Home / States / South Dakota
Lincoln County, South Dakota
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1954 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
61
Tornado reports
205
Hail reports
127
Floods since 1996
959
All events
5
Deaths
$82.7M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Lincoln County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 58 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated
Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
Tornado F3 Tornado
Rainfall amounts across Lincoln County from June 20-22 ranged from 6 to 14 inches with at least two locations reporting amounts in excess of 17 inches. Widespread overland flooding ensued with additional record flooding along the Big Sioux River. County first responders were acti…
A brief period of light freezing rain resulted in a light glaze of icing, prior to a period of snowfall that accumulated to 3.1 inches at the COOP site in Canton. Northerly wind increased by the afternoon of March 16 with gusts as high as 47 mph at South Dakota Road Weather Infor…
Very light snowfall during the early morning was accompanied and followed by gusty northwest wind, which resulted in drifting of snow and the formation of black ice on roadways. A vehicle lost control on ice-covered Interstate 29 near mile marker 71, entered the median and rolled…
A tornado touched down around one quarter mile east of the intersection of Interstates 29 and 229, near the intersection of 69th Street and Tallgrass Avenue. The tornado tracked east-northeast for a quarter mile before it struck a building under construction, causing extensive da…
Most of the rubber roof liner on the section of Lennox High School with the band and shop classrooms was removed by thunderstorm winds. Interior ceilings and equipment incurred water damage. Property damage costs are a rough estimate.
Initial damage to a few power poles occurred as the tornado touched down at the intersection of 85th Street and Western Avenue in far southern portions of the Sioux Falls metro area. The tornado tracked northeast for a quarter mile causing tree damage in a residential area before…
A majority of county and township roads were inundated by water. Especially hard hit were gravel roads just south of Sioux Falls. Highway 11 around 2 miles southeast of Harrisburg was inundated with water for several hours. The property damage costs include estimates for public p…
Persistent moderate to heavy rain caused flooding of fields and other lowlands, including several roads, homes, and businesses. This flooding lasted for almost two days, and was aggravated locally by additional storms during that time. Many roads throughout the county were damage…
An extended period of precipitation began with freezing rain quickly producing heavy ice accumulations, especially in the northern part of the county, with more than a half inch in southern Sioux Falls. The precipitation then changed to sleet and then snow, with sleet and snow ac…
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached afternoon peaks as high as 113 degrees at Harrisburg, 108 degrees at Canton, and 107 degrees 10 miles east of Davis.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a personal weather station.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions improved to moderate (D1) very early in June, but briefly returned to severe (D2) during late month.
Tornado EF0 Tornado
A storm chaser reported the tornado was first visible in an open field west of 466th Avenue and north of 291st Street. The tornado moved slowly southeast toward a farmstead at the intersection of 466th Avenue and 291st Street where minor tree damage was reported. The primary circ…
Tornado EF1 Tornado
Storm chaser video revealed a very brief tornado that moved southeast to northwest as it rotated around a much larger mesocyclone. The tornado tracked across Mount Hope Dairy, destroying one barn and damaging another before quickly lifting. Debris from the barns was scattered nor…
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted through the month.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail varied from penny to quarter size.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted through the month.
Blizzard Blizzard
Northerly winds gusted as high as 54 mph 7 miles east of Davis. During and after a period of heavy snowfall which totaled 6.5 inches at Canton and 4.2 inches at Harrisburg, visibility was reduced to one-quarter mile or less at times with blowing snow.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds were between 40 and 46 mph at times, with gusts as high as 59 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site near Davis.
Drought Drought
Moderate (D1) drought conditions worsened to severe (D2) early month.
High Wind High Wind
Northwest winds were sustained from 40 to 45 mph with gusts as high as 60 mph 10 miles east of Davis.
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Sustained winds reached 30 to 39 mph at times with a peak gust of 55 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site 10 miles east of Davis.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Short duration near-blizzard conditions occurred, divided by a longer improvement in conditions as falling snow ended for a time during the afternoon and early evening. Gusty northwest winds from 35 to 50 mph were concurrent with light snowfall, which totaled 1.5 to 2.5 inches ar…
High Wind High Wind
Northwest winds were sustained between 40 and 44 mph at times, with gusts as high as 61 mph 10 miles east of Davis.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totaled 3.9 inches at Harrisburg and 3.7 inches in Canton.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chills reached as low as -31 degrees 10 miles east of Davis and -25 degrees at Harrisburg.
High Wind High Wind
Synoptic northwest winds were sustained from 40 to 47 mph with a peak gust of 69 mph at a personal weather station at Harrisburg and 62 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site 9 miles east of Davis.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Snowfall totaled 9.4 inches at Canton and 6 to 9 inches across southern Sioux Falls into Tea and Harrisburg.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A long-duration snowfall totaled 9.5 inches in Canton and 5.5 to 6.5 inches on the south side of Sioux Falls. Interstate 29 was briefly closed during the morning of November 29 due to numerous accidents along the stretch of roadway.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds periodically reached around 40 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site 7 miles east of Davis with a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totaled 4.7 inches in Canton and 4.5 inches in Harrisburg.
Heat Heat
Heat index values peaked as high as 104 degrees at Harrisburg on August 15 and 102 degrees at Harrisburg on August 16.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index values peaked as high as 107 degrees at Harrisburg.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a personal weather station.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 23 | 2 |
| 2025 | 55 | 1 |
| 2024 | 36 | 0 |
| 2023 | 30 | 0 |
| 2022 | 49 | 0 |
| 2021 | 59 | 4 |
| 2020 | 28 | 0 |
| 2019 | 62 | 2 |
| 2018 | 52 | 0 |
| 2017 | 22 | 0 |
| 2016 | 23 | 1 |
| 2015 | 23 | 0 |
| 2014 | 20 | 1 |
| 2013 | 17 | 0 |
| 2012 | 18 | 0 |
| 2011 | 11 | 0 |
| 2010 | 38 | 0 |
| 2009 | 14 | 0 |
| 2008 | 28 | 0 |
| 2007 | 19 | 0 |
| 2006 | 16 | 0 |
| 2005 | 20 | 0 |
| 2004 | 39 | 7 |
| 2003 | 41 | 14 |
| 2002 | 16 | 0 |
| 2001 | 19 | 4 |
| 2000 | 23 | 1 |
| 1999 | 6 | 0 |
| 1998 | 10 | 1 |
| 1997 | 14 | 3 |
| 1996 | 23 | 0 |
| 1995 | 4 | 0 |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1993 | 5 | 3 |
| 1992 | 7 | 0 |
| 1991 | 6 | 0 |
| 1990 | 4 | 0 |
| 1989 | 5 | 0 |
| 1986 | 8 | 2 |
| 1985 | 5 | 0 |
| 1984 | 2 | 0 |
| 1983 | 2 | 0 |
| 1982 | 8 | 0 |
| 1981 | 3 | 0 |
| 1980 | 6 | 1 |
| 1978 | 7 | 0 |
| 1975 | 2 | 0 |
| 1974 | 5 | 0 |
| 1973 | 4 | 1 |
| 1972 | 1 | 1 |
| 1971 | 2 | 1 |
| 1970 | 4 | 2 |
| 1969 | 2 | 1 |
| 1968 | 1 | 1 |
| 1965 | 3 | 2 |
| 1964 | 2 | 2 |
| 1962 | 1 | 1 |
| 1960 | 1 | 0 |
| 1959 | 2 | 1 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
| 1954 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Lincoln County, measured to its path.
We couldn’t get your location. Check that location access is allowed for this site, or type an address.