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Flood in Pennington County, South Dakota
76 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 76 flood events in Pennington County, South Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 19 years.
July is the busiest month, with 24 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 65 events against 11 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.2% of the 3,390 flood events recorded in South Dakota; its 2.7 per 100 square miles compares with 4.5 statewide.
Compared with South Dakota
| Measure | Pennington County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 76 | 3,390 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.7 | 4.5 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 6.8 | 37.9 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 10 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | July | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
1May
23Jun
21Jul
24Aug
3Sep
0Oct
2Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 76 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $250K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 14 Jul 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 2019 | Flood | — | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2019 | Flood | — | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 2019 | Flood | — | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2018 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2016 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2016 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2015 | Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2015 | Flood | — | $700K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2014 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 2013 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2013 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $1.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Flood | — | $100K | $500K | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2005 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1999 | Flash Flood | — | $330K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 1997 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1997 | Flash Flood | — | $286K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1997 | Flood | — | $147K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Pennington County had?
76 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 Pennington County?
23 Jun 2023 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Pennington County?
The flood of 21 May 2019, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.0M.
How does Pennington County compare with South Dakota for flood?
2.7 events per 100 square miles against 4.5 statewide; the county holds 76 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.