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Yankton 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.
29
Tornado reports
256
Hail reports
89
Floods since 1996
878
All events
2
Deaths
$51.2M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Yankton County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 29 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
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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
Tornado F3 Tornado
Tornado F3 Tornado
Daily afternoon and evening heat indices ranged from 100 to 115 degrees with a maximum heat index of 115 degrees at Automated Weather Observing System site KYKN at Yankton on August 21. A direct fatality occurred in Yankton on the third day of excessive heat when a child was left…
Two brothers, age 19 and 17, were struck by lightning while swimming in Lewis and Clark Lake. The 19 year old died later the same day, while the 17 year old survived his injuries.
Flooding continued from August, but the James River near Yankton (YNNS2) soon fell below flood stage on September 4. However, excessive rainfall of 4 to 8 inches upstream September 10-12 (7.54 inches at Mitchell and 7.21 inches 7 miles south of Parkston) led to a rapid rise and a…
Continued precipitation with high water levels damaged county and township roadways during April. 260 miles of gravel roads were reported completely unusable at times during the month.
Street flooding in numerous intersections within the city of Yankton. A high number of flooded basements also reported, especially along Marne Creek. Other flooding resulted in extensive damage to public infrastructure including numerous county and township roads, culverts, and s…
Large hail up to golf ball size, driven by strong to damaging winds, caused widespread property and crop damage in and near Yankton. Numerous windows were broken, both in structures and in vehicles, roofs and siding were damaged in several homes and businesses, and trees were str…
Large hail, accompanied in places by damaging winds, destroyed or severely damaged crops in an area up to 10 miles wide from northwestern to southeastern Yankton County. Estimates from the Farm Service Agency were at least 48 thousand acres of corn, soybean, and alfalfa crops tha…
Large hail broke windows, damaged vehicles, and damaged trees.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached afternoon peaks as high as 108 degrees at Yankton and 106 degrees 10 miles north of Yankton and near Gayville.
Drought Drought
Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted through the month.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Drought Drought
Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted through the month.
Drought Drought
Extreme (D3) drought conditions persisted through the month.
Blizzard Blizzard
Northerly winds gusted as high as 55 mph 8 miles north of Yankton, 53 mph near Gayville, and 48 mph at Yankton. During and after a period of snowfall which totaled 3.0 at Yankton, visibility was reduced to one-quarter mile or less at times with blowing snow.
High Wind High Wind
Winds were sustained at 40 mph at times for several hours at the South Dakota Road Weather Information System site 10 miles north of Yankton and the Automated Weather Observing System site at Yankton.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds were between 40 and 46 mph at times, with gusts as high as 66 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site near Veldin Corner.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought conditions intensified to extreme (D3) at mid month.
Drought Drought
Severe (D2) drought was introduced into southern portions of Yankton County.
High Wind High Wind
Northwest winds were sustained from 40 to 51 mph with gusts high as 69 mph near Gayville and 61 mph at Yankton.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds reached around 40 mph at times with a peak gust of 58 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site 10 miles north of Yankton.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds reached 40 to 42 mph at times with a peak gust of 60 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site 2 miles west of Gayville.
High Wind High Wind
Northwest winds were sustained between 40 and 52 mph at times, with gusts as high as 63 mph at Yankton and 2 miles west-southwest of Gayville, and 58 mph 10 miles north of Yankton.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totaled 4.0 inches at Yankton and 3.5 inches 6 miles west of Yankton.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chills reached as low as -31 degrees 2 miles west-southwest of Gayville and -28 10 miles north of Yankton.
High Wind High Wind
Synoptic northwest winds were sustained from 40 to 48 mph with a peak gust of 64 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site 2 miles west-southwest of Gayville and 58 mph 12 miles north of Yankton.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totaled 3.5 inches 2 miles east of Yankton.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A long-duration snowfall totaled 7.0 inches at Yankton.
High Wind High Wind
Sustained winds periodically reached 40 to 44 mph at a South Dakota Road Weather Information System site near Gayville with a peak gust of 59 mph. An Automated Weather Observing System site at Yankton measured sustained winds up to 44 mph.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index values peaked as high as 105 degrees 6 miles south-southwest of Utica on August 16.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index values peaked as high as 105 degrees 6 miles south-southwest of Vermillion, 103 degrees at Yankton, and 101 degrees 1 mile west-southwest of Gayville.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a Road Weather Information System sensor near Gayville.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts were measured by a personal weather station.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached an afternoon peak as high as 112 degrees at Yankton, 111 degrees near Gayville, and 110 degrees 6 miles south-southwest of Utica.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Dangerous heat index readings reached daily afternoon peaks as high as 111 degrees 6 miles south-southwest of Utica on July 21.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Measured by a personal weather station. The first severe gust of 61 mph occurred at 1836 CST, followed by 66 mph gust at 1841 CST.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Severe wind gusts began at 1739 CST with a peak gust of 68 mph at 1745 CST.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several large tree limbs were reported down in Yankton.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A 61 mph wind gust was measured at the South Dakota Road Weather Information System site near Gayville.
Hail Hail
Quarter-size hail damaged crops.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail varying from pea to quarter size lasted 15 minutes.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 16 | 0 |
| 2025 | 39 | 0 |
| 2024 | 31 | 0 |
| 2023 | 44 | 0 |
| 2022 | 54 | 0 |
| 2021 | 22 | 0 |
| 2020 | 27 | 0 |
| 2019 | 35 | 0 |
| 2018 | 29 | 0 |
| 2017 | 18 | 0 |
| 2016 | 20 | 0 |
| 2015 | 19 | 0 |
| 2014 | 15 | 1 |
| 2013 | 17 | 1 |
| 2012 | 16 | 0 |
| 2011 | 29 | 0 |
| 2010 | 31 | 0 |
| 2009 | 35 | 1 |
| 2008 | 31 | 1 |
| 2007 | 25 | 3 |
| 2006 | 17 | 0 |
| 2005 | 15 | 0 |
| 2004 | 43 | 1 |
| 2003 | 16 | 0 |
| 2002 | 32 | 0 |
| 2001 | 11 | 0 |
| 2000 | 26 | 0 |
| 1999 | 15 | 0 |
| 1998 | 8 | 0 |
| 1997 | 16 | 0 |
| 1996 | 17 | 0 |
| 1995 | 6 | 0 |
| 1993 | 4 | 0 |
| 1992 | 2 | 0 |
| 1991 | 5 | 0 |
| 1990 | 3 | 0 |
| 1989 | 1 | 0 |
| 1988 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986 | 6 | 0 |
| 1985 | 6 | 3 |
| 1984 | 4 | 0 |
| 1983 | 5 | 0 |
| 1982 | 4 | 0 |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980 | 8 | 2 |
| 1979 | 4 | 1 |
| 1978 | 5 | 0 |
| 1977 | 3 | 0 |
| 1976 | 2 | 0 |
| 1975 | 2 | 1 |
| 1973 | 2 | 0 |
| 1972 | 2 | 2 |
| 1971 | 3 | 0 |
| 1970 | 3 | 0 |
| 1969 | 1 | 0 |
| 1968 | 4 | 0 |
| 1967 | 3 | 1 |
| 1966 | 4 | 1 |
| 1965 | 4 | 4 |
| 1964 | 3 | 2 |
| 1962 | 1 | 1 |
| 1961 | 1 | 0 |
| 1959 | 2 | 1 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
| 1954 | 2 | 2 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Yankton County, measured to its path.
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