South Dakota: hail history 2014–2026
5,127 reports in 56 counties put South Dakota at #16 of 44 states on density, 74.1 per 1,000 square miles. The state's largest stone, 6 inches (a softball), fell in Butte County on June 19, 2015. One county carries a big part of the total: Pennington County has 15% of the state's reports. Top three: Pennington County (745), Meade County (331), Custer County (283).
- 5,127reports
- 56counties
- 6 inlargest stone
- 74.1per 1,000 sq mi
Year by year
| Year | Reports | Largest |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 362 | 4.25 in |
| 2015 | 500 | 6 in |
| 2016 | 461 | 3 in |
| 2017 | 381 | 3 in |
| 2018 | 446 | 4.5 in |
| 2019 | 446 | 3 in |
| 2020 | 557 | 4.5 in |
| 2021 | 315 | 4.5 in |
| 2022 | 424 | 4.5 in |
| 2023 | 452 | 4.5 in |
| 2024 | 307 | 4.25 in |
| 2025 | 309 | 4.5 in |
| 2026 (Jan–Jun) | 167 | 3.25 in |
2020 was the busiest year (557 reports) and 2024 the quietest (307). 433 reports a year in 2014 to 2019 against 394 in 2020 to 2025: close to flat. 2026 stands at 167 through June, against a full-year average of 413. NOAA puts reported hail damage at $10 million over the period.
South Dakota: reports by month
| Jan | 0 |
|---|---|
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 6 |
| Apr | 192 |
| May | 558 |
| Jun | 1627 |
| Jul | 1553 |
| Aug | 973 |
| Sep | 194 |
| Oct | 24 |
| Nov | 0 |
| Dec | 0 |
June dominates the calendar: 1,627 of 5,127 reports, 32%. June to August alone bring 81%. 30 of 5,127 reports fell outside April to September.
The biggest hail days in South Dakota
| Date | Size | County | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 19, 2015 | 6 in, a softball | Butte County | 6 |
| June 1, 2015 | 4.5 in, a softball | Meade County | 11 |
| August 8, 2020 | 4.5 in, a softball | Pennington County | 9 |
| July 18, 2023 | 4.5 in, a softball | Hughes County | 9 |
| August 26, 2021 | 4.5 in, a softball | Pennington County | 7 |
| July 20, 2025 | 4.5 in, a softball | Todd County | 7 |
| August 26, 2020 | 4.5 in, a softball | Mellette County | 5 |
| June 29, 2018 | 4.5 in, a softball | Butte County | 3 |
South Dakota counties, most hail reports first
| County | Reports | Density | Days 1 in+ | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennington County | 745 | 267.6 | 158 | 4.5 in |
55 more counties to come.
Homes in South Dakota
Median build year in South Dakota: 1979. 72.1% of 402,364 homes predate 2000. Houses permitted since 2014: 40,131, or 99.7 per 1,000 homes. Busiest year: 2021.
| pre-1940 | 16.3% |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 3.9% |
| 1950s | 8.4% |
| 1960s | 7.7% |
| 1970s | 14.6% |
| 1980s | 9.5% |
| 1990s | 11.8% |
| 2000s | 14.2% |
| 2010s | 12.5% |
| 2020+ | 1.2% |
| Year | Houses | All units |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 2,798 | 4,722 |
| 2015 | 2,868 | 4,482 |
| 2016 | 3,195 | 5,686 |
| 2017 | 3,386 | 5,407 |
| 2018 | 2,985 | 4,963 |
| 2019 | 3,127 | 4,415 |
| 2020 | 3,726 | 6,660 |
| 2021 | 4,324 | 7,917 |
| 2022 | 3,917 | 9,421 |
| 2023 | 3,252 | 7,072 |
| 2024 | 3,257 | 6,017 |
| 2025 | 3,296 | 5,305 |
Quick answers
How many hail reports has South Dakota had?
NOAA logged 5,127 hail reports across 56 counties in South Dakota, from 2014 to June 2026.
What was the largest hail reported in South Dakota?
6 inches (a softball), reported in Butte County on June 19, 2015.
Which month has the most hail in South Dakota?
June has the most reports, 32% of the 5,127 in the record.
Which South Dakota county has the most hail reports?
Pennington County has the most among the 1 county pages published so far, with 745 reports.
Does a hail day in the record mean my roof was damaged?
A counted day only means a spotter reported hail somewhere in the area. An inspection is the only way to know whether a roof was hit.
Next steps for South Dakota
Cite this page
Data version: NOAA Storm Events hail data, 2014 to June 2026, loaded October 6, 2026. All dataset versions. Download the table as CSV. Free to quote with credit under CC BY 4.0.
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, public domain. Counts and tables on this page are free to reuse with credit to PickARoofer under CC BY 4.0.