Thunderstorm Wind — Walworth, South Dakota

2025-07-09 · near Mobridge, Walworth, South Dakota

Event narrative

In Mobridge, powerful thunderstorm winds broke three power poles. The roof of a business, which had been previously damaged, was completely ripped off. The nearby Automated Surface Observing System at the Mobridge Regional Airport reported a gust of 61 mph.

Wider weather episode

A cluster of storms would form a line in central and north central South Dakota, generating strong winds before weakening. The storms were responsible for breaking 3 power poles in the city of Mobridge, and completely ripping the roof off of a business shop that had been previously damaged by storms. The peak wind gust along the line was 81 mph measured at the South Dakota Department of Transportation mesonet station near Lowry. Additional, isolated thunderstorms in central South Dakota would go on to produce some large hail, up to the size of tennis-ball near the town of Lyman, and locally strong winds north of Fort Thompson which would snap power poles and roll haybales across a field.

As the system continued east overnight, locally strong winds would result in sending a car into the ditch north of Henry, while lightning would damage the generator circuits at the Clark water tower.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (45.5400, -100.4400)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1263025. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.