ABERDEEN, SOUTH DAKOTA — A severe thunderstorm southwest of Aberdeen has unleashed radar-indicated wind speeds of 131 miles per hour, a figure just shy of the 136 mph threshold that defines an EF3 tornado. The storm is simultaneously producing hail the size of lemons, a combination meteorologists say is capable of inflicting catastrophic damage on homes, vehicles, and farmland across the region.
The most intense wind signatures were detected near Harrold and the Moore corridor, where radar recorded sustained readings of 130 mph across multiple adjacent zones, confirming the extreme nature of the event. Just north near Harrold, winds of 90 mph were measured, while areas further along the storm’s forward flank saw speeds near 80 mph.
Even outside the most violent core, the storm’s outer bands are generating winds of 60 to 110 mph, meaning the destructive footprint stretches well beyond Moore and Harrold and into surrounding communities.
The lemon-sized hail accompanying these winds is large enough to shatter windows, cave in vehicle roofs, and strip crops bare in seconds. Officials warn the hail poses a serious risk of injury to anyone caught outdoors without shelter. Agricultural areas southwest of Aberdeen are expected to suffer extensive losses, as the dual threat of hail and hurricane-force wind tears through fields already vulnerable at this point in the growing season.
Residents in or near Harrold, Moore, Ree Heights, and Stephan are urged to take shelter immediately in a sturdy interior room away from windows. Authorities are strongly advising against driving through or attempting to outrun the storm given the extreme conditions involved.
Once the system clears the area, damage assessment teams are expected to survey the corridor, with infrastructure and property damage likely to be significant given wind speeds nearly equivalent to a major tornado.
This is a developing situation, and updates will follow as more information becomes available.
