Hail and tornadoes in Buffalo County, SD

Since December 2020, radar estimated hail somewhere in Buffalo County, SD on 42 days. The biggest estimate: 2 in or larger (hen egg), on Thu, Jul 2, 2026. Hail was reported to the National Weather Service inside the county on 3 days.

Still loading: radar estimates go back to Wed, Oct 14, 2020, and the earlier years are being added.

Days with hail

since December 2020

1 inch or larger

days, estimated or reported

Largest radar estimate

2+ in

Thu, Jul 2, 2026

Largest reported

3 in

Thu, Jul 2, 2026

Radar estimates are NOAA's MESH: the largest hail the radar estimates aloft, on cells about 0.7 mile across, shown as the lower bound of a size band (“1.5+”). They often run larger than what reached the ground, and they aren't evidence of damage at any address.

Hail on record since 1955

NOAA's Storm Events database lists 67 hail reports in Buffalo County, SD on 44 days, 2 of them 2 inches or larger. The largest: 3 in, near Gann Vly, on Thu, Jul 2, 2026.

By decade: 1990s: 3 · 2000s: 31 · 2010s: 26 · 2020s: 7

Tornadoes since 1950

3 tornadoes have touched Buffalo County, SD since 1950, none of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Every one

Thu, Jul 2, 2026 · EFU · 4.07 mi long, 20 yd wide · near Gann Vly
Wed, Jun 18, 2014 · EF0 · 0.65 mi long, 250 yd wide · near Gann Vly
Wed, Jun 18, 2014 · EF0 · 2 mi long, 400 yd wide · near Ft Thompson

By decade: 2010s: 2 · 2020s: 1

Still loading: NOAA's record goes back to 1950, and 1995 onward is in so far.

Every hail day since December 2020

Fri, Sep 4, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Sep 3, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Sep 1, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sat, Jul 25, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Jul 2, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 2 in or larger (hen egg)
Reported in the county
- 2.75 in (7 WNW Gann Valley, SD)
- 1.75 in (7 SSW Gann Valley, SD)
- 3 in (7 SSW Gann Valley, SD)
Tue, Jun 9, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Jun 4, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Aug 15, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
Wed, Aug 13, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Aug 7, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, Aug 3, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, Jul 28, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 2 in or larger (hen egg)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, Jul 27, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Wed, Jul 23, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Jul 15, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
Reported in the county
- 1 in (3 NW Shelby, SD)
Wed, Jul 9, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Jul 4, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sat, Jun 21, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, Apr 27, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, Aug 25, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, Jul 29, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Jul 19, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Jul 11, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Jun 27, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, May 23, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Jul 25, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Jul 18, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Jun 23, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Jun 8, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, May 29, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Jul 5, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, Jul 3, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, Jun 12, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, May 12, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Wed, May 11, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, May 8, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Apr 22, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
Reported in the county
- 1.75 in (12 NNW GANN VALLEY, SD)
Sat, Oct 9, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, Aug 30, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, Aug 22, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Jul 8, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, Jun 13, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.

Check your own address →Weather in Buffalo County, SD now →Get warned before the next storm →

Radar estimates and reports are for anywhere inside the county's boundary. Radar estimates come from NOAA's MRMS estimated hail size (MESH), the largest hail the radar estimates aloft on a ~1 km grid. They often run larger than the hail that reached the ground, and they aren't an observation at any address. Reports are what people reported to the National Weather Service. Neither is proof of damage or an official record for an insurance claim. From NOAA's Storm Events Database (NCEI), which records tornadoes from 1950, hail and thunderstorm wind from 1955, and every kind of storm from 1996. A tornado that crossed county lines is counted in each county it touched. Recent months are added as NCEI publishes them, a few months behind. Damage is in the dollars of its year and is often an estimate.