Lincoln County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Lincoln County: 2.
2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Smoke overhead

1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Claims by ZIP code

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges

1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the county boundary (or inside the county).
2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Apr 9, 2013Winter Storm, Lincoln$15.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   An extended period of precipitation began with freezing rain quickly producing heavy ice accumulations, especially in the northern part of the county, with more than a half inch in southern Sioux Falls. The precipitation then changed to sleet and then snow, with sleet and snow accumulations reaching 9 inches in southern Sioux Falls. Many branches, limbs, whole trees, and power lines were downed by the weight of ice and accompanying wind. Both urban areas and rural electric cooperatives suffered major power line damage. Trees and tree debris blocked many roads, and damaged several vehicles and homes. Major power outages were reported, affecting thousands of people. The winter…

2. Jun 20, 2024Flood$12.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Rainfall amounts across Lincoln County from June 20-22 ranged from 6 to 14 inches with at least two locations reporting amounts in excess of 17 inches. Widespread overland flooding ensued with additional record flooding along the Big Sioux River. ||County first responders were active 24/7 from June 20 to June 24 with 22 water rescues. No homes were destroyed, but hundreds succumbed to water, sewage, or both in their basements and one business in Canton suffered major flood damage. Interstate 29 was closed during peak flooding from June 21 to June 22 with water over the roadway. An estimated 12 million dollars in damage was done to roads, bridges, and culverts across the county.…

3. Sep 10, 2019Tornado$6.8 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A tornado touched down around one quarter mile east of the intersection of Interstates 29 and 229, near the intersection of 69th Street and Tallgrass Avenue. The tornado tracked east-northeast for a quarter mile before it struck a building under construction, causing extensive damage to concrete and metal framing, and tossed a construction truck 200 yards into a tree. The tornado then damaged the Avera Heart and Behavioral Hospital Complex, where cars were displaced up to 100 feet and most windows were broken along with roof and facade damage to the hospital buildings. Eight people were injured by flying glass on the hospital complex. The tornado lifted about 400 yards to the east…

4. Mar 13, 2019Flood$3.1 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   A majority of county and township roads were inundated by water. Especially hard hit were gravel roads just south of Sioux Falls. Highway 11 around 2 miles southeast of Harrisburg was inundated with water for several hours. The property damage costs include estimates for public property losses.

5. Aug 28, 2021Thunderstorm Wind$3.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Most of the rubber roof liner on the section of Lennox High School with the band and shop classrooms was removed by thunderstorm winds. Interior ceilings and equipment incurred water damage. Property damage costs are a rough estimate.

6. Jun 12, 2001Hail$2.0 million
7. Jun 12, 2001Hail$2.0 million
8. Jun 16, 2014Flood$1.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Persistent moderate to heavy rain caused flooding of fields and other lowlands, including several roads, homes, and businesses. This flooding lasted for almost two days, and was aggravated locally by additional storms during that time. Many roads throughout the county were damaged or washed out.

9. Sep 10, 2019Tornado$1.2 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Initial damage to a few power poles occurred as the tornado touched down at the intersection of 85th Street and Western Avenue in far southern portions of the Sioux Falls metro area. The tornado tracked northeast for a quarter mile causing tree damage in a residential area before turning more northerly. The tornadic path was evident by scouring vegetation while moving through a wetland area, tossing a trampoline, and causing tree damage to adjacent residences. As the tornado entered a residential area on the north end of the wetlands, more significant damage occurred to several single family residences, with loss of significant sections of roofs and walls, as well as numerous…

10. Jun 16, 2014Flash Flood$1.0 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Heavy rain caused flash flooding of numerous roads, including U.S. Highway 18 west of Canton. Damage was reported to main roads and some secondary roads were washed out. Fields, ditches, and some homes were flooded.

1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

All-time high

110°F2 times, most recently Jun 21, 1988

All-time low

−36°FJan 19, 1970

Warmest night

81°F3 times, most recently Aug 22, 2023

Coldest day

−17°FFeb 8, 1933

Wettest day

5.44 inAug 7, 2022

Snowiest day

18.1 inMar 10, 1956

Hottest year

2012mean 50.6°F

Coldest year

1950mean 42.3°F

Wettest year

201939.54 in

Driest year

197611.42 in

Snowiest season

94.7 in1968-69

Station Sioux Falls (USW00014944), 1,495 ft elevation, 10.2 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1932 to October 26, 2026; 100.0% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Neighbouring counties

• Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
• Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
• Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
• Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
• Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
• Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00014944.
• River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
• Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.