States › South Dakota › Sanborn County › Hail
Hail in Sanborn County, South Dakota
129 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.
Sanborn County, South Dakota, has 129 hail events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 39 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 38 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 43 events against 70 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.8% of the 17,011 hail events recorded in South Dakota; its 22.7 per 100 square miles compares with 22.4 statewide.
43 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 5.00 inches (grapefruit size).
Compared with South Dakota
| Measure | Sanborn County | South Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 129 | 17,011 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 22.7 | 22.4 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 542.5 | 190.0 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
6May
21Jun
38Jul
33Aug
21Sep
9Oct
0Nov
0Dec
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 129 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jul 2025 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2025 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2025 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2025 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2023 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2022 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | $2.4M | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2021 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2019 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2017 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2017 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2016 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2015 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2012 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2012 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2009 | Hail | 2.75 in | $10K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2009 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2009 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2009 | Hail | 2.00 in | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2009 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2009 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2007 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2007 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2007 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2006 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2006 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2006 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2005 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2005 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2005 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2005 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2005 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2004 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2004 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 2004 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2004 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2004 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2003 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2003 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2003 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2003 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2003 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2003 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2002 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2002 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2002 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2002 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2002 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2002 | Hail | 2.50 in | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2001 | Hail | 1.75 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2000 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2000 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1998 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 1998 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 1998 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1996 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1996 | Hail | 1.75 in | $50K | $1.0M | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1996 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | $1.0M | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1996 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1994 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | $50K | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1993 | Hail | 1.25 in | $5K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1992 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Hail | 3.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Hail | 3.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Hail | 3.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1992 | Hail | 3.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 1992 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1991 | Hail | 4.00 in | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 28 May 1991 | Hail | 5.00 in | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 12 May 1991 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1990 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1990 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 1989 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1986 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1985 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1985 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1985 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 1985 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1984 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1984 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1984 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 1982 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 1981 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1980 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1978 | Hail | 2.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1975 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1973 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1967 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 1958 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Sanborn County had?
129 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 Sanborn County?
20 Jul 2025 (Hail, 1.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Sanborn County?
The hail of 3 Jul 2022, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $0 and crop damage at $2.4M.
How does Sanborn County compare with South Dakota for hail?
22.7 events per 100 square miles against 22.4 statewide; the county holds 129 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.