Central South Dakota Supercells Load Up for Large Hail, 70 MPH Winds — SevereWX

Central South Dakota Faces Growing Severe Storm Threat

Thunderstorms are picking up steam across much of central South Dakota, with the Storm Prediction Center highlighting a serious risk of large hail up to 1.75 inches and damaging wind gusts of 65-80 mph through 6-7 PM CDT this afternoon.

Storms firing near the Black Hills and southwestern North Dakota are expected to push southeastward, intensifying as they approach the middle Missouri Valley around Pierre. A digging mid-level trough is boosting west-northwesterly winds aloft, pairing with strengthening deep-layer shear and juicy low-level moisture. This setup favors supercell development, where storms could rotate intensely enough for significant hail and wind threats. Some activity may grow upscale into a damaging cluster by early evening.

SPC's Mesoscale Discussion #2012 pegs the odds of a severe thunderstorm watch at 60%, meaning one could drop soon. Peak threats include EF2-level tornadoes (up to 90 mph), though winds and hail are the headliners. Areas from near Rapid City eastward through Pierre and north-central SD bear watching closely.

Stay prepared: Monitor local NWS alerts via radar apps or NOAA Weather Radio. Have a severe weather plan—seek shelter in an interior room on the lowest floor if warnings hit. Secure outdoor items and keep power banks handy for outages. Track updates at SPC.noaa.gov.

(Valid: ~1-5 PM CDT, Aug 17, 2026)