Overview
A very warm and humid late July afternoon and subtle low pressure in central South Dakota allowed isolated thunderstorms to quickly evolve on July 28th. The storms became more numerous later in the afternoon and evening as they moved farther east. The storms continued into the late evening and progressed into northwest Iowa during the early hours of July 29th. The initial isolated storms in central South Dakota produced a couple of tornadoes. The first one was about one mile northwest of Dixon. It produced EF-1 damage to a farm outbuilding, some power poles, and a DOT truck shelter. The second one was about eight miles northwest of Bonesteel. It produced EF-2 damage to power poles, a single-family home, two outbuildings, a camper, and an abandoned trailer. As the storms became more numerous farther east, the system developed into a derecho, with many locations impacted by destructive straight-line winds. Wind gusts of 55 to 99 mph were common across the southeast quarter of South Dakota and the northern half of Iowa. Another tornado developed later in the storm event about one mile east of Alvord, Iowa. It produced EF-1 damage to some farm structures, a large barn, and a grove of trees. The greatest concentration of wind damage was near a line from Beresford, SD, to Spencer, IA. Numerous reports of strong wind gusts and photos of structural damage were collected across the area. |
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Dixon SD Tornado (Credit: Jordan Hall) |
Severe Weather Warnings (July 28, 2025) | Local Storm Reports (July 28, 2025) |
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.
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) |
Storm Reports
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Map of Severe Weather Report - July 28, 2025 |
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 1117 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Alton 42.99N 96.01W 07/28/2025 Sioux IA Public On the east side of town, an enclosed trailer was flipped on its side by thunderstorm wind gusts. 1114 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Sanborn 43.18N 95.66W 07/28/2025 OBrien IA Public Numerous tree branches broken, ranging from 6 to 18 inches in diameter. Some fell on houses. Many streets are blocked. 1042 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 4 WNW Spencer 43.17N 95.22W 07/28/2025 M92 MPH Clay IA ASOS ASOS station KSPW Spencer Municipal Airport. 1040 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Alton 42.99N 96.01W 07/28/2025 Sioux IA Public Social media report of building damage at the lumber yard in Alton. Estimated winds of 80 kts. Timing and winds estimated by radar. 1039 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 4 WNW Spencer 43.17N 95.22W 07/28/2025 M87 MPH Clay IA ASOS ASOS station KSPW Spencer Municipal Airport. 1037 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 SSE Lake Park 43.40N 95.31W 07/28/2025 M63 MPH Dickinson IA Mesonet Personal Weather Station (KIALAKEP2) near Milford measured a 63 mph wind gust. 1030 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 WSW Lakeside 42.60N 95.22W 07/28/2025 M60 MPH Buena Vista IA AWOS AWOS station KSLB Storm Lake Airport. 1025 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Spencer 43.15N 95.15W 07/28/2025 Clay IA Public Trees uprooted in town. Report via mPING. 1024 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 7 ENE Melvin 43.32N 95.48W 07/28/2025 M58 MPH Osceola IA Mesonet A personal weather station (KIAMAYCI1) near Melvin recorded a 58 mph wind gust. 1016 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Sheldon 43.18N 95.84W 07/28/2025 OBrien IA Public Many large branches across town knocked down by thunderstorm wind gusts. A camper was flipped upside down on the east side of town. 1008 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Primghar 43.09N 95.63W 07/28/2025 OBrien IA Emergency Mngr Highway 59 across the entire town is closed due to so many trees knocked down onto the road by thunderstorm wind gusts. 1008 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Primghar 43.09N 95.63W 07/28/2025 OBrien IA Trained Spotter Highway 59 across the entire town is closed due to so many trees knocked down onto the road by thunderstorm wind gusts. 1008 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Primghar 43.09N 95.63W 07/28/2025 OBrien IA Trained Spotter Highway 59 across the entire town is closed due to so many trees knocked down onto the road by thunderstorm wind gusts. 1002 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 3 N Meriden 42.84N 95.64W 07/28/2025 Cherokee IA Public Large trees snapped and uprooted. 1000 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 5 WNW Larrabee 42.88N 95.64W 07/28/2025 Cherokee IA Trained Spotter Large trees down on farmstead. 0952 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 4 SSE Rock Rapids 43.37N 96.14W 07/28/2025 M79 MPH Lyon IA Mesonet Personal weather station. 0950 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 SSE Ashton 43.28N 95.78W 07/28/2025 Osceola IA Trained Spotter Large tree blown down into house and two trees blown onto garage. 0950 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 ENE Sheldon 43.19N 95.82W 07/28/2025 OBrien IA Public Social media report with pictures of damage done to and RV business in Sheldon. Winds approximately 90 kts. Timing and wind speeds estimated by radar. 0945 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 NNE Sheldon 43.21N 95.83W 07/28/2025 M53 MPH OBrien IA AWOS The Sheldon AWOS recorded a 53 mph wind gust. 0941 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 NW Orange City 43.02N 96.08W 07/28/2025 M92 MPH Sioux IA Public Personal weather station. 0939 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 WSW Sioux Center 43.06N 96.22W 07/28/2025 M99 MPH Sioux IA Mesonet Personal weather station. 0934 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Orange City 43.00N 96.06W 07/28/2025 Sioux IA Emergency Mngr Trees knocked down by thunderstorm wind gusts. 0934 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 S Lester 43.41N 96.33W 07/28/2025 M72 MPH Lyon IA Mesonet Personal weather station. 0932 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Hull 43.19N 96.14W 07/28/2025 Sioux IA Public Social media picture of large limb snapped from a tree. 0930 PM Tornado 1 E Alvord 43.34N 96.27W 07/28/2025 Lyon IA NWS Storm Survey Mangled trees south of a convergent cord damage path. 0930 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Rock Rapids 43.43N 96.17W 07/28/2025 Lyon IA Trained Spotter Spotter reported a 2-3 foot in diameter live tree branch down. Time estimated by radar, with an estimated wind speed of 86 kts. 0930 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Rock Valley 43.20N 96.30W 07/28/2025 Sioux IA Trained Spotter Spotter reported a 2-3 foot in diameter live tree branch that was broken and down. Time of occurrence estimated by radar. Radar estimated winds of 86 kts. 0930 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Rock Valley 43.20N 96.30W 07/28/2025 Sioux IA Trained Spotter Spotter reported a 2-3 foot section of a live tree down. Radar estimated time of 9:30 CDT and radar estimated wind speed of 86 kts. 0930 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 NE Maurice 42.98N 96.17W 07/28/2025 M61 MPH Sioux IA AWOS AWOS station KSXK 1 NE Maurice. 0930 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 SSW Hawarden 42.99N 96.49W 07/28/2025 M65 MPH Sioux IA Mesonet Personal weather station. 0926 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Sioux Center 43.08N 96.17W 07/28/2025 Sioux IA Emergency Mngr Trees knocked down by thunderstorm wind gusts. 0922 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 8 NNW Ireton 43.08N 96.35W 07/28/2025 Sioux IA Emergency Mngr EM reports a tree with a roughly 5 foot diameter knocked down. Tree appears at least partially rotted from photos. 0919 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 SSW Beresford 43.04N 96.80W 07/28/2025 M67 MPH Union SD Mesonet Personal weather station. 0913 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 SSW Beresford 43.04N 96.80W 07/28/2025 M75 MPH Union SD Mesonet Mesonet station 16 SD RWIS Beresford. 0910 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Hawarden 43.00N 96.48W 07/28/2025 Sioux IA Emergency Mngr Trees knocked down by thunderstorm wind gusts. 0910 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Hawarden 43.00N 96.48W 07/28/2025 Sioux IA Emergency Mngr Trees knocked down by thunderstorm wind gusts. 0909 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 NNE Harrisburg 43.44N 96.69W 07/28/2025 M68 MPH Lincoln SD Mesonet Personal weather station. 0902 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Alcester 43.02N 96.63W 07/28/2025 Union SD Emergency Mngr Tree and powerline damage. 0859 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 6 N Beresford 43.16N 96.77W 07/28/2025 Lincoln SD Law Enforcement 200-foot cell tower was destroyed by winds estimated at least 90 mph. 0859 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 NNW Sioux Falls 43.58N 96.75W 07/28/2025 M66 MPH Minnehaha SD ASOS ASOS station KFSD Sioux Falls Airport. 0857 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 ESE Parker 43.37N 97.08W 07/28/2025 M85 MPH Turner SD Mesonet Mesonet station 310 SD RWIS Parker. 0856 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 N Tea 43.47N 96.84W 07/28/2025 M68 MPH Lincoln SD Public Personal weather station. 0855 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 6 SSE Centerville 43.04N 96.90W 07/28/2025 M77 MPH Clay SD Mesonet Mesonet station BFMS2 Beresford 7 WSW. 0853 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Beresford 43.08N 96.78W 07/28/2025 Union SD Emergency Mngr Tree and powerline damage. 0853 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 NE Davis 43.29N 96.97W 07/28/2025 Turner SD Emergency Mngr Thunderstorm wind gusts tore the roof off a house and uprooted a large tree. Time estimated from radar. 0851 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 4 E Irene 43.08N 97.08W 07/28/2025 M87 MPH Turner SD Mesonet Mesonet station 320 SD RWIS IRENE. 0851 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 5 W Sioux Falls 43.53N 96.83W 07/28/2025 M62 MPH Minnehaha SD Mesonet Personal weather stataion. 0849 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 5 W Sioux Falls 43.53N 96.82W 07/28/2025 Minnehaha SD Public Large tree limbs broken down by winds estimated at 65 mph. 0848 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 4 NNE Tea 43.50N 96.81W 07/28/2025 M60 MPH Minnehaha SD Mesonet Personal weather station. 0836 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Irene 43.08N 97.16W 07/28/2025 M66 MPH Turner SD Mesonet Personal weather station. 0829 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 6 NNE Monroe 43.56N 97.16W 07/28/2025 M64 MPH McCook SD Mesonet Personal weather station. 0825 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 7 ESE Menno 43.21N 97.45W 07/28/2025 M62 MPH Hutchinson SD Mesonet Mesonet station MNMS2 Menno 7ESE. 0818 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 7 NE Lesterville 43.10N 97.48W 07/28/2025 M60 MPH Yankton SD Mesonet Personal weather station. 0805 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 S Scotland 43.10N 97.72W 07/28/2025 M63 MPH Bon Homme SD Mesonet Corrects previous non-tstm wnd gst report from 3 S Scotland. Mesonet station DVI02596 Scotland. 0759 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 WNW Scotland 43.16N 97.76W 07/28/2025 M72 MPH Bon Homme SD Mesonet Personal weather station. 0753 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 6 SW Scotland 43.08N 97.81W 07/28/2025 M60 MPH Bon Homme SD Mesonet Personal weather station. 0740 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 4 NE Dante 43.08N 98.13W 07/28/2025 M60 MPH Charles Mix SD Mesonet Corrects previous non-tstm wnd gst report from 4 NE Dante. Mesonet station 324 SD RWIS WAGNER. 0740 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 ESE Mitchell 43.72N 98.01W 07/28/2025 M55 MPH Davison SD Mesonet Personal weather station. 0717 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 NW Wagner 43.09N 98.32W 07/28/2025 M72 MPH Charles Mix SD Mesonet Personal weather station. 0702 PM Hail 5 SW Plankinton 43.66N 98.54W 07/28/2025 E0.88 Inch Aurora SD Trained Spotter 0646 PM Funnel Cloud White Lake 43.73N 98.71W 07/28/2025 Aurora SD Trained Spotter Funnel cloud developing right over White Lake now. 0615 PM Hail Burke 43.18N 99.29W 07/28/2025 M1.75 Inch Gregory SD Trained Spotter 15 minutes of hail varied in size from quarters to golf balls, with most of them quarter to half dollar sized. 0601 PM Tornado 3 NNW Bonesteel 43.11N 98.96W 07/28/2025 Gregory SD Storm Chaser Major damage to a single family residence. Two nearby outbuildings destroyed. 0435 PM Tornado Dixon 43.38N 99.47W 07/28/2025 Gregory SD Trained Spotter Confirmed tornado on the ground along Highway 44 near Dixon. 0428 PM Tornado 1 NW Dixon 43.40N 99.49W 07/28/2025 Gregory SD Storm Chaser Initial touchdown of tornado which traveled for 11 miles to east-southeast. |
Tornado Photos
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Dixon SD Tornado (Credit: Jordan Hall) |
Dixon SD Tornado (Credit: Jordan Hall) |
North of Bonesteel SD Tornado (Credit: EM Brad Christensen) |
North of Bonesteel SD Tornado (Credit: EM Brad Christensen) |
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Alvord IA Tornado (Credit: Dan Gottschalk) |
Alvord IA (Credit: Dan Gottschalk) |
Alvord IA (Credit: Dan Gottschalk) |
Alvord IA (Credit: Dan Gottschalk) |
Wind Damage Photos
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South of Davis SD (Credit: Kayla Beaner) |
Harrisburg SD (Credit: Kassidy Froderman) |
Sioux Falls SD (Credit: Caleb Cooke |
Sioux Falls SD (Credit: Brittney Wise) |
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Orange City IA (Credit: Ben Boice) |
South of Alton IA (Credit: Ams Rassel) |
George IA (Credit: Sharon Kanengieter) |
Meriden IA (Credit: Dave KA90ZP) |
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Hartley IA (Credit: Heather Nitzel) |
Linn Grove IA (Credit: Ezra McKenzie Mattila) |
Spencer IA (Credit: Ardelle Brehmer Faulkender) |
Spencer IA (Credit: Jamie Rusk-Blume) |
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Spencer IA (Credit: Steve Grimmius) |
Lake Park IA (Credit: Amanda Sether) |
Orange City IA (Credit: Christina Blezien) |
Beresford SD (Credit: Stephanie Bartlett) |
Additional Information
Severe Thunderstorm Outlook, Watches, and Discussions
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SPC Severe Thunderstorm Outlook 1236 PM CDT |
Severe Thunderstorm Watch 345 PM CDT |
SPC Mesoscale Discussion 445 PM CDT |
Severe Thunderstorm Watch 656 PM CDT |
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SPC Mesoscale Discussion 745 PM CDT |
SPC Mesoscale Discussion 1015 PM CDT |
SPC Mesoscale Discussion 1145 PM CDT |
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