Deadwood, SD Hail Storm – August 2026

A severe hail storm tracked through Deadwood, South Dakota on August 11, 2026, producing 5.31-inch stones and a series of radar-detected and spotter-verified hail cores from mid-afternoon into the evening.

What Happened

The event began in the mid-afternoon and produced the first NWS alert at 3:04 PM CDT for roughly 1.75-inch hail detected by dual-polarization radar. The storm intensified by about 3:30 PM CDT when radar returns paired with spotter reports indicated stones near 2.04 inches. Radar signatures strengthened again by 4:00 PM CDT, showing a 4.33-inch radar-detected core over the area.

Spotter Network observers measured large stones along Highway 79 around 4:35 PM CDT, reporting multiple measurements near 3.4 to 3.6 inches. Social media photos time-stamped via radar placement showed additional 3.5-inch stones along corridors near Highway 36 and Highway 40 around 4:30 PM CDT. An on-the-ground observer reported hail lasting roughly 15 minutes with immediate structural damage at about 4:21 PM CDT.

Alerts continued into the late afternoon and evening with alternating radar-detected and spotter-verified calls, including a spotter-verified 2.5-inch report at 5:56 PM CDT and a sequence of 2.75-inch alerts later in the evening. A warning-only NWS alert was issued at 7:13 PM CDT as the system moved east. The final alerts tied to the storm extended through 9:43 PM CDT, with returns and reports indicating diminishing hail size and coverage as the storm concluded.

Damage Assessment

Field reports documented broken glass, downspouts and gutters torn from homes, and a destroyed carport in the Highway 79 corridor. A spotter at 4:21 PM CDT reported those impacts and estimated hail persistence at about 15 minutes at that location. Multiple spotter-verified measurements near Highway 79 between 4:30 and 4:35 PM CDT measured stones between 3.4 and 3.6 inches, consistent with photographic evidence from nearby Highway 36 and Highway 40.

Vehicle damage was reported along several routes. At 5:10 PM CDT an observer measured hail with a tape measure and noted cars as severely damaged in that area. Separate photo-verified reports at 4:33 PM CDT along Highway 36 and at 4:19 PM CDT along Highway 40 recorded comparable stone sizes. Spotter Network entries near Riverside Rd around 6:16 PM CDT recorded additional localized hail impacts.

Damage clusters align with the measured and photo-documented reports: concentrated impacts along Highway 79, with secondary pockets near Highway 36, Highway 40, and Riverside Rd. Reported structural failures and vehicle damage indicate high-impact loading in those corridors during the storm’s most intense period.

What Contractors Should Know

Prioritize inspections along Highway 79 between the 4:00 and 4:45 PM CDT window and along the adjoining corridors noted above. Expect concentrated roof and siding damage where observers reported prolonged hail activity. Photograph and catalog damage with location tags and local time stamps. Note the 4:21 PM CDT report of broken glass and a destroyed carport when triaging urgent repairs.