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McCook County, South Dakota
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1953 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
42
Tornado reports
193
Hail reports
30
Floods since 1996
744
All events
8
Deaths
$46.5M
Property damage
Tornado paths in McCook County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 42 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.
The tornado from Hanson County destroyed most of Spencer as it strengthened and continued to grow. Most homes, other buildings, and other structures in Spencer were completely levelled. Debris and belongings were scattered over a large area, and one receipt blown from Spencer was…
A tornado caused extensive damage in the Canistota area. Four metal grain storage bins were severely damaged and the roof was blown off the grain elevator. A large roof was blown off a building in Canistota resulting in rain seeping through the floors of the building. The roof bl…
Tornado F3 Tornado
Rain changed to freezing rain, causing light icing before the precipitation quickly changed to snow. Snow accumulated 5 to 8 inches. The icing and subsequent snow accumulation made travel very difficult, with several vehicle accidents and numerous vehicles sliding into ditches. O…
Rainfall amounts across McCook County from June 20-22 ranged from 5 to 8 inches. Widespread overland flooding ensued with additional flooding along the East Fork Vermillion River, West Fork Vermillion River, and Wolf Creek. Flood waters damaged 10 to 15 homes in Montrose, 8 to 10…
An extended period of precipitation began with freezing rain quickly producing moderate to heavy ice accumulations, ranging up to more than a quarter of an inch. The precipitation then changed to sleet and then snow, with sleet and snow accumulations reaching the 5 to 8 inch rang…
Widespread golf ball to baseball-size hail fell with some softball size hail reported. The hail broke windows and caused other damage to all homes and unprotected vehicles in Salem, including 150 cars at a dealership. Severe damage occurred to crops in the area.
Heat Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached a brief afternoon peak as high as 107 degrees 4 miles north of Dolton and 105 degrees near Montrose.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a personal weather station.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gust measured by the South Dakota Road Weather Information System site 4 miles north of Dolton.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions intensified to extreme (D3) during late month.
Hail Hail
Hail was jagged, with some as long as a quarter, but most of it was pea to nickel sized.
Hail Hail
Hail damaged young crops in the fields.
Hail Hail
Most hail was pea to quarter sized, but a few were as big as golf balls. Farm fields farther north are more damaged than those at the site.
Tornado EFU Tornado
A brief tornado was observed in an open field by a storm chaser around 1 mile north of Bridgewater. The tornado was estimated to touch down around one-half mile north of the Zion Bible Church on the north edge of Bridgewater. The tornado tracked northeast for less than one minute…
Tornado EF0 Tornado
A storm chaser witnessed a tornado develop around 2 miles northeast of Bridgewater. The tornado formed one-half mile south of 263rd Street just west of 437th Avenue. The tornado tracked northeast across open fields for around 3 minutes before it crossed 263rd Street around one-th…
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted through the month.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions persisted through the month.
Blizzard Blizzard
Northerly winds gusted as high as 55 mph near Montrose and 4 miles north of Dolton. During and after a period of snowfall which totaled 5.5 inches at Montrose and 3.8 inches 5 miles northeast of Salem, visibility was reduced to one-quarter mile or less at times with blowing snow.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds were between 40 and 52 mph at times, with gusts as high as 66 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site near Montrose.
Drought Drought
Moderate (D1) drought conditions intensified to severe (D2) by mid month.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds were briefly between 40 and 47 mph, with gusts as high as 61 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site near Montrose.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds were between 40 and 42 mph at times at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site near Montrose.
High Wind High Wind
Northwest winds were sustained from 40 to 48 mph with gusts as high as 64 mph 2 miles southeast of Montrose and 60 mph 4 miles north of Dolton.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds reached 40 to 42 mph at times with a peak gust of 58 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site 4 miles north of Dolton.
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Sustained winds reached 30 to 39 mph at times with a peak gust of 57 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site 4 miles north of Dolton and 56 mph 2 miles southeast of Montrose.
High Wind High Wind
Northwest winds were sustained between 40 and 51 mph at times, with gusts as high as 67 mph 2 miles southeast of Montrose, 61 mph 4 miles north of Dolton, and 58 mph near Canova.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totaled 3.5 inches 5 miles northeast of Salem and 3.0 inches 7 miles north of Parker.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chills reached as low as -33 degrees at Salem, -30 degrees 2 miles southeast of Montrose and near Canova, and -26 degrees 4 miles north of Dolton.
High Wind High Wind
Synoptic northwest winds were sustained from 40 to 49 mph with a peak gust of 66 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site 2 miles southeast of Montrose and 64 mph 4 miles north of Dolton.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Snowfall totaled 8.0 inches at Canistota, 7.5 inches at Bridgewater, and 5.0 inches at Montrose and 5 miles northeast of Salem.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
A long-duration snowfall totaled 6.0 inches 7 miles north of Parker, 4.5 inches 6 miles northwest of Montrose, 4.0 inches at Bridgewater, and 3.6 inches at Montrose.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds periodically reached from 40 to 46 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site 2 miles southeast of Montrose with a peak wind gust of 63 mph.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totaled 5.0 inches 6 miles northwest of Montrose and 7 miles north of Parker, 4.2 inches at Bridgewater, and 3.3 inches at Montrose.
Heat Heat
Heat index values peaked as high as 102 degrees 4 miles south of Canova and 100 degrees near Salem.
Heat Heat
Heat index values peaked as high as 101 degrees 4 miles north of Dolton and near Salem.
Hail Hail
A large tree limb was also blown down by thunderstorm winds.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Scattered tree damage occurred throughout the city of Bridgewater.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a Road Weather Information System sensor at Stanley Corner.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a personal weather station.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a personal weather station.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a Road Weather Information System sensor near Montrose.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached an afternoon peak on July 27 as high as 116 degrees near Canova, 111 degrees 4 miles north of Dolton, 109 degrees near Salem, 108 degrees near Montrose, and 107 degrees at Bridgewater.
Heat Heat
Heat index values peaked during the afternoon hours of July 22 as high as 103 degrees near Canova.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a Road Weather Information System sensor near Montrose.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 21 | 2 |
| 2025 | 32 | 0 |
| 2024 | 34 | 0 |
| 2023 | 32 | 0 |
| 2022 | 45 | 1 |
| 2021 | 26 | 0 |
| 2020 | 19 | 0 |
| 2019 | 29 | 0 |
| 2018 | 29 | 0 |
| 2017 | 12 | 0 |
| 2016 | 20 | 0 |
| 2015 | 16 | 0 |
| 2014 | 11 | 0 |
| 2013 | 12 | 0 |
| 2012 | 31 | 0 |
| 2011 | 19 | 0 |
| 2010 | 22 | 0 |
| 2009 | 27 | 1 |
| 2008 | 14 | 0 |
| 2007 | 20 | 1 |
| 2006 | 23 | 1 |
| 2005 | 23 | 0 |
| 2004 | 23 | 0 |
| 2003 | 19 | 0 |
| 2002 | 23 | 0 |
| 2001 | 14 | 4 |
| 2000 | 19 | 2 |
| 1999 | 15 | 1 |
| 1998 | 9 | 3 |
| 1997 | 13 | 0 |
| 1996 | 15 | 0 |
| 1995 | 3 | 0 |
| 1994 | 2 | 0 |
| 1993 | 2 | 2 |
| 1992 | 2 | 2 |
| 1991 | 13 | 0 |
| 1989 | 5 | 0 |
| 1987 | 5 | 0 |
| 1986 | 2 | 0 |
| 1985 | 3 | 2 |
| 1984 | 6 | 3 |
| 1983 | 2 | 0 |
| 1982 | 2 | 0 |
| 1981 | 1 | 1 |
| 1980 | 1 | 0 |
| 1979 | 1 | 1 |
| 1978 | 2 | 0 |
| 1976 | 1 | 0 |
| 1974 | 1 | 0 |
| 1973 | 2 | 2 |
| 1971 | 2 | 2 |
| 1970 | 2 | 1 |
| 1969 | 2 | 0 |
| 1967 | 1 | 1 |
| 1966 | 2 | 0 |
| 1965 | 6 | 6 |
| 1962 | 1 | 0 |
| 1959 | 2 | 0 |
| 1958 | 1 | 1 |
| 1954 | 1 | 1 |
| 1953 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in McCook County, measured to its path.
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