Flash Flood — Walworth, South Dakota

2018-05-17 · near Java, Walworth, South Dakota

Wider weather episode

Extreme rainfall and severe weather occurred along a stationary frontal boundary extending across the region. Thunderstorms training over the same area brought rainfall amounts from 3 to over 13 inches causing extensive flash flooding. Many roads and cropland were flooded and damaged. Several roads had to be barricaded. There was some sandbagging at some farmsteads with several homes receiving water in their basements. The extreme rainfall also caused the dam at Lake Hiddenwood to burst sending water downstream resulting in more flash flooding. The entire lake was drained and water from the lake flowed for miles toward Sand Lake near the Walworth/Campbell county borders. The South Dakota governor requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration for Campbell, Walworth, and McPherson counties. The total estimated damage in all three counties was 3,115,000 dollars.

Some extreme rainfall amounts include, 3.96 inches at Eureka, 6.17 inches 11 miles southwest of Eureka, 6.70 inches 5 miles west of Hillsview, 8 inches 5 miles west of Long Lake, 9 inches at Long Lake, 9.5 inches 4 miles north northwest of Long Lake, and 13.15 inches 3 miles northwest of Long Lake.

Severe weather with hail up to the size of golf balls along with winds gusting to near 80 mph also brought damage to parts of central and north central South Dakota. The city of Eureka reported significant roof and property damage due to large hail.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (45.5072, -99.9146)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 759648. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.