Deadwood, SD Hail Storm – August 2025

What Happened

A severe hail storm moved through Deadwood, SD, on August 18, 2025, producing verified 3-inch stones during a late-afternoon pulse of repeated warning areas. Field reports placed the most intense hail around 3:40 PM CDT, with radar and spotter confirmation aligning on the largest stones reported in the event.

The first warning area came at 3:04 PM CDT with 1.5-inch hail and radar plus spotter verified confidence. By 3:55 PM CDT, the threat had increased to 3-inch hail. A spotter report at 3:40 PM CDT described measured 2 to 3 inch hail stones, with a second report at the same time matching that size. Another report at 4:00 PM CDT noted 1.5-inch hail.

Additional warning areas followed in quick succession during the early evening. At 4:07 PM CDT, dual-polarization radar indicated 1-inch hail. At 4:08 PM CDT, the radar signal increased to 1.25 inches. A 4:35 PM CDT warning area carried a 2.75-inch hail estimate with radar and spotter verified confidence. Later warnings at 4:44 PM CDT, 5:10 PM CDT, and 5:22 PM CDT kept hail in the 1 to 1.25 inch range. Field reports at 4:07 PM CDT, 4:27 PM CDT, and 4:37 PM CDT included mPING submissions from spotters on hail near 0.75 to 1 inch.

Damage Assessment

The ground reports point to localized surface impact in the Deadwood area, with the clearest damage coming from vehicle glass. A spotter at 4:10 PM CDT reported a rear window with several holes in it after hail measured at 2.5 inches. That report followed the 3:40 PM CDT observations of 2 to 3 inch stones and fits the strongest part of the storm.

Other reports indicate a mixed hail field across the warning area, not a uniform swath of the same size. Spotter submissions ranged from 0.75 inch to 1.5 inches later in the event, while the radar estimates stepped down from the peak after 3:55 PM CDT. The sequence shows a storm that produced its hardest hits first, then continued with smaller hail as it moved through the area.

The field picture is consistent with scattered vehicle damage, especially in exposed parking areas and along travel corridors where the largest stones fell. The confirmed 3-inch size is enough to break automotive glass and leave visible impact marks on unprotected surfaces. Reports in Deadwood did not point to a broad structural damage pattern in the material provided, but the vehicle window loss and repeated large hail observations indicate a concentrated hail event rather than a brief light hail burst.

What Contractors Should Know

Deadwood storm work on August 18 should focus on vehicles first, then roofs, gutters, and soft metals. The strongest reports centered on 3:40 PM CDT and 4:10 PM CDT, which suggests the highest-impact window was short and tied to the mid-to-late afternoon core. Crews should look for cracked glass, dented hoods and roof panels, and puncture marks on lesser-protected vehicle surfaces before moving to larger exterior claims.