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Flood in Meade County, South Dakota
49 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.
NCEI records 49 flood events in Meade County, South Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 15 years.
May is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 46 events against 3 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.4% of the 3,390 flood events recorded in South Dakota; its 1.4 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
Compared with South Dakota
| Measure | Meade County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 49 | 3,390 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.4 | 4.5 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 16.2 | 37.9 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 10 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | May | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
1May
21Jun
17Jul
5Aug
2Sep
0Oct
1Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2019 | Flood | — | $35K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $639K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $800K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $800K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2019 | Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2014 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 2013 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2013 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2011 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Flood | — | $500K | $1.0M | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2008 | Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2007 | Flash Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2007 | Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 1996 | Flash Flood | — | $250K | $10K | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Meade County had?
49 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 Meade County?
4 Aug 2023 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Meade County?
The flood of 4 Jun 2008, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K and crop damage at $1.0M.
How does Meade County compare with South Dakota for flood?
1.4 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 49 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.