South Dakota tornadoes

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1,956 confirmed tornadoes since 1950. Most recent: September 14, 2025, EFU. 2026 so far: 16 preliminary reports preliminary

Counties with the most tornadoes

CountyTornadoes since 1950Per 1,000 sq mi
Brown County8650
Lincoln County60104
Minnehaha County5264
Pennington County5118
Spink County5033
Meade County4914
Hutchinson County4859
Kingsbury County4858
Charles Mix County4743
Turner County4776
Perkins County4616
Hand County4531
McCook County4477
Lyman County4326
Todd County4130

When tornadoes hit here

By month

7760 Jan: 0Feb: 1Mar: 3Apr: 59May: 435Jun: 776Jul: 408Aug: 188Sep: 61Oct: 25Nov: 0Dec: 0JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

June is the peak month, with 776 of 1956 tornadoes.

By time of day

3110 12 AM: 17: 16: 123 AM: 8: 10: 86 AM: 3: 4: 19 AM: 4: 17: 1612 PM: 39: 66: 1273 PM: 164: 245: 2586 PM: 311: 236: 1709 PM: 100: 77: 4712 AM3 AM6 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PM9 PM

Most often around 6:00 PM. Times as recorded by NOAA, mostly Central Standard Time.

By year, 1950 to 2025

850 1950: 1: 2: 5: 12: 16: 14: 11: 20: 1: 111960: 9: 11: 38: 9: 32: 63: 30: 27: 21: 301970: 31: 47: 31: 28: 14: 32: 4: 28: 28: 321980: 52: 19: 33: 26: 32: 55: 34: 33: 5: 51990: 11: 34: 41: 85: 36: 10: 45: 30: 29: 412000: 18: 31: 12: 81: 35: 19: 27: 42: 27: 342010: 38: 19: 11: 14: 29: 25: 13: 15: 19: 262020: 23: 21: 38: 18: 7: 2019501960197019801990200020102020

The line is the five-year average. Tornadoes before about 1953 were under-reported, and better radar since the 1990s finds more weak ones. This year so far: 16 preliminary reports.

By rating

EF0
1175
EF1
418
EF2
257
EF3
63
EF4
9
EF5
1
Unknown
33

Ratings before February 2007 use the original F scale; the numbers line up with today's EF scale. Unknown means NOAA could not assign a rating.

Notable tornadoes

Deadliest

F4, May 30, 1998

6 deaths Longest path

156.3 miles, F3

June 21, 1961

Most recent tornadoes

DateRatingPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
Sep 14, 2025EFU0.01 mi1 yd00
Sep 14, 2025EF13.99 mi200 yd00
Aug 16, 2025EF02.46 mi75 yd00
Aug 5, 2025EFU0.01 mi5 yd00
Jul 28, 2025EF03.29 mi30 yd00
Jul 28, 2025EF27.43 mi175 yd00
Jul 28, 2025EF02.71 mi50 yd00
Jul 28, 2025EF111.66 mi150 yd00
Jul 27, 2025EF23.98 mi200 yd00
Jul 20, 2025EFU0.08 mi20 yd00
Jul 15, 2025EF00.01 mi1 yd00
Jul 13, 2025EF00.1 mi10 yd00
Jun 28, 2025EF39.71 mi100 yd02
Jun 28, 2025EF21.6 mi630 yd02
Jun 28, 2025EF00.16 mi10 yd00
Jun 28, 2025EF23.43 mi60 yd00
Jun 19, 2025EF00.01 mi10 yd00
Apr 27, 2025EF00.05 mi40 yd00
Apr 27, 2025EF113.75 mi255 yd06
Feb 24, 2025EFU0.01 mi5 yd00

Every South Dakota county

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Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in each state it touched.