Tornadoes · United States · South Dakota · 2007

EF1 tornado, Riverside to Mitchell, South Dakota, May 5, 2007

From Riverside to Mitchell, this EF1 tornado ran 1.9 miles across Hanson and Davison counties on May 5, 2007, touching down at 5:20 PM CDT and reaching 100 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $10,000 of property damage.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. EF065 to 85 mph

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. EF2111 to 135 mph

    Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

  4. EF3136 to 165 mph

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. EF5over 200 mph

    Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

  7. Unrated

    The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

The record

Rating
EF1
Date
May 5, 2007
Touchdown
5:20 PM CDT (22:20 UTC)
Lifted
5:25 PM CDT (22:25 UTC)
On the ground
5 minutes
Path length
1.9 miles (3.1 km)
Path width
100 yards (91 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$10,000
Counties
Hanson and Davison counties
Touchdown point
43.712, -97.939
Lift-off point
43.712, -97.939
Record number
0705051620-01

What the Weather Service recorded

Numerous thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening of May 5th produced large hail, damaging winds, several tornadoes, and flash flooding in southeast South Dakota. Significant damage was reported from several locations.

A tornado damaged a farmstead, blowing the roof off a gust house. The tornado also caused tree damage. The tornado crossed into eastern Davison County before dissipating.

A tornado which began in Hanson county caused no additional reported damage as it crossed into Davison County and quickly dissipated.

A tornado damaged barns and blew out windows.

A tornado caused no reported damage.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The warnings

7 minutes of warning. NWS FSD issued a tornado warning for this county at 22:13 UTC, 7 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 23:00 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 21:34 UTC and running to 02:50 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
15:56 UTC21:34 UTCTornado WatchFSD
19:23 UTC23:15 UTCFlash Flood WarningFSD
19:58 UTC20:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSD
20:31 UTC21:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSD
20:58 UTC21:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSD
21:08 UTC21:45 UTCTornado WarningFSD
21:34 UTC02:50 UTCTornado WatchFSD
22:13 UTC23:00 UTCTornado WarningFSD
22:59 UTC23:15 UTCTornado WarningFSD
00:26 UTC00:46 UTCTornado WarningFSD
02:50 UTC07:59 UTCTornado WatchFSD

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Slight Risk, with a 0.05 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 20:05 UTC.

SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.

The air that afternoon

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

Aberdeen, SD (KABR), 12:00Z

10.3 hours before the tornado, 137 km from the path. May 5, 2007.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Aberdeen, SD at 12:00Z on 2007-05-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 302 joules per kilogram, CIN -53, lifted condensation level 521 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Aberdeen, SD at 12:00Z on 2007-05-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 177 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 21 knots.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
302 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-53 J/kg
Surface CAPE
151 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
521 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
177 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
165 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
5.6 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The radar

The Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 98 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 22:20 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track

Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.

What was reported nearby

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

Time (UTC)ReportWhereCountyRemark
19:50 UTCHAIL 0.751 Nw SalemMccook, SD
20:00 UTCHAIL 0.888 S WinfredLake, SD
20:15 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Sw EmeryHanson, SDDAMAGE ON FARMSTEAD...MACHINE SHED AND AT LEAST ONE OTHER OUT BUILDING DESTROYED. MACHINERY KNOWN AS A GRAINVAC OVERTURNED. HOUSE OKAY.
20:15 UTCHAIL 0.751 W WinfredMiner, SD
20:30 UTCFLASH FLOOD3 Sw AlexandriaHanson, SDHANSON LAKE DAM WASHED OUT
20:34 UTCHAIL 0.755 N SpencerMccook, SD
20:45 UTCFLASH FLOOD10 Nnw SpencerMiner, SDFLOODING AFFECTING BUSINESSES AND A CHURCH IN EPIPHANY
20:50 UTCHAIL 0.752 Ne AlexandriaHanson, SD
20:55 UTCTSTM WND DMG5 W CanovaMiner, SDSHINGLES TORN OFF HOUSE.
21:06 UTCHAIL 19 Sse FedoraMiner, SD
21:30 UTCFLASH FLOOD1 N TrippHutchinson, SD285TH ST. NEAR HIGHWAY 37 FLOODED
21:30 UTCTSTM WND GST 605 N FultonHanson, SD
21:31 UTCTORNADO3 Wsw CarthageMiner, SDDAMAGE TO OUTBUILDINGS. RATED EF1.
21:35 UTCTSTM WND DMG5 Nw HowardMiner, SDUP TO 65 MPH WIND GUSTS...FARMSTEAD OUT BUILDINGS DAMAGED
21:35 UTCTORNADO5 Nw HowardMiner, SDFARMSTEAD OUTBUILDINGS DAMAGED. HUNTING LODGE DESTROYED. DEBRIS SCATTERED FOR 2 MILES. RATED EF2.
21:42 UTCHAIL 1CarthageMiner, SD
21:42 UTCHAIL 1CarthageMiner, SD
22:00 UTCFLASH FLOOD1 Ne TrippHutchinson, SD412TH AVE. NEAR HIGHWAY 18 FLOODED
22:00 UTCFLASH FLOOD3 Ne ForestburgSanborn, SDCOUNTY ROADS FLOODED
22:00 UTCTORNADO1 N TrippHutchinson, SDTREE DAMAGE AND IRRIGATION SYSTEM OVERTURNED. RATED EF0.
22:10 UTCTORNADODimockHutchinson, SDCOMFIRMED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT IN DIMOCK AREA
22:16 UTCTORNADO6 E ParkstonHutchinson, SDTOUCHED DOWN AND TRAVELED ON GROUND THROUGH 524 PM TO A POINT 5 MILES EAST OF DIMOCK. RATED EF1.
22:20 UTCTSTM WND GST 7010 N ArtesianSanborn, SDSEVERAL TREES DOWN
22:20 UTCTORNADO3 Se MitchellDavison, SDMOVING NORTH
22:20 UTCTORNADO5 Ese MitchellHanson, SDMOVING NORTH. RATED EF1.
22:20 UTCTORNADOS MitchellDavison, SDJUST SOUTH OF TOWN MOVING NORTH
22:25 UTCHAIL 15 E MitchellHanson, SD
22:25 UTCTORNADO3 E MitchellDavison, SDEND OF PATH WHICH STARTED 520 PM IN HANSON COUNTY...5 MILES ESE OF MITCHELL. RATED EF1.
22:41 UTCTORNADO6 Nw AlexandriaHanson, SDTORNADO DAMAGE REPORTED 6 TO 7 MILES NW OF ALEXANDRIA
22:45 UTCHAIL 1.755 Se MitchellHanson, SDOCCURRED ON RIVER ROAD NEAR DAVISON COUNTY LINE.
22:45 UTCHAIL 1.75MitchellDavison, SDSOUTHEAST SIDE OF TOWN ALONG RIVER ROAD
22:49 UTCTORNADO6 Nw AlexandriaHanson, SDWIND DAMAGE FROM TORNADO PREVIOUSLY REPORTED AT 1741 PM. DAMAGE ALONG THE PATH INCLUDE BARNS DESTOYED...WINDOWS BLOW OUT OF HOUSES ALONG PATH IN HANSON COUNTY.
22:50 UTCTORNADO7 Sse MitchellDavison, SDTORNADO WAS EAST OF KOA CAMPGROUND ON HIGHWAY 37.
22:55 UTCTORNADO3 E MitchellDavison, SDTORNADO REPORTED NEAR MILE MARKER 335 ON I90
22:55 UTCTORNADO4 Se MitchellDavison, SDTORNADO REPORTED NEAR MILE MARKER 335 ON I90. SAME TORNADO THAT WAS 7 MILES SSE OF MITCHELL AT 550 PM.
23:05 UTCTORNADO15 W MitchellAurora, SDBETWEEN I90 MILE MARKERS 310 AND 313 TORNADO WITH DEBRIS
23:05 UTCTORNADO15 W MitchellAurora, SDBETWEEN I90 MILE MARKERS 310 AND 313 TORNADO WITH DEBRIS. RATED EF3.
23:05 UTCTORNADONe StickneyAurora, SDTORNADO WITH DEBRIS NOTED BY OBSERVER NORTHEAST OF STICKNEY.
23:08 UTCTORNADO2 E PlankintonAurora, SD1 MILE EAST OF HWY 281
23:08 UTCTORNADO2 E PlankintonAurora, SD1 MILE EAST OF HWY 281. CONTINUATION OF TORNADO 15 MILES WEST OF MITCHELL AT 605 PM. RATED EF3.

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2007 tornado in South DakotaEvery tornado in South Dakota since 1950Warnings in force in South Dakota nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of May 5, 2007

96 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
May 51:21 AM CDTEF1Barton, KS5.5100$2.0 million
May 51:28 AM CDTEF1Barton, KS6.2125$57,000
May 51:46 AM CDTEF1Barton, KS5.2100$40,000
May 52:06 AM CDTEF0Ellsworth, KS0.540$13,000
May 512:23 PM CDTEF1Custer, NE20.6150$150,000
May 511:57 AM MDTEF0Logan, CO0.150
May 51:03 PM CDTEF1Custer, NE40.7220$40,000
May 52:05 PM CDTEF1Brown, NE14.3220$40,000
May 53:48 PM CDTEF0Knox, NE11.4100$10,000
May 53:57 PM CDTEF1Keya Paha, NE16.71001$100,000
May 54:31 PM CDTEF1Miner, SD0.150$2,000
May 54:33 PM CDTEF2Bon Homme, SD3.5100$50,000
May 54:35 PM CDTEF2Miner, SD1.0100$20,000
May 54:43 PM CDTEF2Bon Homme, SD4.0100$100,000
May 54:48 PM CDTEF0Pratt, KS1.430
May 54:58 PM CDTEF1Saline, NE18.3400
May 54:59 PM CDTEF1Pratt, KS11.1150
May 55:00 PM CDTEF0Hutchinson, SD0.250
May 55:10 PM CDTEF0Hutchinson, SD0.150
May 55:15 PM CDTEF0Knox, NE1.5200
May 55:16 PM CDTEF1Hutchinson, SD5.0100
May 55:17 PM CDTEF0Knox, NE3.0100
May 55:24 PM CDTEF0Knox, NE5.3150
May 55:28 PM CDTEF1Knox, NE8.9440
May 55:36 PM CDTEF0Stafford, KS4.5100
May 55:41 PM CDTEF1Hanson, SD0.5100$10,000
May 55:43 PM CDTEF2Knox, NE5.55003$1.0 million
May 55:45 PM CDTEF0Knox, NE3.5100
May 55:50 PM CDTEF0Davison, SD3.550
May 55:52 PM CDTEF0Yankton, SD0.150
May 55:52 PM CDTEF1Yankton, SD1.01001$100,000
May 55:59 PM CDTEF2Osborne, KS7.57511$150,000
May 56:00 PM CDTEF0Edwards, KS2.475
May 56:05 PM CDTEF3Aurora, SD4.0200$300,000
May 56:09 PM CDTEF0Rice, KS0.340
May 56:15 PM CDTEF1Sanborn, SD0.5100$20,000
May 56:15 PM CDTEF0Rice, KS1.540
May 56:17 PM CDTEF2Yankton, SD0.5100$100,000
May 56:30 PM CDTEF0Gregory, SD0.150
May 56:30 PM CDTEF0Gregory, SD0.150
May 56:33 PM CDTEF0Comanche, KS1.930
May 56:35 PM CDTEF0Charles Mix, SD0.150
May 56:40 PM CDTEF1Brule, SD0.5100
May 56:45 PM CDTEF0Barton, KS0.150
May 56:54 PM CDTEF0Barton, KS0.240
May 57:01 PM CDTEF2Edwards, KS2.775
May 57:02 PM CDTEF0Kiowa, KS7.875
May 57:09 PM CDTEF0Mills, IA4.080
May 57:20 PM CDTEF0Collingsworth, TX2.8100
May 57:22 PM CDTEF2Kiowa, KS26.9880
May 57:23 PM CDTEF2Hanson, SD10.5400$60,000
May 57:26 PM CDTEF0Kiowa, KS1.350
May 57:27 PM CDTEF1Collingsworth, TX7.0200
May 57:32 PM CDTEF1Barton, KS4.0100$60,000
May 57:40 PM CDTEF0Roger Mills, OK0.8100
May 57:47 PM CDTEF1Miner, SD0.2100$10,000
May 57:47 PM CDTEF0Miner, SD0.150
May 57:50 PM CDTEF1Edwards, KS1.550
May 57:50 PM CDTEF1Fremont, IA11.3200
May 57:55 PM CDTEF0Stafford, KS1.350

All 97 of them

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.