Hail history for Sanborn County, South Dakota
Every NOAA hail report filed in Sanborn County since 1958, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Sanborn County
- Last hail
- Jul 20, 2025
- 1.00 in, quarter size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 5
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 6 reports
- Largest ever
- 5.00 in
- softball · May 28, 1991
129 reports on 91 days since 1958 · #59 of 67 South Dakota counties
Hail map · Sanborn 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 Sanborn County is from July 20, 2025. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Sanborn County
The latest hail report in Sanborn County is from July 20, 2025, 1.00 in (quarter size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 5 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 1.50 in on July 20, 2025.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Sanborn County logged 49 reports on 34 hail days, about 2.5 reports a year. That is about half the median South Dakota county (5.5 a year) and ranks #59 of 67 South Dakota counties for all-time reports. Sanborn County holds 1% of all 17,223 hail reports in South Dakota.
12% 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 5.00 in (softball) on May 28, 1991.
Reports were down 47% in 2016–2025 (17) compared with 2006–2015 (32). The busiest year was 2002, with 13 reports on 8 days. Hail here peaks in June (29% of reports); 50% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Sanborn County 2.5
- Median South Dakota county 5.5
Hail days 2006–2025
- Sanborn County 34
- Median South Dakota county 54
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Sanborn County 12%
- Median South Dakota county 8%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2025 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 2024 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2022 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2020 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2019 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2018 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2017 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 20, 2025 | 2 | 1.50 in | — |
| Jul 7, 2025 | 1 | 0.88 in | — |
| May 19, 2025 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Jul 3, 2023 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Jul 3, 2022 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 28, 1991 | 5.00 insoftball | — | —1 injured | 16:45 local · NCEI |
| May 28, 1991 | 4.00 ingrapefruit | — | —1 injured | 16:25 local · NCEI |
| Jun 16, 1992 | 3.00 inteacup | — | — | 14:45 local · NCEI |
| Jun 16, 1992 | 3.00 inteacup | — | — | 14:15 local · NCEI |
| Jun 16, 1992 | 3.00 inteacup | — | — | 14:00 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 41 32%
- 1–2 in 72 56%
- 2 in + 16 12%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 20, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.69 N Woonsocket | 14:05 local · NCEI |
| Jul 20, 2025 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 0.69 N Woonsocket | 14:04 local · NCEI |
| Jul 7, 2025 | 0.88 innickel | 3.59 SSW Woonsocket | 14:36 local · NCEI |
| May 19, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | 2.76 N Artesian | 15:13 local · NCEI |
| Jul 3, 2023 | 0.75 inpenny | 2.76 S Woonsocket | 21:03 local · NCEI |
| Jul 3, 2022 | 1.00 inquarter | 8.99 NNE Woonsocket | 15:06 local · NCEI |
| Aug 22, 2021 | 1.00 inquarter | 3.24 SW Letcher | 18:48 local · NCEI |
| Jul 3, 2019 | 1.00 inquarter | 6.3 N Woonsocket | 15:13 local · NCEI |
| Sep 19, 2017 | 1.00 inquarter | 7.43 NE Woonsocket | 20:29 local · NCEI |
| Jul 25, 2017 | 1.00 inquarter | 5.39 ENE Letcher | 19:54 local · NCEI |
| Jul 25, 2017 | 1.00 inquarter | 5.03 W Letcher | 15:45 local · NCEI |
| Jul 11, 2017 | 1.00 inquarter | 4.84 S Artesian | 19:38 local · NCEI |
Cities and towns in Sanborn County
| Place | Reports | Largest |
|---|---|---|
| Woonsocket | 33 | 4.00 in |
| Letcher | 15 | 2.50 in |
| Artesian | 11 | 2.00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forestburg | 9 | 9 | May 25, 2016 |
| Upland Colony | 7 | 7 | Apr 15, 2012 |
Questions about hail in Sanborn County
How often does it hail in Sanborn County, South Dakota?
129 hail reports have been logged in Sanborn County since 1958. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 2.5 reports a year. That ranks #59 of 67 South Dakota counties by number of reports.
When is hail season in Sanborn County?
Most reports come in June, July, May. June alone accounts for 29% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Sanborn County?
5.00 in (softball size) on May 28, 1991. 12% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Sanborn County?
The most recent report in this data is from July 20, 2025 (1.00 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Sanborn County had in the last five years?
5 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 6 reports. The most recent was July 20, 2025.
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.