Rapid City, S.D. – A powerful line of storms is barreling east through South Dakota tonight, packing wind gusts up to 85 mph and hail as large as two inches, prompting a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 1 a.m. MDT Monday.
According to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center, an organized squall line is forming across western and central South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming. The system is expected to strengthen through the night, posing the greatest threat for damaging outflow winds and isolated supercells capable of large hail.
Counties including Pennington, Meade, Haakon, Stanley, and Hughes are in the path of the storm. Rapid City, Wall, and Pierre could see the strongest winds between 9 p.m. and midnight. Travelers on I-90 and U.S. 83 are urged to delay trips or use extreme caution due to possible debris and low visibility.
Residents should secure loose outdoor items, charge devices, and prepare for potential outages. The NWS warns that tornadoes, while not the primary threat, cannot be ruled out given storm intensity.
Additional warnings may be issued through the night as storms advance eastward.
