Dangerous, prolonged heat is ongoing in the Mid-South to Mid-Mississippi Valley and heat expands into the Northeast for a brief period today. Widely scattered instances of flash flooding due to heavy rains are forecast from northeast Kansas to much of Indiana. Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across parts of New England, northern Mid-Atlantic, and North Dakota. Read More >
Overview
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Supercell thunderstorms began to develop Saturday afternoon south of Watertown and moved off to the east into Minnesota. The environment was supportive of tornado development across east central South Dakota Saturday afternoon. Four tornadoes were documented. Thunderstorms kept redeveloping generally in the same region for roughly five and a half hours. The first tornado touched down at approximately 6:53 p.m. on June 28, 2025, about five miles northwest of Clear Lake. This tornado would shift an unoccupied farm house off its foundation, destroy outbuildings, flip a large shipping container used for storage, and do significant tree damage. This tornado was rated EF2. The second tornado was a brief touchdown as documented by photo and video. It did minor tree damage and was rated an EF0. The 3rd tornado was the longest and most destructive and touched down between Clear Lake and Gary, SD. It was rated a high end EF3 with wind speeds estimated at 155-165 mph. The tornado had a nearly 40-minute track that stretched roughly 9.71 miles. Damage occurred at multiple properties, but the property with the most extensive damage included a completely destroyed farm house, two machine sheds, several silos/grain bins and a barn. Vehicles in one garage were picked up and tossed, including a half ton pickup hurled 300 yards northeast. The EF3 rating is of unusual severity. 1,931 tornadoes have been documented in South Dakota between 1950-2024. Of those, only 75 tornadoes have been documented as an EF3 or greater, meaning less than 4% of South Dakota tornadoes reach this level of severity. The final tornado touched down east of Gary, SD on the Minnesota side. There was no damage noted and was rated an EF Unknown by the Twin Cities National Weather Service. As storms trained over the same area for several hours, excessive heavy rainfall developed resulting in portions of Hamlin and Deuel Counties receiving 2 to 4+ inches of rainfall. |
 Photo credit: @adamorgler |
Tornadoes
Select a tornado from the table to zoom into the track and view more information. The default table view is limited to 8 tracks, but can be scrolled by a mouse wheel or dynamically expanded. Additionally, the table can fill the entire window by clicking the small circular expanding arrow icon at the very top right of the table and returned to its original size by clicking the button again. The side information panel that opens over the map can be closed using the "X" on the upper right corner of the pop-up. Zoom into the map and click damage points to see detailed information and pictures from the surveys.
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NOTE: times shown below are local to your device's time zone. |
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
| EF0 Weak 65-85 mph |
EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph |
EF2 Significant 111-135 mph |
EF3 Severe 136-165 mph |
EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph |
EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph |
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| Tornadoes that fail to impact any ratable damage indicators on the EF-Scale are rated EF-Unknown (EF-U) | |||||
Photos & Video
Northwest of Clear Lake Tornado & Damage Pictures
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| Photo Shared By Mike LaBeau | Photo Shared By Jessica Miller From the Crystal Springs Rodeo Campground | Photo Shared By Paige Berdomas & Bryce Shelton | Photo Shared By Josh Boustead |
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| NWS Damage Survey | NWS Damage Survey | NWS Damage Survey | NWS Damage Survey |
Between Clear Lake and Gary Tornado Pictures
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| Photo Shared By Alex Resel | Photo Shared By Alex Resel | Photo Shared By Adam Orgler | Photo Shared By Jim Marko |
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| NWS Damage Survey | NWS Damage Survey | NWS Damage Survey | NWS Damage Survey |
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| NWS Damage Survey | NWS Damage Survey | NWS Damage Survey | NWS Damage Survey |
Areal Damage Photos
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| Photo Shared By Shawn Cable KEYC-TV | Photo Shared By Shawn Cable KEYC-TV | Photo Shared By Shawn Cable KEYC-TV | Photo Shared By Shawn Cable KEYC-TV |
Wall Clouds/Funnels
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| Photo Shared By Adam Orgler | Photo Shared By Alex Resel | Photo Shared By Gage Gibson | Photo Shared By James Pepin |
A Collection YouTube Video Documentation
Rain Reports
Hydrographs
Excessive heavy rainfall from slow-moving, training thunderstorms Saturday night, June 28th, resulted in a local and rapid rise response on the Big Sioux River in east central South Dakota (Hamlin County).
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| Hydrograph from the Big Sioux River near Castlewood. | Hydrograph from the Big Sioux River near Estelline |
Flood Report
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| LSR for flooding and damage |
Storm Reports
Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Aberdeen SD
812 PM CDT Sun Jun 29 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0552 PM Funnel Cloud 4 NE Veblen 45.90N 97.22W
06/28/2025 Roberts SD Emergency Mngr
Message on Slack about a persistent funnel
cloud (around for about 6 min since 5:29)
near Veblen. Roberts county EM said that
dispatch has had a few calls about a funnel
west of the Dakota Magic Casino.
0633 PM Funnel Cloud 3 NE Claremont Colony 44.75N 96.90W
06/28/2025 Hamlin SD Public
Funnel cloud by trained weather spotter and
passed along on state radio.
0918 PM Funnel Cloud Castlewood 44.72N 97.03W
06/28/2025 Hamlin SD Public
Video sent on Facebook of a funnel cloud in
Castlewood around 9:18pm.
0940 PM Hail 4 W Castlewood 44.73N 97.11W
06/28/2025 M1.00 Inch Hamlin SD Trained Spotter
0950 PM Hail 2 S Thomas 44.73N 97.20W
06/28/2025 M1.00 Inch Hamlin SD Emergency Mngr
1054 PM Hail 2 SSE Stone Bridge 44.57N 97.03W
06/28/2025 M1.00 Inch Hamlin SD Trained Spotter
Trained Spotter had Quarter plus sized hail
1 mile east of Lake Poinsett.
0659 PM Tornado 5 W Clear Lake 44.78N 96.78W
06/28/2025 Deuel SD Trained Spotter
relayed from multiple spotters.
0707 PM Tornado Tunerville 44.89N 96.68W
06/28/2025 Deuel SD Trained Spotter
Trees blown down and abandoned structure was
damaged/hit.
0716 PM Funnel Cloud 2 ENE Clear Lake 44.78N 96.64W
06/28/2025 Deuel SD Trained Spotter
Photo on X of a new funnel cloud coming from
storm.
0813 PM Tornado 5 WNW Lake Cochrane Rec 44.75N 96.54W
06/28/2025 Deuel SD Trained Spotter
Spotter called with a Tornado on the ground.
0816 PM Funnel Cloud 3 E Clear Lake 44.77N 96.62W
06/28/2025 Deuel SD Storm Chaser
Called about Funnel almost to the ground
with some ground debris being spun and
tossed around.
0830 PM Tornado 1 WNW Lake Cochrane Rec 44.71N 96.48W
06/28/2025 Deuel SD Law Enforcement
Tornado reported around the Lake Cochrane
Rec Area.
0858 PM Hail 3 S Gary 44.75N 96.46W
06/28/2025 M2.00 Inch Deuel SD Public
Report from mPING: Hen Egg (2.00 in.).
1013 PM Funnel Cloud 3 NE Astoria 44.59N 96.50W
06/28/2025 Deuel SD Trained Spotter
Spotter reported a possible rain-wrapped
tornado while heading towards Brandt.
1016 PM Tornado 1 E Toronto 44.57N 96.62W
06/28/2025 Deuel SD Law Enforcement
state radio report of tornado 1 mile east of
Toronto.
1018 PM Tornado 1 N Toronto 44.59N 96.64W
06/28/2025 Deuel SD Law Enforcement
state radio report of a different tornado 1
mile north of Toronto.
0920 PM Funnel Cloud 6 SW Kranzburg 44.82N 96.99W
06/28/2025 Codington SD Law Enforcement
Funnel cloud spotted just west of I-29 at
mile marker 174.
Environment
A set-up that favored the potential for tornadic development accompanied a cold frontal boundary Saturday afternoon through late evening. Thunderstorms slowed the front's progress to a stand-still during the overnight hours.
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| WPC Surface Analysis at 7pm CDT June 28th | WPC Surface Analysis at 10pm CDT June 28th | WPC Surface Analysis at 1am CDT June 29th |
Surface Temperature, Dewpoint & Pressure
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| Surface - 6 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
Surface - 7 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
Surface - 8 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
Surface - 9 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
Lifted Condensation Level Heights (LCL)
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| LCL - 6 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
LCL - 7 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
LCL - 8 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
LCL - 9 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
700-500 MB Mid-Level Lapse Rates
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| Lapse Rate - 6 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
Lapse Rate - 7 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
Lapse Rate - 8 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
Lapse Rate - 9 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
Mixed Layer CAPE (ML CAPE)
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| MLCAPE - 6 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
MLCAPE - 7 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
MLCAPE - 8 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
MLCAPE - 9 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
Effective Bulk Shear (EBS)
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| EBS - 6 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
EBS - 7 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
EBS - 8 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
EBS - 9 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
Effective Storm Relative Helicity (ESRH)
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| ESRH - 6 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
ESRH - 7 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
ESRH - 8 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
ESRH - 9 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
Supercell Composite Parameter (SCP)
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| SCP - 6 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
SCP - 7 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
SCP - 8 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
SCP - 9 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
Significant Tornado Parameter (STP)
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| STP - 6 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
STP - 7 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
STP - 8 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
STP - 9 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
Violent Tornado Parameter (VTP)
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| VTP - 6 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
VTP - 7 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
VTP - 8 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
VTP - 9 pm CDT - June 28th SPC's Mesoanalysis Graphic |
Radar & Satellite
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| Initial tornado touchdown observed by spotters and chasers northwest of Clear Lake SD. Radar time is approximately 6:50 pm | Brief tornado touchdown southwest of Gary SD. Radar time is approximately 7:35 pm | This is the initial radar couplet of what would go on to be the EF-3 tornado near Gary, Radar time is approximately 8:09 pm |
| MRMS Reflectivity of the June 28, 2025 Tornadic Event. The loop goes from 6 PM CDT to midnight. |
| Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) GOES-19 Satellite Loop |
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