Hail history for Hughes County, South Dakota
Every NOAA hail report filed in Hughes County since 1955, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Hughes County
- Last hail
- Jun 9, 2026
- 1.00 in, quarter size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 11
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 23 reports
- Largest ever
- 4.50 in
- softball · Jul 18, 2023
211 reports on 124 days since 1955 · #30 of 67 South Dakota counties
Hail map · Hughes County
- Under 1 in
- 1–1.75 in
- 1.75–2.5 in
- 2.5–4 in
- 4 in +
- No size
For homeowners
Roof damage after hail? Get a free inspection
Hail bruises shingles and cracks seals in ways you can't see from the ground, and most insurers set a claim deadline after the storm. The latest hail report in Hughes County is from June 9, 2026. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Hughes County
The latest hail report in Hughes County is from June 9, 2026, 1.00 in (quarter size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 11 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 4.50 in on July 18, 2023.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Hughes County logged 105 reports on 51 hail days, about 5.3 reports a year. That is about the same as the median South Dakota county (5.5 a year) and ranks #30 of 67 South Dakota counties for all-time reports. Hughes County holds 1% of all 17,223 hail reports in South Dakota.
15% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 8% for the median South Dakota county. The largest hail on record here is 4.50 in (softball) on July 18, 2023 near 1.21 SW Pierre.
Reports held about level in 2016–2025 (54) compared with 2006–2015 (51). The busiest year was 2002, with 13 reports on 7 days. Hail here peaks in June (31% of reports); 45% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Hughes County 5.3
- Median South Dakota county 5.5
Hail days 2006–2025
- Hughes County 51
- Median South Dakota county 54
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Hughes County 15%
- Median South Dakota county 8%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | |||||||||
| 2024 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 2023 | 11 | 1 | 12 | ||||||||||
| 2022 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2021 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2020 | 4 | 2 | 6 | ||||||||||
| 2019 | 1 | 7 | 8 | ||||||||||
| 2018 | 1 | 6 | 7 | ||||||||||
| 2017 | 5 | 5 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 9, 2026 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Jul 28, 2025 | 1 | 1.25 in | — |
| Jul 9, 2025 | 3 | 1.75 in | — |
| Jun 12, 2025 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Apr 27, 2025 | 1 | 1.25 in | — |
| Jun 27, 2024 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| May 23, 2024 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
| Aug 1, 2023 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Jul 18, 2023 | 9 | 4.50 in | — |
| Jul 13, 2023 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
| Aug 5, 2022 | 1 | 1.50 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 18, 2023 | 4.50 insoftball | 1.21 SW Pierre | 17:47 local · NCEI |
| Aug 26, 2018 | 4.00 ingrapefruit | 0.49 W Blunt | 19:16 local · NCEI |
| Jun 30, 1997 | 4.00 ingrapefruit | Pierre | 18:00 local · NCEI |
| Aug 4, 2000 | 3.50 inteacup | 4 NE Pierre | 20:10 local · NCEI |
| Aug 6, 1986 | 3.50 inteacup | — | 16:40 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
- Under 1 in 57 27%
- 1–2 in 122 58%
- 2 in + 32 15%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 9, 2026 | 1.00 inquarter | Blunt | 20:55 local · NCEI |
| Jul 28, 2025 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | 3.49 S Harrold | 15:40 local · NCEI |
| Jul 9, 2025 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 9.07 SSE De Grey | 19:55 local · NCEI |
| Jul 9, 2025 | 0.75 inpenny | 5.61 N (Pir)pierre Arpt | 19:10 local · NCEI |
| Jul 9, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | 6.3 N Pierre | 19:04 local · NCEI |
| Jun 12, 2025 | 0.75 inpenny | 4 W Blunt | 18:28 local · NCEI |
| Apr 27, 2025 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | 0.99 W (Pir)pierre Arpt | 21:55 local · NCEI |
| Jun 27, 2024 | 1.00 inquarter | 14.22 NNW Pierre | 23:20 local · NCEI |
| May 23, 2024 | 1.00 inquarter | 5.95 SE De Grey | 16:50 local · NCEI |
| May 23, 2024 | 1.00 inquarter | 5.95 SE De Grey | 16:11 local · NCEI |
| Aug 1, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 14.47 NNW Pierre | 16:45 local · NCEI |
| Jul 18, 2023 | 3.00 inteacup | 0.49 W Pierre | 18:18 local · NCEI |
Cities and towns in Hughes County
| Place | Reports | Largest |
|---|---|---|
| Pierre | 69 | 4.50 in |
| Blunt | 26 | 4.00 in |
| Harrold | 17 | 2.00 in |
| Oahe Acres | 15 | 2.75 in |
Smaller places with fewer than 10 reports
These places have too few reports for a page of their own, so their record lives here.
| Place | Reports | Hail days | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cow Creek | 7 | 7 | Jun 27, 2024 |
Questions about hail in Hughes County
How often does it hail in Hughes County, South Dakota?
211 hail reports have been logged in Hughes County since 1955. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 5.3 reports a year. That ranks #30 of 67 South Dakota counties by number of reports.
When is hail season in Hughes County?
Most reports come in June, July, August. June alone accounts for 31% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Hughes County?
4.50 in (softball size) on July 18, 2023 near 1.21 SW Pierre. 15% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Hughes County?
The most recent report in this data is from June 9, 2026 (1.00 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Hughes County had in the last five years?
11 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 23 reports. The most recent was June 9, 2026.
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.