The May 30, 1998 tornado
F4Hanson and McCook counties, South Dakota
An F4 tornado on a 14.0-mile path that killed 6 and injured 150. It was one of 18 tornadoes recorded in the U.S. that day.
Watch how it happenedF4 tornado · May 30, 1998
How it happened
Follow the tornado’s path, minute by minute.
The tornado
- Rating
- F4
- Fujita scale
- Path length
- 14.0 mi
- Width up to 1,150 yards
- Killed
- 6
- Along the whole path
- Injured
- 150
- Along the whole path
- Date and time
- Saturday, May 30, 1998
- 7:26 PM CST
The National Weather Service account
Written by the local Weather Service office after its damage survey.
The tornado from Hanson County destroyed most of Spencer as it strengthened and continued to grow. Most homes, other buildings, and other structures in Spencer were completely levelled. Debris and belongings were scattered over a large area, and one receipt blown from Spencer was found just west of Chandler, MN about 80 miles east of Spencer. The tornado killed 6 and injured 150 in Spencer. The tornado continued southeast from Spencer, widened, then weakened, and dissipated 4 miles southwest of Salem with another tornado then forming from the same storm. The tornado caused additional damage to trees, power lines, crops, and buildings on farms after moving southeast of Spencer.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
Counties on its path
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database. Path drawn as a straight line from the recorded start to end point.