Tornadoes in South Dakota
The Storm Prediction Center records 1,977 tornadoes that touched South Dakota between 1950 and 2025, and 1,945 of them began there. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in every state it touched. They killed 20 people and injured 516. The busiest month is June, with 781 tornadoes.
- 1,977tornadoes
- 20deaths
- 516injuries
- 261per 10,000 sq mi of land
- 66counties touched
Tornadoes per 10,000 square miles lets you compare states of different sizes. It counts every tornado that touched the state.
How strong were South Dakota's tornadoes?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 1,182 | 60% |
| F1 / EF1 | 423 | 21% |
| F2 / EF2 | 263 | 13% |
| F3 / EF3 | 65 | 3% |
| F4 / EF4 | 10 | <1% |
| F5 / EF5 | 1 | <1% |
| Unknown rating | 33 | 2% |
South Dakota tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2025, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1950.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 94 |
| 1960s | 274 |
| 1970s | 279 |
| 1980s | 296 |
| 1990s | 363 |
| 2000s | 332 |
| 2010s | 211 |
| 2020s | 128 |
The record has changed over the decades as detection and reporting improved, so more weak tornadoes show up in recent years than in the 1950s. The year with the most in South Dakota was 1993, with 85.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 0 |
| Feb | 1 |
| Mar | 3 |
| Apr | 61 |
| May | 442 |
| Jun | 781 |
| Jul | 414 |
| Aug | 189 |
| Sep | 61 |
| Oct | 25 |
| Nov | 0 |
| Dec | 0 |
Deadliest tornadoes that touched South Dakota
- Farmer, South Dakota tornado30 May 1998, F4, 6 deaths, 150 injuries, 14 miles long
- Venturia, North Dakota tornado31 July 1966, F3, 2 deaths, 4 injuries, 26.4 miles long
- Irene, South Dakota tornado7 June 1965, F4, 1 death, 7.8 miles long
- Warner, South Dakota tornado1 July 1973, F3, 1 death, 3 injuries, 0.3 miles long
- Groton, South Dakota tornado21 June 1961, F3, 1 death, 7 injuries, 156.3 miles long
- South Dakota tornado30 August 2020, EF2, 1 death, 1.6 miles long
Strongest tornadoes that touched South Dakota
- Burton, Nebraska tornado8 May 1965, F5, 1 injury, 30.1 miles long
- Farmer, South Dakota tornado30 May 1998, F4, 6 deaths, 150 injuries, 14 miles long
- Irene, South Dakota tornado7 June 1965, F4, 1 death, 7.8 miles long
- Colton, South Dakota tornado7 June 1993, F4, 5 injuries, 54 miles long
- Lynch, Nebraska tornado29 May 1962, F4, 24.2 miles long
- Lane, South Dakota tornado18 June 2014, EF4, 2 injuries, 11.5 miles long
Most recent tornadoes in South Dakota
- South Dakota tornado14 September 2025, Unknown rating, 0 miles long
- South Dakota tornado14 September 2025, EF1, 4 miles long
- South Dakota tornado16 August 2025, EF0, 2.5 miles long
- South Dakota tornado5 August 2025, Unknown rating, 0 miles long
- South Dakota tornado28 July 2025, EF0, 3.3 miles long
Notable South Dakota tornadoes with their own pages
- Farmer, South Dakota tornado30 May 1998, F4, 6 deaths, 150 injuries, 14 miles long
- Venturia, North Dakota tornado31 July 1966, F3, 2 deaths, 4 injuries, 26.4 miles long
- Irene, South Dakota tornado7 June 1965, F4, 1 death, 7.8 miles long
- Groton, South Dakota tornado21 June 1961, F3, 1 death, 7 injuries, 156.3 miles long
- Warner, South Dakota tornado1 July 1973, F3, 1 death, 3 injuries, 0.3 miles long
- Burton, Nebraska tornado8 May 1965, F5, 1 injury, 30.1 miles long
- Colton, South Dakota tornado7 June 1993, F4, 5 injuries, 54 miles long
- Lynch, Nebraska tornado29 May 1962, F4, 24.2 miles long
- Lane, South Dakota tornado18 June 2014, EF4, 2 injuries, 11.5 miles long
- Canova, South Dakota tornado7 June 1993, F4, 4 injuries, 10 miles long
- Iroquois, South Dakota tornado24 June 2003, F4, 4 injuries, 10 miles long
- Westport, South Dakota tornado23 June 2002, F4, 9 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.
South Dakota counties
Every county that a tornado has touched is listed, most tornadoes first. 66 of them have at least 3 tornadoes and their own page.