South Dakota
In 1972, 238 people died when flash floods raced through Rapid City. South Dakota faces supercell hail, tornadoes, blizzards that kill cattle by the thousands, and the flash floods that funnel through Black Hills canyons. The terrain here is beautiful and unforgiving.
Enter your South Dakota ZIP for live alerts, forecasts, and county-specific data.
Know your region
Rapid City, Deadwood, Sturgis, Custer, the Hills. The 1972 Rapid City flood killed 238 people when 15 inches of rain fell in 6 hours. Flash floods in narrow canyons remain the most lethal hazard. Ponderosa forests burn during dry years. Heavy snow accumulates at elevation.
Primary hazards: flash floods, wildfire, winter storms, severe storms
Sioux Falls, Mitchell, Brookings, Watertown, the James River valley. One of the most hail-prone regions in the country. Tornadoes cross the open farmland regularly. The 2003 Manchester tornado (F4) destroyed the entire town. Spring flooding along the Big Sioux and James rivers.
Primary hazards: giant hail, tornadoes, flooding, blizzards
Pierre, the Missouri River corridor, the Pine Ridge. Blizzards bring zero visibility and kill livestock by the tens of thousands. The 2013 Atlas blizzard killed an estimated 43,000 cattle. Wind chill below minus 40 degrees F is routine. Drought and grassland fire cycle through.
Primary hazards: blizzards, extreme cold, grassland fire, drought
Your hazard profile
Each links to a full guide with during-event protocol, recovery steps, and resources specific to SD.
South Dakota is one of the most hail-prone states. Destructive hail, damaging winds, and dangerous lightning from May through August. Covered parking is essential.
Read the giant hail and supercells guide →
South Dakota averages 36 tornadoes per year. The 2003 Manchester tornado (F4) destroyed the town entirely. Peak season is June and July.
Read the tornadoes guide →
The 2013 Atlas blizzard killed tens of thousands of cattle. Wind chill below minus 40 degrees F. Zero-visibility blizzards strand travelers for days.
Read the blizzards and extreme cold guide →
The 1972 Rapid City flood killed 238 people. Flash flooding in the Black Hills canyons remains deadly. The Missouri River system floods during spring runoff.
Read the flash floods guide →
Black Hills ponderosa forests burn during dry conditions. Grassland fires on the western plains spread rapidly. Fire risk increases during drought cycles.
Read the wildfires guide →
South Dakota resources
South Dakota Office of Emergency Management. Coordinates disaster response and manages the state's hazard mitigation programs.
Western South Dakota forecasts. Flash flood warnings for Black Hills canyons, blizzard advisories, and fire weather alerts.
Eastern South Dakota forecasts. Tornado watches, severe thunderstorm warnings, and spring flood outlooks.
Statewide referral service. Disaster recovery, energy assistance, and housing resources.
June 9, 1972
On the evening of June 9, 1972, 10 to 15 inches of rain fell over the eastern Black Hills in approximately six hours. The water funneled through Rapid Creek and its tributaries directly through the city of Rapid City. 238 people died. 3,057 were injured. 1,335 homes were destroyed.
The Rapid City flood remains one of the deadliest flash flood events in American history. The terrain created the catastrophe: steep Black Hills canyons concentrated the runoff into narrow channels that ran through populated areas. The same geography exists today.
For every household near a Black Hills canyon or creek, the lesson is permanent: never camp in a canyon bottom. Move to high ground at the first sign of heavy rain upstream. Flash floods in this terrain arrive as a wall of water with minutes of warning. The memorial along Rapid Creek lists every name. The risk has not changed since 1972.