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Hail in Hanson County, South Dakota
92 hail events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Hail.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Hanson County, South Dakota, has 92 hail events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 28 different years.
August is the busiest month, with 24 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 44 events against 45 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.5% of the 17,011 hail events recorded in South Dakota; its 21.2 per 100 square miles compares with 22.4 statewide.
16 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 3.00 inches (tea cup size).
Compared with South Dakota
| Measure | Hanson County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 92 | 17,011 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 21.2 | 22.4 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 262.5 | 190.0 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Busiest month | August | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
20Jun
17Jul
20Aug
24Sep
8Oct
1Nov
1Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
NWS hail-size descriptors
- under 1 in
- pea to quarter
- 1–1.74 in
- quarter to golf ball
- 1.75–2.74 in
- golf ball to baseball
- 2.75–3.99 in
- baseball to softball
- 4 in and larger
- softball and larger
Hail size in inches as recorded by NCEI; events without a size are not binned.
Recorded events
All 92 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 May 2026 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2026 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2021 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2020 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2020 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | $2K | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2020 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2020 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2019 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2019 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2019 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2018 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2015 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2015 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2012 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2012 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2012 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2011 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2011 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2010 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2009 | Hail | 2.75 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2009 | Hail | 2.00 in | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2009 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 2007 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2007 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2006 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Nov 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2005 | Hail | 1.75 in | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2005 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2004 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2004 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2004 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2004 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2002 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2002 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2002 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2001 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2000 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 1999 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1998 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1998 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1996 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1991 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1986 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1968 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1964 | Hail | 3.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Hanson County had?
92 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of hail became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded hail event in Hanson County?
31 May 2026 (Hail, 1.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Hanson County?
The hail of 2 Aug 2009, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $50K.
How does Hanson County compare with South Dakota for hail?
21.2 events per 100 square miles against 22.4 statewide; the county holds 92 of the state's 17,011 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Hail hub and the county page.