Summary:

A warm and humid airmass, combined with a frontal boundary draped across the area led to the formation of several supercell thunderstorms over sections of central South Dakota on 16 June 2009.  Multiple reports of funnel clouds were relayed to the NWS in Aberdeen, and there were several confirmed tornado touchdowns.  Due to the abundant moisture, many of the tornadoes likely became "rain wrapped" which prevented spotters from seeing additional funnel clouds or tornadoes.  Two of the more distinct tornadoes are shown below -- one from Corson County (near McLaughlin) and a second from far southeastern Hand County.   All of the tornadoes that developed on Tuesday, including the two shown below,  were rather brief lasting only a few minutes.  No damage was reported from any of the confirmed tornadoes.     

Photos:

Photo 1:  Funnel cloud reported near McLaughlin around 1220pm CDT.  Photo courtesy of Kerry and Dawn Konold.

 Photo 2:  Tornado reported near McLaughlin around 1230pm CDT.  Photo courtesy of Kerry and Dawn Konold.

Photo 3:  Tornado near the intersection of 213th and 370th Avenue in Hand County around 400pm CDT.  The tornado was on the ground for approximately 10 to 12 minutes and remained nearly stationary.  As shown in the photo, the tornado remained primarity over a CRP field and thus there was no damage reported.  Photo courtesy of Hand County Sheriff.

Photo 4:  Photograph taken near the intersection of 205th and 369th Avenue in Hand County around 350pm CDT.  The Hand County Sheriff was located a few miles north of the storm.  This is likely the "rear flank downdraft" of the supercell storm.  Photo courtesy of Hand County Sheriff.

SPC Storm Reports from June 16th, 2009

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
427 PM CDT WED JUN 17 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1030 AM     FLASH FLOOD      ABERDEEN                45.47N 98.48W
06/16/2009                   BROWN              SD   EMERGENCY MNGR

            HEAVY RAINS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES CAUSED EXTENSIVE ROAD
            FLOODING IN ABERDEEN. SEVERAL BASEMENTS ALSO RECEIVED
            SOME FLOODING. ROAD FLOODING DID NOT SUBSIDE IN ABERDEEN
            UNTIL AROUND 630 PM.

1156 AM     HEAVY RAIN       2 NNE ABERDEEN          45.49N 98.47W
06/16/2009  M3.10 INCH       BROWN              SD   NWS EMPLOYEE

1156 AM     HEAVY RAIN       1 NNE ABERDEEN          45.48N 98.47W
06/16/2009  M2.81 INCH       BROWN              SD   NWS EMPLOYEE

1200 PM     TORNADO          8 NE GETTYSBURG         45.09N 99.84W
06/16/2009                   POTTER             SD   PUBLIC

1200 PM     HEAVY RAIN       2 NNW ABERDEEN          45.49N 98.50W
06/16/2009  E5.00 INCH       BROWN              SD   PUBLIC

            5 INCHES OF RAIN SINCE NOON YESTERDAY. VAST MAJORITY
            SINCE 10 AM.

1205 PM     HAIL             MINA                    45.44N 98.76W
06/16/2009  E1.00 INCH       EDMUNDS            SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

1223 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     3 N MCLAUGHLIN          45.86N 100.81W
06/16/2009                   CORSON             SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

1224 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     2 N LITTLE EAGLE        45.71N 100.80W
06/16/2009                   CORSON             SD   PUBLIC

0135 PM     TORNADO          8 NE GETTYSBURG         45.09N 99.84W
06/16/2009                   POTTER             SD   PUBLIC

0200 PM     FLASH FLOOD      HUTTERVILLE COLONY      45.27N 98.21W
06/16/2009                   BROWN              SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

            HEAVY RAIN OF 5.25 INCHES CAUSED FLOODING OF CROPS AND
            ROADS WITH MUD CREEK OVERFLOWING.

0209 PM     TORNADO          12 N MILLER             44.69N 98.99W
06/16/2009                   HAND               SD   LAW ENFORCEMENT

0216 PM     HAIL             12 N MILLER             44.69N 98.99W
06/16/2009  E1.00 INCH       HAND               SD   LAW ENFORCEMENT

0219 PM     HAIL             6 W BOWDLE              45.45N 99.78W
06/16/2009  E1.00 INCH       WALWORTH           SD   LAW ENFORCEMENT

0220 PM     FLASH FLOOD      6 SE STRATFORD          45.26N 98.22W
06/16/2009                   BROWN              SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

            HEAVY RAIN MEASURING 5.50 INCHES CAUSED A SHOP TO BE
            FLOODED WITH 6 TO 8 INHCES OF WATER.

0220 PM     HAIL             6 SE STRATFORD          45.26N 98.22W
06/16/2009  E0.75 INCH       BROWN              SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

0225 PM     HAIL             1 S SENECA              45.05N 99.51W
06/16/2009  E1.75 INCH       FAULK              SD   LAW ENFORCEMENT

0300 PM     HAIL             7 SE STRATFORD          45.25N 98.20W
06/16/2009  E0.75 INCH       SPINK              SD   PUBLIC

0300 PM     FLASH FLOOD      4 W FERNEY              45.33N 98.18W
06/16/2009                   BROWN              SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

            HEAVY RAIN MEASURING 5.40 INCHES CAUSED FLOODING WEST OF
            FERNEY.

0300 PM     FLASH FLOOD      7 SE STRATFORD          45.25N 98.20W
06/16/2009                   SPINK              SD   PUBLIC

            HEAVY RAIN MEASURING 5.50 INHCES CAUSED FLOODING OF CROPS
            AND ROADS. SOME ROADS WERE WASHED OUT.

0300 PM     HAIL             4 W FERNEY              45.33N 98.18W
06/16/2009  E0.75 INCH       BROWN              SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

0300 PM     FLASH FLOOD      6 E STRATFORD           45.32N 98.18W
06/16/2009                   BROWN              SD   PUBLIC

            OVER 5 INCHES OF RAIN CAUSED BASEMENT FLOODING.

0300 PM     HAIL             1 NNW BURDETTE          44.72N 98.82W
06/16/2009  E1.00 INCH       HAND               SD   PUBLIC

0300 PM     HAIL             6 E STRATFORD           45.32N 98.18W
06/16/2009  E0.75 INCH       BROWN              SD   PUBLIC

0305 PM     HAIL             12 SW WESSINGTON        44.33N 98.87W
06/16/2009  E0.75 INCH       HAND               SD   LAW ENFORCEMENT

0315 PM     HAIL             12 SSW WESSINGTON       44.29N 98.79W
06/16/2009  E1.00 INCH       HAND               SD   LAW ENFORCEMENT

0320 PM     HEAVY RAIN       STRATFORD               45.32N 98.30W
06/16/2009  E3.50 INCH       BROWN              SD   PUBLIC

            3.5 INCHES OF RAIN SINCE 2 PM. STREET FLOODING IN TOWN.

0330 PM     FLASH FLOOD      4 SSE STRATFORD         45.26N 98.27W
06/16/2009                   BROWN              SD   PUBLIC

            MANY ACRES OF CROPS FLOODED. PUMPING WATER OUT OF
            BASEMENT.

0330 PM     HAIL             8 SW WESSINGTON         44.37N 98.81W
06/16/2009  E1.75 INCH       HAND               SD   LAW ENFORCEMENT

0340 PM     HAIL             10 S VAYLAND            44.35N 98.80W
06/16/2009  E2.00 INCH       HAND               SD   PUBLIC

0345 PM     HAIL             5 N POLO                44.85N 99.11W
06/16/2009  E1.00 INCH       HAND               SD   PUBLIC

0345 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     10 S VAYLAND            44.35N 98.80W
06/16/2009                   HAND               SD   PUBLIC

            EYEWITNESS COULD NOT CONFIRM IF FUNNEL REACHED THE
            GROUND. QUARTER SIZED HAIL COVERED THE GROUND AS WELL.

0345 PM     HAIL             8 N MILLER              44.64N 98.99W
06/16/2009  E1.25 INCH       HAND               SD   PUBLIC

0350 PM     HAIL             7 NE DANFORTH           44.33N 98.78W
06/16/2009  E1.00 INCH       HAND               SD   PUBLIC

0350 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     3 SE DANFORTH           44.22N 98.84W
06/16/2009                   HAND               SD   EMERGENCY MNGR

0355 PM     TORNADO          12 SSW WESSINGTON       44.29N 98.79W
06/16/2009                   HAND               SD   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            LARGE WEDGE TORNADO

0358 PM     FLASH FLOOD      7 SSE STRATFORD         45.22N 98.25W
06/16/2009                   SPINK              SD   PUBLIC

0410 PM     HAIL             9 NNE MILLER            44.64N 98.92W
06/16/2009  E1.00 INCH       HAND               SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

0413 PM     FLASH FLOOD      7 NNE GROTON            45.55N 98.04W
06/16/2009                   BROWN              SD   PUBLIC

0414 PM     FLASH FLOOD      1 NNW PUTNEY            45.57N 98.18W
06/16/2009                   BROWN              SD   PUBLIC

0416 PM     HAIL             17 SW WESSINGTON        44.28N 98.94W
06/16/2009  E1.00 INCH       HAND               SD   EMERGENCY MNGR

0419 PM     FLASH FLOOD      5 SE GROTON             45.40N 98.03W
06/16/2009                   BROWN              SD   PUBLIC

0420 PM     FLASH FLOOD      4 E FERNEY              45.33N 98.01W
06/16/2009                   BROWN              SD   PUBLIC

0422 PM     FLASH FLOOD      6 NNE STRATFORD         45.40N 98.26W
06/16/2009                   BROWN              SD   PUBLIC

0424 PM     FLASH FLOOD      4 WSW GROTON            45.43N 98.18W
06/16/2009                   BROWN              SD   PUBLIC

0428 PM     FLASH FLOOD      4 NNE CRANDALL          45.21N 97.92W
06/16/2009                   DAY                SD   PUBLIC