Hail History

Hail history for Box Elder, South Dakota

NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Box Elder since 1960, with preliminary reports to November 3, 2026.

Readout · Box Elder

Last hail
Jul 19, 2024
0.75 in, penny size
Hail days, last 5 years
10
since Nov 3, 2021 · 17 reports
Largest ever
3.00 in
teacup · Jun 30, 1986

95 reports on 69 days since 1960 · #8 of 305 South Dakota places

Hail map · Box Elder

Box Elder Rapid Valley Green Valley Rapid City New Underwood Blackhawk Colonial Pine Hills Summerset Piedmont 25 mi
  • Under 1 in
  • 1–1.75 in
  • 1.75–2.5 in
  • 2.5–4 in
  • 4 in +
  • No size
95 most recent reports with a location; Pennington County is shaded. Open street map

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What the record says about Box Elder

The latest hail report in and around Box Elder is from July 19, 2024, 0.75 in (penny size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 10 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 1.50 in on July 11, 2023.

Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Box Elder logged 47 reports on 32 hail days, about 2.4 reports a year. That is 5.2 times the median South Dakota town on this site (0.5 a year) and ranks #8 of 305 South Dakota cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Box Elder accounts for 6% of the 1,654 reports filed in Pennington County.

6% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 7% for the median South Dakota town on this site. The largest hail on record here is 3.00 in (teacup) on June 30, 1986.

Reports were up 76% in 2016–2025 (30) compared with 2006–2015 (17). The busiest year was 2023, with 14 reports on 7 days. Hail here peaks in June (34% of reports); 46% fall between April and June.

Reports a year 2006–2025 average

  • Box Elder 2.4
  • Pennington County 55.0
  • Median South Dakota town on this site 0.5

Hail days 2006–2025

  • Box Elder 32
  • Pennington County 308
  • Median South Dakota town on this site 7

Share 2 in or larger of sized reports

  • Box Elder 6%
  • Pennington County 11%
  • Median South Dakota town on this site 7%

Hail over time

051015 1960: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 1960 1964: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1970 1975: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1977: 5 reports, largest 2.00 in 1979: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1980: 4 reports, largest 1.00 in 1980 1981: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 1982: 6 reports, largest 1.25 in 1983: 2 reports, largest 2.50 in 1985: 1 reports, largest 2.00 in 1986: 3 reports, largest 3.00 in 1987: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1989: 3 reports, largest 1.75 in 1990: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1990 1992: 3 reports, largest 1.50 in 1996: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 1997: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 1999: 3 reports, largest 1.75 in 2000 2001: 2 reports, largest 0.75 in 2002: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 2004: 3 reports, largest 1.00 in 2006: 1 reports, largest 1.25 in 2008: 2 reports, largest 1.50 in 2010 2011: 5 reports, largest 1.50 in 2012: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 2013: 4 reports, largest 1.00 in 2014: 3 reports, largest 1.25 in 2016: 4 reports, largest 1.75 in 2017: 5 reports, largest 1.00 in 2018: 1 reports, largest 2.00 in 2019: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 2020 2021: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2022: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 2023: 14 reports, largest 1.50 in 2024: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in
Reports per year, 1960–2026. Bar colour shows the largest hail that year. Reporting grew sharply after the mid-1990s, so early decades undercount.
010203040 Jan Feb March: 2 reports (2%) Mar April: 2 reports (2%) Apr May: 10 reports (11%) May June: 32 reports (34%) Jun July: 28 reports (29%) Jul August: 13 reports (14%) Aug September: 6 reports (6%) Sep October: 2 reports (2%) Oct Nov Dec
All 95 reports by calendar month.
Reports per month, 2017–2026. Darker cells had more reports.
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2026 0
2025 0
2024 1 1
2023 44231 14
2022 11 2
2021 1 1
2020 0
2019 2 2
2018 1 1
2017 23 5

Hail days since Nov 3, 2021

DateReportsLargestStorm page
Jul 19, 2024 1 0.75 in —
Oct 2, 2023 1 1.00 in —
Sep 4, 2023 3 1.25 in —
Jul 11, 2023 2 1.50 in —
Jun 28, 2023 3 1.25 in —
Jun 23, 2023 1 1.00 in —
May 29, 2023 1 1.00 in —
May 7, 2023 3 1.25 in —
Jul 1, 2022 1 0.88 in —
Apr 22, 2022 1 1.00 in —

Largest hail on record

Largest hail reports in Box Elder
Date Size Location County Damage Time · source
Jun 30, 1986 3.00 inteacup — Meade —20 injured 14:45 local · NCEI
Jun 6, 1986 2.50 intennis ball — Meade — 14:40 local · NCEI
Jun 18, 1983 2.50 intennis ball — Meade — 18:40 local · NCEI
Jul 18, 2018 2.00 inhen egg Box Elder Pennington — 13:48 local · NCEI
Aug 7, 1985 2.00 inhen egg — Pennington — 16:01 local · NCEI

Sizes filed before 1996 are often rough estimates (round numbers like 7.00 or 8.00 in) without an exact spot; they are shown as NOAA filed them.

Size of every report

Most recent reports

Most recent hail reports in Box Elder
Date Size Location County Time · source
Jul 19, 2024 0.75 inpenny (Rap)rapid City Arpt Pennington 16:30 local · NCEI
Oct 2, 2023 1.00 inquarter (Rap)rapid City Arpt Pennington 19:11 local · NCEI
Sep 4, 2023 1.25 inhalf dollar 1 E Ellsworth Afb Meade 14:15 local · NCEI
Sep 4, 2023 1.00 inquarter 1 NNE Box Elder Pennington 14:15 local · NCEI
Sep 4, 2023 1.00 inquarter 2 E Ellsworth Afb Meade 14:12 local · NCEI
Jul 11, 2023 0.88 innickel (Rap)rapid City Arpt Pennington 16:55 local · NCEI
Jul 11, 2023 1.50 inping pong ball Box Elder Pennington 15:56 local · NCEI
Jun 28, 2023 1.25 inhalf dollar (Rap)rapid City Arpt Pennington 14:34 local · NCEI
Jun 28, 2023 1.00 inquarter 4 E Box Elder Pennington 13:30 local · NCEI
Jun 28, 2023 1.00 inquarter Box Elder Pennington 13:25 local · NCEI
Jun 23, 2023 1.00 inquarter 2 W Box Elder Pennington 19:07 local · NCEI
May 29, 2023 1.00 inquarter Box Elder Pennington 13:32 local · NCEI

Hail history near Box Elder

Questions about hail in Box Elder

How often does it hail in Box Elder, South Dakota?

95 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Box Elder since 1960. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 2.4 reports a year. That ranks #8 of 305 South Dakota places by number of reports.

When is hail season in Box Elder?

Most reports come in June, July, August. June alone accounts for 34% of all reports.

What is the largest hail recorded in Box Elder?

3.00 in (teacup size) on June 30, 1986. 6% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.

When did it last hail in Box Elder?

The most recent report in this data is from July 19, 2024 (0.75 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.

How many hail storms has Box Elder had in the last five years?

10 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 17 reports. The most recent was July 19, 2024.

Where does this hail data come from?

Hail reports come from the NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, which the National Weather Service compiles from spotter, public, law enforcement and media reports. Recent days use preliminary NWS Local Storm Reports via the Iowa Environmental Mesonet until NOAA publishes final data. Only reported hail is counted, so areas with fewer people tend to have fewer reports.