Hail history for Letcher, South Dakota
NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Letcher since 1980, with preliminary reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Letcher
- Last hail
- Aug 22, 2021
- 1.00 in, quarter size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 0
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 0 reports
- Largest ever
- 2.50 in
- tennis ball · Jul 24, 2002
15 reports on 14 days since 1980 · #193 of 305 South Dakota places
Hail map · Letcher
- 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 Letcher is from August 22, 2021. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Letcher
The latest hail report in and around Letcher is from August 22, 2021, 1.00 in (quarter size). There has been no hail report here in the five years since November 3, 2021.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Letcher logged 1 report on 1 hail day, about 0.1 reports a year. That is 11% of the median South Dakota town on this site (0.5 a year) and ranks #193 of 305 South Dakota cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Letcher accounts for 12% of the 129 reports filed in Sanborn County.
13% 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 2.50 in (tennis ball) on July 24, 2002 near Letcher.
The busiest year was 2002, with 5 reports on 4 days. Hail here peaks in August (40% of reports); 27% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Letcher 0.1
- Sanborn County 2.5
- Median South Dakota town on this site 0.5
Hail days 2006–2025
- Letcher 1
- Sanborn County 34
- Median South Dakota town on this site 7
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Letcher 13%
- Sanborn County 12%
- Median South Dakota town on this site 7%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2025 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2022 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2020 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2019 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2017 | 0 |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 24, 2002 | 2.50 intennis ball | Letcher | Sanborn | $500K | 18:06 local · NCEI |
| Jul 4, 2003 | 2.00 inhen egg | 4 SW Letcher | Sanborn | — | 20:06 local · NCEI |
| Aug 24, 1998 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Letcher | Sanborn | — | 06:35 local · NCEI |
| Aug 6, 1996 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 1 N Letcher | Sanborn | — | 18:00 local · NCEI |
| Jun 12, 1980 | 1.75 ingolf ball | — | Sanborn | — | 22:50 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 6 40%
- 1–2 in 7 47%
- 2 in + 2 13%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22, 2021 | 1.00 inquarter | 3.24 SW Letcher | Sanborn | — | 18:48 local · NCEI |
| Sep 18, 2005 | 0.88 innickel | 4 N Letcher | Sanborn | — | 20:30 local · NCEI |
| Sep 16, 2004 | 0.75 inpenny | 1 S Letcher | Sanborn | — | 20:35 local · NCEI |
| Apr 18, 2004 | 1.00 inquarter | 4 W Letcher | Sanborn | — | 15:02 local · NCEI |
| Jul 4, 2003 | 2.00 inhen egg | 4 SW Letcher | Sanborn | — | 20:06 local · NCEI |
| Aug 9, 2002 | 0.75 inpenny | Letcher | Sanborn | — | 17:15 local · NCEI |
| Aug 9, 2002 | 1.00 inquarter | 3 W Letcher | Sanborn | — | 17:09 local · NCEI |
| Aug 3, 2002 | 0.75 inpenny | Letcher | Sanborn | — | 15:50 local · NCEI |
| Jul 24, 2002 | 2.50 intennis ball | Letcher | Sanborn | $500K | 18:06 local · NCEI |
| May 7, 2002 | 0.75 inpenny | 1 W Letcher | Sanborn | — | 16:15 local · NCEI |
| Aug 24, 1998 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Letcher | Sanborn | — | 06:35 local · NCEI |
| Aug 6, 1996 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 1 N Letcher | Sanborn | — | 18:00 local · NCEI |
Hail history near Letcher
- Loomis 12 km · 17
- Woonsocket 20 km · 33
- Mitchell 21 km · 73
- Artesian 21 km · 11
- Mount Vernon 23 km · 16
- Fedora 31 km · 15
- Fulton 32 km · 14
- Plankinton 34 km · 22
Questions about hail in Letcher
How often does it hail in Letcher, South Dakota?
15 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Letcher since 1980. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 0.1 reports a year. That ranks #193 of 305 South Dakota places by number of reports.
When is hail season in Letcher?
Most reports come in August, July, June. August alone accounts for 40% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Letcher?
2.50 in (tennis ball size) on July 24, 2002 near Letcher. 13% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Letcher?
The most recent report in this data is from August 22, 2021 (1.00 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Letcher had in the last five years?
None: there has been no hail report in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Letcher since November 3, 2021. The last one was on August 22, 2021.
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.