Hail history for Beadle County, SD

Beadle County has 286 recorded hail events in the NOAA Storm Events Database — 176 of them 1″ or larger and 21 at 2″ or larger. The largest on record: 3.0″ (tea cup) on June 14, 1970.

Records 1950–present Data through April 2026 Peak month June

Core sample · every recorded event, 1955–2026

Mark size = measured hail diameter; slivers are events with no recorded size. Amber ≥2″, red ≥2.75″ (baseball class). Denser recent decades partly reflect better reporting, not only more storms.

Recorded events 286 since 1958

1″ or larger 176 NWS severe threshold

2″ or larger 21 hen egg class and up

Largest recorded 3.0″ tea cup · June 14, 1970

Read the record honestly: Storm Events contains what was reported to the National Weather Service. Sparse or rural counties under-report, and coverage improved sharply after the mid-1990s — a quiet-looking stretch is not proof nothing fell.

When it hails in Beadle County

Recorded events by month, 1950–present. The amber bar marks Beadle County's peak: June.

Most recent recorded events

Latest 8 of 286 recorded events · data through April 2026
Date	Size	Comparable to
April 28, 2025	0.88″	Nickel
June 2, 2024	1.0″	Quarter
June 2, 2024	1.0″	Quarter
June 2, 2024	1.25″	Half dollar
August 10, 2023	1.0″	Quarter
July 3, 2022	0.88″	Nickel
July 3, 2022	1.5″	Ping-pong ball
July 3, 2022	0.88″	Nickel

Looking for a specific storm? Use the did-it-hail date lookup for Beadle County.

From the storm reports

Narratives as filed with the NOAA Storm Events Database (public records; lightly trimmed for length).

April 28, 2025 · 0.88″ (nickel)

Hail was mostly pea size, but some stones were as large as nickels.

July 19, 2017 · 2.5″ (tennis ball)

Hail to tennis ball size.

July 5, 2016 · 2.75″ (baseball)

Large hail damaged vehicles and crops. The amount of property and crop damage was not known.

Events by decade

1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s
2	9	10	26	36	100	74	29

The climb across decades is largely a reporting story: spotter networks, radar, and digital filing pulled far more storms into the record after the 1990s.

Questions about hail in Beadle County

Has it ever hailed in Beadle County?

Yes — 286 hail events have been recorded for Beadle County, SD in the NOAA Storm Events Database since 1958, including 176 of 1″ (quarter size) or larger.

When did it last hail in Beadle County?

The most recent recorded hail event for Beadle County, SD is April 28, 2025, with 0.88″ (nickel) hail. The database is currently updated through April 2026, so a storm from the last few weeks may not appear yet. To check a specific day, use the did-it-hail date lookup.

What is the largest hail ever recorded in Beadle County?

3.0″ (tea cup), recorded on June 14, 1970. Hail that size is destructive-class and typically damages roofs, vehicles, and siding. See how big that really is on the actual-size hail chart.

Does a recorded hail event mean my roof was damaged?

No. This page reports storm records, not damage. Hail size and damage vary block by block within a county, and only an inspection can establish what happened to a specific roof. If you suspect damage, talk to your insurer or a licensed roofer — they can pull the same NOAA records for your claim.

More South Dakota hail history

All 66 South Dakota counties, ranked by recorded hail →

Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, public domain, updated monthly by NCEI — this site's copy runs through April 2026. HailHistory reports records; it does not give insurance advice or assess damage.