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Flood in Harding County, South Dakota
20 floods and flash floods events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Flood, Flash Flood, Coastal Flood, Lakeshore Flood.
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.
Harding County, South Dakota, has 20 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 9 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 19 events against 1 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 3,390 flood events recorded in South Dakota; its 0.7 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
Compared with South Dakota
| Measure | Harding County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 20 | 3,390 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.7 | 4.5 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 150.7 | 37.9 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 10 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | May | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
5Apr
3May
6Jun
2Jul
3Aug
0Sep
1Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 May 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2019 | Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2014 | Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2014 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2011 | Flood | — | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Mar 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Harding County had?
20 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of floods and flash floods became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded flood event in Harding County?
24 May 2019 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Harding County?
The flood of 20 May 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $300K.
How does Harding County compare with South Dakota for flood?
0.7 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 20 of the state's 3,390 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 Flood hub and the county page.