Hot Springs, SD Hail Storm – July 2025

What Happened

Hot Springs, SD was hit by a hail storm on 2025-07-05 that produced 1.75-inch stones during a long-lived sequence of severe alerts. The storm began early in the afternoon and continued through the night into the next morning.

The first alert came at 2:19 PM CDT with 1-inch hail tied to radar and spotter verification. A second round followed at 7:03 PM CDT with 1.5-inch hail, then the peak report came at 7:57 PM CDT with 1.75-inch hail under the same radar and spotter-backed confidence. Another alert at 8:45 PM CDT kept hail at 1.5 inches.

The storm did not end there. Additional alerts continued after midnight at 12:24 AM CDT with 1.25-inch hail, then again at 5:07 AM CDT with 1.5-inch hail. By mid-morning, dual-polarization radar continued to detect hail through a cluster of alerts between 6:21 AM CDT and 7:31 AM CDT, most carrying 1.25-inch estimates and one 1-inch estimate.

Field reports matched the event progression. At 8:50 PM CDT, a spotter reported photos showing multiple large trees uprooted. At 1:58 AM CDT, another report noted 24-hour rainfall at 0.5 inch.

Damage Assessment

The surface impact in and around Hot Springs included tree damage, not just hail measurements on radar. The 8:50 PM CDT spotter report of multiple uprooted trees points to concentrated wind and storm stress in parts of the path, with visible impact recorded soon after the evening hail round.

Rainfall was modest in the available reports, with 0.5 inch noted overnight. The damage picture is therefore centered on hail and storm-related tree impact rather than flooding. The report set does not show a broad flood response or a widespread debris field. It does show a storm with repeated hail production across several hours and a field-confirmed sign of surface disruption.

Radar confidence stayed consistent across the event. Early and evening alerts were backed by radar and spotter verification. Later alerts into the overnight and morning hours were derived from dual-polarization radar. That pattern indicates multiple hail cores were detected over time, not a single isolated pulse.

For contractors, the key issue is sequencing. A storm with repeated alerts across afternoon, evening, overnight, and morning hours can produce scattered claims across more than one inspection window. Properties that appeared clear after the first round may have taken additional hail later in the event.

What Contractors Should Know

Start with the areas tied to the evening hail round. The 7:03 PM CDT to 8:45 PM CDT alerts carried the highest verified hail sizes in the report set, and the tree damage report came at 8:50 PM CDT. That puts the strongest field signal in the same late-evening span when the storm was producing its most serious hail.

Check roofs, soft metals, window screens, gutters, and exposed wood trim with attention to repeated impact. A storm that cycles through 1-inch, 1.5-inch, and 1.75-inch hail over several hours can leave mixed patterns of bruising and fracture. Look for impact on slopes that faced the storm path and compare elevations, outbuildings, and detached structures. Tree damage should also be documented. Uprooted trees can indicate a broader impact area than hail alone suggests.

Hot Springs, SD Hail Storm – July 2025

NWS WARNING AREAS · 89

What Happened

Damage Assessment

What Contractors Should Know

Storm Details

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