Rapid City's Mobile SKYWARN Spotter Page

- Do not use to report tornadoes, flash floods, and other extreme life-threatening situations. Call the National Weather Service to talk to a forecaster directly

Active Hazards (Click for Details)

Rapid City's Radar (Click for More Images)

North Platte's Radar (Click for More Images)

Local Storm Reports

Severe Weather Outlooks

Day 1

Day 2

Reporting

Information to Report:

• Tornadoes, funnel clouds, wall clouds

• Hail: 1/2" or larger (Click here for a ruler)

• Wind Gusts: 50 mph or stronger

• Flash Flooding: water depth and movement

• Heavy Rain: falling at the rate of 1" or more per hour

• Storm Location & Time Observed

• Your Identity & Specific Location: street address, latitude/longitude, or distance from an intersection

• Storm Damage

Reporting Procedures:

• Notify dispatcher or law enforcement office

• Activate local warning systems

• Contact Rapid City NWS:

• SD State Radio Network: "RAPID CITY WEATHER" on NWS-W talkgroup

• WYOLINK Radio Network: "RAPID CITY WEATHER" on NWS RC talkgroup

• 605-341-7435 (local or cell) or 1-800-684-4163

• Click here to send a report

• Send pictures to: nws.rapidcity@noaa.gov

• Send reports from your smartphone with the mPING app (download from your phone's app store)

Thunderstorm Information

Wall Cloud Characteristics:

• Persists at least several minutes

• Continuous, organized horizontal rotation

• Ground-level winds flow toward the wall cloud

• Upward motion in the base of the wall cloud




Wall Clouds	Shelf Clouds
Located below storm updraft	Located around storm downdraft
Toward back of storm	At leading edge of storm
Rotates horizontally	Doesn't rotate
Winds blow toward and upward into wall cloud	Winds blow downward and away from shelf cloud




Wind Speed Estimates

Description of Damage	Speed (mph)
Large branches move, telephone lines whistle	25-31
Whole trees move, difficult to walk against the wind	32-38
Twigs break of trees, wind impedes walking	39-54
Chimneys and TV antennas damaged, shallow-rooted trees uprooted	55-72
Roof surfaces peel off, windows break, mobile homes overturn	73-112
House roofs tear off, weak buildings and mobile homes destroyed, large trees uprooted	over 113




Hail Sizes

Description of Hail	Diameter (inches)
Pea	1/2
Penny, mothball	3/4
Nickel	7/8
Quarter	1
Half-dollar	1 1/4
Silver dollar, ping-pong ball, walnut	1 1/2
Golf ball	1 3/4
Tennis ball, snuff can	2 1/2
Baseball	2 3/4
Tea cup	3
Grapefruit	4
Softball	4 1/2




Severe Thunderstorm Views

Looking at the Storm






Diagram of a Storm





Helpful Links




Local Forecasts and Warnings




Rapid City Skywarn page




Abridged Spotter's Guide




PING hail and precipitation reports




Local NOAA Weather Radios




Definitions

WATCH: Conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, or flash floods.




WARNING: A severe thunderstorm, tornado, or flash flood is imminent. The storm has either been reported by spotters or detected by the radar.




SEVERE THUNDERSTORM: A thunderstorm with hail at least 1 inch in diameter and/or winds of 58 mph or stronger.




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