HailHistory › Hail by county › South Dakota › Minnehaha County
South Dakota · county FIPS 46099
Hail history for Minnehaha County, SD
Minnehaha County has 494 recorded hail events in the NOAA Storm Events Database — 271 of them 1″ or larger and 28 at 2″ or larger. The largest on record: 4.5″ (grapefruit) on July 13, 1997.
Mark size = measured hail diameter; slivers are events with no recorded size. Amber ≥2″, red ≥2.75″ (baseball class). Denser recent decades partly reflect better reporting, not only more storms.
When it hails in Minnehaha County
Recorded events by month, 1950–present. The amber bar marks Minnehaha County's peak: June.
Most recent recorded events
| Date | Size | Comparable to |
|---|---|---|
| 0.75″ | Penny | |
| 0.75″ | Penny | |
| 1.5″ | Ping-pong ball | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 0.75″ | Penny | |
| 0.75″ | Penny | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter |
Looking for a specific storm? Use the did-it-hail date lookup for Minnehaha County.
From the storm reports
Narratives as filed with the NOAA Storm Events Database (public records; lightly trimmed for length).
· 1.0″ (quarter)
Hail was mostly pea to dime size, but some was as large as quarters.
· 3.5″ (softball)
Large hail produced significant roof damage along a path from south of Dell Rapids to Renner to near Brandon. The most significant damage occurred near Renner where 2 to 3.5 inch hail was reported. Property damage costs are a rough estimate. Crop damage is an estimate from insured losses. Information provided by the United States Department of Agriculture.
· 2.5″ (tennis ball)
Large hail broke windows and damaged many vehicles, as well as siding and roofs. One automobile dealer with a large temporary outdoor display reported four thousand vehicles were damaged.
Events by decade
| 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 10 | 15 | 21 | 56 | 220 | 93 | 71 |
The climb across decades is largely a reporting story: spotter networks, radar, and digital filing pulled far more storms into the record after the 1990s.
Questions about hail in Minnehaha County
Has it ever hailed in Minnehaha County?
Yes — 494 hail events have been recorded for Minnehaha County, SD in the NOAA Storm Events Database since 1956, including 271 of 1″ (quarter size) or larger.
When did it last hail in Minnehaha County?
The most recent recorded hail event for Minnehaha County, SD is April 13, 2026, with 0.75″ (penny) hail. The database is currently updated through April 2026, so a storm from the last few weeks may not appear yet. To check a specific day, use the did-it-hail date lookup.
What is the largest hail ever recorded in Minnehaha County?
4.5″ (grapefruit), recorded on July 13, 1997. Hail that size is destructive-class and typically damages roofs, vehicles, and siding. See how big that really is on the actual-size hail chart.
Does a recorded hail event mean my roof was damaged?
No. This page reports storm records, not damage. Hail size and damage vary block by block within a county, and only an inspection can establish what happened to a specific roof. If you suspect damage, talk to your insurer or a licensed roofer — they can pull the same NOAA records for your claim.
More South Dakota hail history
- Pennington County 1,614
- Meade County 871
- Custer County 682
- Lawrence County 533
- Brown County 437
- Fall River County 376
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, public domain, updated monthly by NCEI — this site's copy runs through April 2026. HailHistory reports records; it does not give insurance advice or assess damage.