Extreme heat is waning over the Pacific Northwest. Dry, gusty winds, and isolated dry thunderstorms will bring critical fire weather to the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West. Heavy rain and thunderstorms continue across portions of the Great Basin, Rockies, and central/southern Plains into the Ozarks. An atmospheric river will bring heavy rain and strong winds to southwest Alaska. Read More >
Overview
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A low pressure system and a hot humid air mass would combine and be the focus for severe weather on August 5. A cluster of storms would first develop over south central North Dakota and then slide south into parts of north central and northeast South Dakota. These storms would produce a brief tornado near Leola, SD. The tornado would only be on the ground for a few seconds in an open field. In the Hoven and Bowdle areas, hail up to the size of baseballs would fall. The north side of Aberdeen would also have several large tree branches come down due to wind. Later in the evening the storms would form a line, producing pockets of strong staightline winds and dropping heavy rain across the region. The strongest winds would occur in the Lake Kampeska, Watertown and Waverly areas. A personal weather station on the south side of the lake would record a 99 mph wind gust. Many reports of trees uprooted or snapped at the trunk were relayed. It was estimated that 40+ pine trees were uprooted. There was also structural damage to grain bins and outbuildings. Flooding would also occur. Several rounds of heavy rain in late June and July had previously saturated soils. Another 2 to 4 inches of rain would fall on August 5 and would again cause rising rivers and overland flooding over northeast South Dakota. Water flowing across highways would require barricading by highway departments. |
 Tennis ball sized hail in Hoven. Photo courtesy of Ashley Griese |
Wind & Hail
Wind
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| Uprooted tree near Lake Kampeska, courtesy of Codington County Emergency Manager | Snapped tree near Lake Kampeska, courtesy of Codington County Emergency Manager | Snapped tree branches at Lee Park in Aberdeen, courtesy of Charlie Kornman | Snapped tree branches at Lee Park in Aberdeen, courtesy of Charlie Kornman |
Hail
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| Golf ball sized hail 10 miles south of Bowdle, courtesy of Edmunds County Emergency Manager | Baseball sized hail 10 miles south of Bowdle, courtesy of Edmunds County Emergency Manager | Tea cup sized hail in Hoven, photo courtesy of Anna Marshall |
Flooding
Hydrographs
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| Hydrograph from the Big Sioux River near Castlewood | Hydrograph from Mud Creek near Rauville | Hydrograph from the Big Sioux River near Watertown | Hydrograph from Willow Creek near Watertown |
Maps/Photos
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| 24 hour Rainfall total ending at 7 AM CDT August 6th | Street flooding in Britton, photo courtesy of Marshall County Emergency Manager |
Storm Reports
Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary National Weather Service Aberdeen SD 302 PM CDT Wed Aug 6 2025 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0434 PM Hail Elm Lake 45.89N 98.70W 08/05/2025 E1.00 Inch Brown SD Public Quarter size hail reported in Elm Lake. Time estimated by radar. 0439 PM Hail 2 NE Elm Lake 45.91N 98.68W 08/05/2025 E1.50 Inch Brown SD Public Report from mPING: Ping Pong Ball (1.50 in.). 0644 PM Hail 5 WNW Long Lake 45.88N 99.31W 08/05/2025 M0.88 Inch McPherson SD Public 0644 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 5 W Long Lake 45.85N 99.32W 08/05/2025 E60 MPH McPherson SD Trained Spotter Estimated 50 to 60 mph winds. 0720 PM Hail 7 SW Long Lake 45.78N 99.29W 08/05/2025 E1.00 Inch McPherson SD Public Estimated pea to quarter size hail for 30 minutes to an hour. Measured 3.5 inches of rainfall. Some crop and garden damage from the hail. 0734 PM Hail 3 NW Bristol 45.38N 97.79W 08/05/2025 E0.88 Inch Day SD Storm Chaser Dime to nickel size hail. Estimated 45-50 mph winds. 0748 PM Funnel Cloud 6 E Hosmer 45.61N 99.36W 08/05/2025 McPherson SD Public 0748 PM Hail 5 W Webster 45.34N 97.62W 08/05/2025 M1.50 Inch Day SD Trained Spotter 0754 PM Tornado 2 WSW Leola 45.71N 98.98W 08/05/2025 McPherson SD Fire Dept/Rescue Preliminary information. Location estimated by report and radar. 0815 PM Hail 10 S Bowdle 45.31N 99.66W 08/05/2025 E2.75 Inch Edmunds SD Emergency Mngr Golf ball to baseball size hail reported. 0837 PM Hail Wetonka 45.62N 98.77W 08/05/2025 E1.50 Inch McPherson SD Trained Spotter 0840 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 4 SW Hillhead 45.80N 97.45W 08/05/2025 M65 MPH Marshall SD Mesonet Mesonet station MRLS2 Hillhead 3 WSW. Radar estimated time. 0850 PM Hail 6 W Hoven 45.25N 99.89W 08/05/2025 E1.00 Inch Walworth SD Trained Spotter penny to quarter size hail. 0850 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Lake City 45.72N 97.42W 08/05/2025 M73 MPH Marshall SD Mesonet Mesonet station 2 Lake City (SDDOT). 0900 PM Hail 10 S Bowdle 45.31N 99.66W 08/05/2025 E1.75 Inch Edmunds SD Emergency Mngr 0905 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 NW Aberdeen 45.48N 98.50W 08/05/2025 Brown SD Public Multiple large tree branches down at Lee Park golf course. 0915 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 ENE Aberdeen 45.48N 98.45W 08/05/2025 M70 MPH Brown SD Mesonet Personal Weather Station. 0920 PM Flash Flood Britton 45.79N 97.75W 08/05/2025 Marshall SD Emergency Mngr Street flooding and water over the curbs in Britton. 0920 PM Hail 4 ENE Hoven 45.26N 99.69W 08/05/2025 E1.00 Inch Edmunds SD Public Corrects previous hail report from 4 ENE Hoven. 0920 PM Hail Hoven 45.24N 99.78W 08/05/2025 M1.50 Inch Potter SD Public Image sent via social media, radar estimated time. 0920 PM Hail Hoven 45.24N 99.78W 08/05/2025 M3.00 Inch Potter SD Public Photo with ruler reference sent via social media. 0920 PM Hail Hoven 45.24N 99.78W 08/05/2025 E2.50 Inch Potter SD Public Photo send via social media. 0920 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 7 NNE Pickerel Lake Sta 45.59N 97.22W 08/05/2025 E60 MPH Roberts SD Public Estimated 60 mph winds and small branches broke off of trees. Radar estimated time. 0945 PM Hail 3 SSE Hoven 45.20N 99.75W 08/05/2025 E1.50 Inch Potter SD Public Hail size estimated by observer and the hail caused some minor damage to their corn crop. 0945 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 ESE Groton 45.44N 98.07W 08/05/2025 Brown SD Trained Spotter Hay bales tossed from north to south across the highway. Radar estimated time. 0946 PM Funnel Cloud 6 E Verdon 45.25N 97.97W 08/05/2025 Day SD Public 1019 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Tolstoy 45.20N 99.61W 08/05/2025 M53 MPH Potter SD Mesonet Mesonet station 56 Tolstoy (SDDOT). 1044 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 5 E Orient 44.90N 98.98W 08/05/2025 M66 MPH Hand SD Mesonet Mesonet station 158 Miranda (SDDOT). 1049 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 NE Sandy Shore State 44.91N 97.22W 08/05/2025 M99 MPH Codington SD Mesonet Personal weather station peak gust. 1050 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 W Watertown Airport 44.91N 97.21W 08/05/2025 Codington SD Emergency Mngr Multiple uprooted trees up along Kampeska. Time radar estimated. 1050 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 SE Watertown Airport 44.90N 97.15W 08/05/2025 M68 MPH Codington SD ASOS ASOS station KATY Watertown Muni AP. 1055 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 5 NNE Thomas 44.83N 97.17W 08/05/2025 Codington SD Trained Spotter Two hay bales rolled over 100 ft across a field. 1056 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 4 NNE Thomas 44.81N 97.17W 08/05/2025 Codington SD Trained Spotter Numerous tree branches blown at least 90 feet into a field. The largest branches knocked down were around 6 inches in diameter. 1103 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Waverly 45.00N 96.97W 08/05/2025 Codington SD Emergency Mngr Multiple trees were snapped at the top in town and there was an empty grain bin blown open near town. 1135 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 4 W Bryant 44.59N 97.55W 08/05/2025 M59 MPH Clark SD Mesonet Mesonet station 262 4W Bryant (SDDOT). 1157 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 4 ESE Lake Norden 44.55N 97.14W 08/05/2025 M71 MPH Hamlin SD Mesonet Personal Weather Station. 1201 AM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 N Ree Heights 44.53N 99.20W 08/06/2025 M65 MPH Hand SD Mesonet Mesonet station 312 Ree Heights (SDDOT). 1204 AM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 SE Toronto 44.56N 96.63W 08/06/2025 M60 MPH Deuel SD Trained Spotter Estimated winds. Trees bent over and fallen branches. 0200 AM Flash Flood 3 W Troy 45.04N 96.93W 08/06/2025 Codington SD Emergency Mngr Water up to ditches and bottoms of bridges on main highways, water over secondary roads. 0200 AM Flash Flood 3 NNE Agency Village 45.60N 97.04W 08/06/2025 Roberts SD Emergency Mngr County department barricaded several locations where water ran over highways and secondary roads, including 123rd street and highway 15. 0200 AM Flash Flood 1 ENE Wilmot 45.41N 96.83W 08/06/2025 Roberts SD Emergency Mngr County department barricaded several locations where water ran over highways and secondary roads, including 123rd street and highway 15. 0600 AM Rain La Bolt 45.05N 96.67W 08/06/2025 M3.16 Inch Grant SD Cocorahs 24 hour total ending at 6 AM. 0700 AM Rain 1 W Claremont 45.67N 98.04W 08/06/2025 M2.36 Inch Brown SD Cocorahs 24 hour total ending at 7 AM. 0700 AM Rain 4 W Henry 44.88N 97.54W 08/06/2025 M2.06 Inch Clark SD Cocorahs 24 hour total ending at 7 AM. 0700 AM Rain 5 NNE Tolstoy 45.27N 99.58W 08/06/2025 M2.05 Inch Edmunds SD Cocorahs 24 hour total ending at 7 AM. 0700 AM Rain 4 W Chelsea 45.17N 98.82W 08/06/2025 M2.13 Inch Faulk SD Cocorahs 24 hour total ending at 7 AM. 0700 AM Rain 2 S Stockholm 45.07N 96.80W 08/06/2025 M2.38 Inch Grant SD Cocorahs 24 hour total ending at 7 AM. 0700 AM Rain Britton 45.79N 97.75W 08/06/2025 M2.32 Inch Marshall SD CO-OP Observer 24 hour total ending at 7 AM. 0700 AM Rain 1 SSE Kidder 45.87N 97.70W 08/06/2025 M3.31 Inch Marshall SD Cocorahs 24 hour total ending at 7 AM. 0700 AM Rain 1 W Summit 45.30N 97.06W 08/06/2025 M2.56 Inch Roberts SD CO-OP Observer 24 hour total ending at 7 AM. 0800 AM Rain 1 E Pickerel Lake Stati 45.51N 97.26W 08/06/2025 M2.14 Inch Day SD Cocorahs 24 hour total ending at 8 AM. 0800 AM Rain 3 WSW Long Lake 45.84N 99.26W 08/06/2025 M2.20 Inch McPherson SD Cocorahs 24 hour total ending at 8 AM. 0800 AM Rain Wilmot 45.41N 96.86W 08/06/2025 M3.63 Inch Roberts SD CO-OP Observer 24 hour rainfall total ending at 8 am. 0900 AM Rain 8 NNE Wilmot 45.52N 96.79W 08/06/2025 E2.78 Inch Roberts SD Cocorahs 24 hour total ending at 9 AM.
Radar
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| Radar Loop from 6 PM CDT August 5th to 1 AM CDT August 6th |
Environment
Surface Pressure Pattern
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| WPC Surface Analysis at 4 PM CDT August 5th | WPC Surface Analysis at 7 PM CDT August 5th | WPC Surface Analysis at 10 PM CDT August 5th |
Near-storm environment at 7 PM CDT August 5th
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| SPC Surface Based CAPE | SPC Supercell Composite Parameter | SPC Effective Bulk Shear |
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| SPC Significant Tornado Parameter | SPC Precipitable Water | SPC Mid Level Lapse Rates |
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