Edgemont, SD Hail Storm – September 2025

What Happened

A severe hail storm moved through Edgemont, South Dakota, on September 10, 2025, with a peak confirmed size of 1.5 inches and a later hail report near 0.87 inch in the same event window. The storm ended after two NWS alert periods, with spotter and radar data showing a multi-zone hail swath across the area.

The first alert came at 6:22 PM CDT and carried a 1.5-inch hail estimate with radar and spotter-verified confidence. A local storm report followed at 6:45 PM CDT with a spotter description of “pea to nickel” hail, which matched a sub-inch ground report of 0.87 inch. A second alert arrived at 10:16 PM CDT with a 1-inch hail estimate from dual-polarization radar.

That sequence shows a storm that maintained hail production into the evening and then redeveloped later in the night. The earlier report came from the same Edgemont metro area and provided the clearest field confirmation in the event record. The later radar-derived alert extended the hail threat into a separate window after the initial round had already been reported on the ground.

Damage Assessment

Field reports point to localized surface impact rather than a broad, continuous damage field. The spotter report near 6:45 PM CDT documented hail small enough to be described as pea to nickel size, which usually shows up first on vehicles, open vegetation, gutters, and exposed roofing surfaces. The report did not include hail-related structural damage details, but it did confirm active hail reaching the ground in the Edgemont area.

The radar and spotter-verified 1.5-inch alert at 6:22 PM CDT is the strongest indicator in the event record for higher-end roof and siding risk within the warning area. That size can produce scattered exterior impacts where the core of the storm passed, especially on older roofing, soft metal, screens, and paint. The later 1-inch radar alert at 10:16 PM CDT suggests another hail core developed after sunset, which raises the odds of missed field damage on unobserved properties.

Because this was a multi-zone aggregate storm report, the field data should be read by time window rather than as one uniform footprint. The early evening report and the later night alert were not identical in size or confidence level. Edgemont saw at least two hail-producing periods, and the strongest verified report came from the first wave.

What Contractors Should Know

This event is a good candidate for rapid exterior canvassing in and around Edgemont, with attention on routes that sat inside the early evening alert area and any later-night properties reached by the second hail core. The strongest field signal came from the 6:22 PM CDT window, so start with roofs, soft metals, window screens, gutters, downspouts, and vehicle lots that were exposed before dusk.

Focus first on neighborhoods and rural edges tied to the reported storm path, not just the town center. The 6:45 PM CDT spotter report confirms hail reached the ground in the Edgemont metro area, and the later 10:16 PM CDT radar alert means a second look is warranted for properties that may not have been inspected after the first round. Nighttime hail events often leave shallow bruising and metal impact marks that are easy to miss in a quick walk-through.