsbury County712
- Lake County664
- Lawrence County1,268
- Lincoln County959
- Lyman County927
- Marshall County621
- McCook County745
- McPherson County650
- Meade County2,673
- Mellette County488
- Miner County537
- Minnehaha County1,554
- Moody County657
- Oglala Lakota County905
- Pennington County3,571
- Perkins County1,026
- Potter County559
- Roberts County688
- Sanborn County649
- Spink County865
- Stanley County703
- Sully County525
- Todd County777
- Tripp County795
- Turner County787
- Union County834
- Walworth County663
- Yankton County878
- Ziebach County738
Counties and zones as filed
The places filed most often, as the offices named them.
| County or zone | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennington | 2,429 | 2 | 45 | $81 million |
| Meade | 1,597 | 0 | 57 | $17 million |
| Minnehaha | 1,183 | 5 | 12 | $111 million |
| Brown | 1,121 | 4 | 33 | $47 million |
| Custer | 977 | 0 | 1 | $9.9 million |
| Harding | 769 | 0 | 0 | $1.4 million |
| Perkins | 728 | 0 | 4 | $8.9 million |
| Jackson | 712 | 0 | 5 | $3.6 million |
| Lawrence | 708 | 1 | 8 | $20 million |
| Beadle | 704 | 0 | 3 | $73 million |
| Oglala Lakota | 695 | 3 | 69 | $8.1 million |
| Butte | 683 | 1 | 14 | $9.4 million |
| Fall River | 683 | 1 | 3 | $6.8 million |
| Corson | 631 | 0 | 4 | $2.0 million |
| Lyman | 618 | 2 | 8 | $5.4 million |
| Charles Mix | 608 | 3 | 9 | $52 million |
| Hand | 608 | 1 | 14 | $51 million |
| Spink | 603 | 2 | 0 | $46 million |
| Lincoln | 598 | 3 | 17 | $96 million |
| Tripp | 596 | 0 | 3 | $5.0 million |
| Todd | 577 | 0 | 8 | $4.4 million |
| Haakon | 572 | 0 | 0 | $5.6 million |
| Edmunds | 552 | 0 | 0 | $15 million |
| Yankton | 535 | 1 | 3 | $84 million |
| Codington | 527 | 0 | 6 | $16 million |
| Hughes | 521 | 0 | 10 | $5.9 million |
| Dewey | 520 | 0 | 1 | $4.0 million |
| Brookings | 513 | 0 | 15 | $45 million |
| Union | 492 | 0 | 4 | $78 million |
| Bon Homme | 489 | 0 | 3 | $35 million |
| Ziebach | 489 | 0 | 7 | $4.9 million |
| Hutchinson | 487 | 0 | 2 | $78 million |
| Davison | 472 | 1 | 53 | $67 million |
| Day | 467 | 0 | 15 | $15 million |
| Turner | 439 | 1 | 0 | $72 million |
| Stanley | 431 | 0 | 11 | $3.1 million |
| Clark | 428 | 2 | 14 | $21 million |
| Bennett | 421 | 0 | 4 | $5.1 million |
| Gregory | 414 | 0 | 10 | $25 million |
| Walworth | 414 | 0 | 2 | $7.1 million |
| McCook | 399 | 6 | 156 | $78 million |
| McPherson | 393 | 2 | 5 | $8.4 million |
| Kingsbury | 391 | 2 | 6 | $46 million |
| Brule | 387 | 0 | 2 | $24 million |
| Clay | 387 | 0 | 2 | $37 million |
| Hamlin | 384 | 1 | 17 | $16 million |
| Minnehaha zone | 371 | 10 | 115 | $32 million |
| Faulk | 368 | 0 | 0 | $23 million |
| Lincoln zone | 361 | 2 | 16 | $48 million |
| Marshall | 355 | 0 | 1 | $20 million |
| Charles Mix zone | 350 | 0 | 1 | $46 million |
| Turner zone | 348 | 0 | 1 | $86 million |
| McCook zone | 345 | 2 | 0 | $50 million |
| Hutchinson zone | 345 | 5 | 2 | $119 million |
| Roberts zone | 345 | 1 | 1 | $2.1 million |
| Roberts | 343 | 1 | 1 | $17 million |
| Yankton zone | 343 | 1 | 1 | $65 million |
| Union zone | 341 | 1 | 14 | $24 million |
| Beadle zone | 340 | 1 | 3 | $40 million |
| Gregory zone | 337 | 0 | 0 | $15 million |
| Davison zone | 337 | 0 | 15 | $20 million |
| Harding zone | 336 | 0 | 0 | $8.3 million |
| Lake | 334 | 1 | 0 | $38 million |
| Aurora zone | 333 | 2 | 6 | $32 million |
| Moody zone | 332 | 2 | 3 | $9.0 million |
| Brookings zone | 331 | 1 | 5 | $9.2 million |
| Lake zone | 330 | 1 | 4 | $11 million |
| Sanborn | 327 | 2 | 4 | $25 million |
| Moody | 325 | 0 | 1 | $22 million |
| Hyde | 325 | 0 | 0 | $8.8 million |
| Bon Homme zone | 323 | 0 | 0 | $65 million |
| Sanborn zone | 322 | 0 | 0 | $23 million |
| Kingsbury zone | 321 | 1 | 0 | $14 million |
| Clay zone | 321 | 0 | 1 | $38 million |
| Brule zone | 320 | 3 | 2 | $30 million |
| Hanson zone | 319 | 0 | 12 | $23 million |
| Brown zone | 317 | 6 | 11 | $6.9 million |
| Douglas zone | 314 | 1 | 1 | $27 million |
| Aurora | 312 | 0 | 1 | $22 million |
| Potter | 310 | 0 | 0 | $15 million |
| Corson zone | 309 | 2 | 3 | $135,000 |
| Lyman zone | 309 | 2 | 0 | |
| Pennington Co Plains zone | 309 | 1 | 1 | $3.9 million |
| Mellette | 308 | 0 | 1 | $993,000 |
| Jerauld zone | 307 | 1 | 0 | $15 million |
| Miner zone | 303 | 0 | 0 | $21 million |
| Jones | 294 | 0 | 3 | $3.0 million |
| Dewey zone | 294 | 3 | 1 | $232,000 |
| Grant zone | 284 | 2 | 2 | $2.1 million |
| Grant | 282 | 1 | 2 | $11 million |
| Hughes zone | 281 | 0 | 3 | |
| Campbell | 280 | 0 | 6 | $3.2 million |
| Day zone | 280 | 1 | 1 | $10 million |
| Sully | 279 | 0 | 1 | $7.9 million |
| Deuel | 272 | 0 | 4 | $12 million |
| Stanley zone | 271 | 0 | 0 | $144,000 |
| Haakon zone | 271 | 1 | 0 | $4.9 million |
| Southern Meade Co Plains zone | 269 | 0 | 0 | $4.9 million |
| Edmunds zone | 267 | 3 | 2 | $74,000 |
| Marshall zone | 266 | 3 | 2 | $9.4 million |
| Northern Black Hills zone | 265 | 3 | 3 | $2.9 million |
| Deuel zone | 262 | 1 | 1 | $2.6 million |
| Spink zone | 262 | 1 | 2 | $350,000 |
| Perkins zone | 262 | 0 | 0 | $5.6 million |
| Butte zone | 262 | 0 | 0 | $9.9 million |
| Hand zone | 259 | 2 | 1 | |
| McPherson zone | 257 | 2 | 2 | $270,000 |
| Codington zone | 255 | 8 | 13 | $1.2 million |
| Clark zone | 250 | 2 | 2 | $628,000 |
| Hamlin zone | 250 | 6 | 7 | $232,000 |
| Walworth zone | 249 | 2 | 3 | |
| Potter zone | 249 | 0 | 0 | |
| Hanson | 247 | 0 | 6 | $35 million |
| Ziebach zone | 247 | 0 | 0 | $7.6 million |
| Faulk zone | 246 | 0 | 0 | $23,000 |
| Sully zone | 246 | 0 | 1 | $23,000 |
| Jones zone | 246 | 0 | 0 | $10,000 |
| Hyde zone | 243 | 0 | 0 | |
| Northern Meade Co Plains zone | 240 | 0 | 0 | $3.0 million |
| Rapid City zone | 240 | 2 | 0 | $968,000 |
| Campbell zone | 239 | 0 | 2 | |
| Buffalo zone | 236 | 0 | 0 | $30,000 |
| Northern Foot Hills zone | 236 | 0 | 0 | $2.7 million |
| Miner | 234 | 0 | 4 | $24 million |
| Douglas | 233 | 1 | 13 | $34 million |
| Jerauld | 222 | 0 | 3 | $19 million |
| Jackson zone | 214 | 2 | 1 | $4.1 million |
| Central Black Hills zone | 200 | 0 | 0 | $2.4 million |
| Todd zone | 200 | 5 | 0 | $484,000 |
| Tripp zone | 199 | 0 | 0 | $250,000 |
| Sturgis / Piedmont Foothills zone | 189 | 0 | 0 | $1.0 million |
| Oglala Lakota zone | 186 | 0 | 0 | $1.1 million |
| Bennett zone | 184 | 0 | 0 | $51 million |
| Buffalo | 180 | 1 | 10 | $26 million |
| Mellette zone | 180 | 1 | 0 | $525,000 |
| Southern Black Hills zone | 159 | 0 | 2 | $235,000 |
| Custer Co Plains zone | 150 | 0 | 0 | $200,000 |
| Southern Foot Hills zone | 129 | 0 | 0 | $115,000 |
| Fall River zone | 126 | 0 | 0 | $190,000 |
| Hermosa Foothills zone | 126 | 0 | 0 | $120,000 |
| Meade Co. Plains zone | 49 | 0 | 1 | $75,000 |
| Pennington Plains zone | 45 | 0 | 0 | $75,000 |
| 32 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Central Foot Hills zone | 30 | 0 | 0 | $100,000 |
| Custer Plains zone | 27 | 0 | 0 | $10,000 |
| Sturgis-Piedmont Foothills zone | 23 | 0 | 0 | |
| Northern Jackson zone | 22 | 0 | 0 | |
| Butte / Except X Sw Butte zone | 21 | 0 | 0 | |
| Northern Foot Hills / N Lawrence / X Sw Butte / Part of Sw Meade zone | 20 | 0 | 0 | |
| Northern Foothills zone | 20 | 0 | 0 |
Every year
- 2026
- 2025
- 2024
- 2023
- 2022
- 2021
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
- 2010
- 2009
- 2008
- 2007
- 2006
- 2005
- 2004
- 2003
- 2002
- 2001
- 2000
- 1999
- 1998
- 1997
- 1996
- 1995
- 1994
- 1993
- 1992
- 1991
- 1990
- 1989
- 1988
- 1987
- 1986
- 1985
- 1984
- 1983
- 1982
- 1981
- 1980
- 1979
- 1978
- 1977
- 1976
- 1975
- 1974
- 1973
- 1972
- 1971
- 1970
- 1969
- 1968
- 1967
- 1966
- 1965
- 1964
- 1963
- 1962
- 1961
- 1960
- 1959
- 1958
- 1957
- 1956
- 1955
- 1954
- 1953
- 1952
- 1951
- 1950
More
Every tornado in South DakotaEvery warning in South Dakota since 1986River gauges in South DakotaEvery state
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 2026-09-24.