Tag Archives: South Dakota

That’s a big chunk of ice! South Dakota hailstone sets world records

A massive hailstone with a diameter of 8 inches will likely set the record as the largest hailstone in terms of diameter and weight. (NWS)
A massive hailstone that fell in South Dakota on July 23rd set world records for diameter and weight. (NWS)

The massive hailstone that fell over rural South Dakota last week has officially set world records for its weight and diameter. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the chunk of ice easily eclipsed the previous record setter.

On Friday, July 23rd, severe weather rolled through northeastern South Dakota and Stanley, Jones, and Lyman counties. With it was massive hail so big it left holes in the ground the size of coffee cans. Les Scott, a ranch hand, recovered the now record setting stone afterwards.

NOAA’s National Climate Extremes Committee determined that the huge chunk of ice from the sky officially measured 8.0 inches in diameter and weighed 1.9375 pounds (1 pound, 15 ounces) setting records for both. It also measured 18.62 inches in circumference falling just short of breaking the record for that measurement.

The previous record holding hailstone in terms of weight fell on September 3, 1970 in Coffeyville, Kansas and weighed 1.67 pounds.

The stone that previously held the record for diameter measured 7 inches and fell in Aurora, Nebraska on June 22, 2003. That stone still holds the record for circumference having measured 18.75 inches.

While Scott froze it immediately, David Hintz, a meteorologist at NOAA’s Aberdeen weather forecast office, said in a statement some melting had probably occurred resulting in the official measurements being smaller than what the stone was when it first fell.

“Mr. Scott told me the area was littered with large hailstones and the largest had a greater diameter when he first found it. He immediately stored it and several others in his freezer, but a power outage caused some melting,” Hintz said.

South Dakota hail stone measures 8 inches in diameter – likely world record

A massive hailstone with a diameter of 8 inches will likely set the record as the largest hailstone in terms of diameter and weight. (NWS)
A massive hailstone with a diameter of 8 inches will likely set the record as the largest hailstone in terms of diameter and weight. (NWS)

Hail is one of the most damaging weather events capable of doing thousands of dollars worth of damage to homes and vehicles and utterly shredding crops. Last week in South Dakota the mother of all hail stones appears to have fallen – a beast weighing nearly two pounds and measuring 8 inches in diameter.

On the evening of July 23rd severe weather rolled through the northeastern corner of South Dakota bringing with it a great deal of hail and some tornadoes. Near Vivian in Faulk County, the hail grew to proportions likely not seen anywhere else.

Ranch hand Les Scott watched the drama unfold as the hail pummeled the surrounding land. The stones were large enough that holes the size of coffee cans were left in the ground.

One particular hailstone caught Scott’s eye due to its sheer size. After retrieving it, he stuck it in his freezer. Word soon traveled about the massive chunk of ice and National Weather Service personnel made preliminary measurements placing the diameter at 8 inches with a circumference over 18 ½ inches.

Yesterday, the service returned to Vivian to transport the stone to the closest certified scale at the local post office to have it weighed. The scale tipped at an amazing 1.9375 pounds. It also had lost a bit in size dropping to 17 inches around.

Scott said the hailstone was quite a bit larger when he first found it, possibly as large as 11 inches in diameter. However, power was out in the area for six hours Friday and after he pulled it out to show various people, it lost some of its mass.

Continue reading South Dakota hail stone measures 8 inches in diameter – likely world record

Monster EF3 tornado rips through South Dakota

A powerful half-mile wide tornado ripped through South Dakota on Saturday, May 22, 2010. (NWS)  Watch video of the twister and see a slideshow of the damage below.
A powerful half-mile wide tornado ripped through South Dakota on Saturday, May 22, 2010. (NWS) Watch video of the twister and see a slideshow of the damage below.

A massive tornado reminiscent of a famous tornado in the state’s history ripped through central South Dakota on Saturday. The powerful twister appears to have been an EF3 tornado packing winds of over 160 mph and while damage to homes was recorded, miraculously no one was injured.

Supercell thunderstorms began forming on the South Dakota plains yesterday afternoon and began spawning tornadoes. The twisters were reported near the towns of Bowdle, Hosmer, Ipswich and Wetonka.

The National Weather Service’s Aberdeen, SD office reported that the largest of these appears to have done at least EF3 level damage, a level classified as “severe.” The twister tore through parts of Brown and McPherson Counties coming closes to the town of Bowdle.

The storm damage evaluation is ongoing but National Weather Service personnel said the tornado was at least one-half mile wide at its largest. No injuries were reported however three farms were damaged and numerous power lines were downed.

Images of the storm drew parallels to a tornado on June 24, 2003 that struck the town of Manchester, South Dakota. That twister, rated an F4, destroyed the town and to this day it has not been rebuilt. The photos of both events looked eerily similar.

Slideshow - Tornado damage from Bowdle, SD, May 22, 2010.