South Dakota has had 1,945 tornadoes since 1950 and hard winters, so see which counties have warnings now
No active warnings or watches in South Dakota
Nothing is listed right now. Check your exact location for the latest.
South Dakota severe weather alerts by type
What each kind of alert means and where to see it for South Dakota.
South Dakota tornado watches and warnings
None active in South Dakota right now. A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible.
South Dakota severe thunderstorm watches and warnings
None active in South Dakota right now. A severe thunderstorm has winds of 58 mph or higher, hail 1 inch across or larger, or both.
South Dakota flood watches and flash flood warnings
None active in South Dakota right now. A flood watch means flooding is possible.
South Dakota winter storm, ice storm, snow and blizzard warnings
None active in South Dakota right now. Winter alerts run from a watch (possible within about 48 hours) to a warning (occurring or imminent) and an advisory for less serious but still inconvenient conditions.
South Dakota heat advisories and extreme heat warnings
None active in South Dakota right now. A heat advisory is the lower level and an extreme heat warning the higher level; both based on the heat index.
South Dakota wind advisories and high wind warnings
None active in South Dakota right now. A wind advisory is for strong winds; a high wind warning is for damaging winds.
South Dakota red flag warnings
None active in South Dakota right now. A Red Flag Warning means dangerous fire weather is expected, usually a mix of low humidity, wind and dry fuels.
South Dakota tornado history: last tornado, strongest and worst on record
From the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database, 1950 through 2025.
South Dakota has 1,945 tornadoes on record, about 26 a year, and 658 of them since 2000. That ranks South Dakota number 16 among the 50 states by count. 68 were rated EF3 or stronger, including 10 rated EF4 or EF5. They caused 17 deaths and 495 injuries.
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 15 | 19 | 25 | 23 | 21 | 38 | 18 | 7 | 20 |
Most South Dakota tornadoes have come from May through July. The single busiest month is June (40% of the total).
Counts use each tornado's starting state. Ratings before 2007 use the original Fujita scale. The database ends in 2025, so more recent tornadoes are not included.
South Dakota flood map and flood warnings
No flood watch or warning is active in South Dakota right now. Flood zones are mapped by FEMA street by street. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center lets you search an address and see its flood zone.
South Dakota storm tracker: storms and events
No tracked events involve South Dakota right now.
Common questions
Is there a tornado warning, winter storm warning or other weather warning in South Dakota right now?
We do not see an active tornado, winter storm or other warning or watch for South Dakota in the latest National Weather Service data. Conditions change quickly, so check your ZIP code for the latest.
When was the last tornado in South Dakota, and how many have there been since 2000?
The most recent tornado in the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database for South Dakota is September 14, 2025, rated EF1. The database lists 658 South Dakota tornadoes since 2000 and 1,945 since 1950. It runs through 2025, so it does not include later tornadoes.
What was the deadliest tornado in South Dakota, and what was the strongest?
By rating, the strongest in the record is May 8, 1965, rated EF5. The deadliest is May 30, 1998, rated EF4, 6 deaths. Ratings before 2007 use the original Fujita scale.
How does South Dakota rank for tornadoes among the states?
South Dakota ranks 16th of 50 states by the number of tornadoes since 1950: 1,945 in all, about 26 a year. 68 were rated EF3 or stronger, 10 of them EF4 or EF5. They caused 17 deaths and 495 injuries, and the busiest year was 1993 with 83. Each tornado is counted in the state where it started.
When is tornado season in South Dakota?
Most South Dakota tornadoes in the record came from May through July. June is the busiest single month, with 40% of the total. Tornadoes can happen in any month.
Where do I find South Dakota emergency management and National Weather Service offices?
The state agency is South Dakota Office of Emergency Management (https://dps.sd.gov/emergency-services). The National Weather Service offices that cover South Dakota include NWS Aberdeen, SD, NWS Sioux Falls, SD, NWS Rapid City, SD. Evacuation zones and orders come from your county or state emergency management office, not from this site.
Which South Dakota cities and counties have their own alert pages?
This site has city pages for Minnehaha County (Sioux Falls); Pennington County (Rapid City). Each city page shows the alerts for the center of that city.
Be ready in South Dakota
Official-source guides for the weather South Dakota sees most.
Cities and counties in South Dakota
Live alerts and local storm history for each city, grouped by the county it is in.
Minnehaha County: Sioux Falls
Pennington County: Rapid City
Alert data comes from the National Weather Service and is refreshed every 15 minutes.