South Dakota Tornado History — 1,944 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes does South Dakota get per year?
South Dakota has had 1,944 tornadoes on record since 1950, including 68 strong to violent (EF3+) tornadoes — averaging about 25.6 per year since 1950 (about 19.9 per year over the last decade). Counts come from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center archive for South Dakota. The 6 cities below report tornadoes within their own search radius, so those figures overlap each other and do not sum to the state total.
When was the most recent tornado in South Dakota?
The most recent confirmed tornado in our South Dakota dataset was an EF1 tornado on September 14, 2025. Confirmed records are complete through December 29, 2025; more recent preliminary reports are listed below.
When is tornado season in South Dakota?
June is historically the peak month for tornadoes in South Dakota, with 772 on record since 1950. Tornadoes can occur any time of year, but spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most US states.
South Dakota at a Glance
Notable Tornadoes in South Dakota
12 preliminary tornado reports in South Dakota since December 29, 2025
These are 12 preliminary reports, not confirmed tornadoes. They have not yet been through an NWS damage survey, and are not counted in the confirmed totals above.
Preliminary reports are revised, merged, and sometimes withdrawn — historically about 23% are consolidated downward once surveys complete. Ratings are omitted until a survey assigns one.
Confirmed records above are complete through December 29, 2025. NOAA publishes the confirmed archive annually, so tornadoes after that date appear here first and move into the totals above once finalized.
Showing the 10 most recent of 12 preliminary reports.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, updated daily.