Tornado in Lincoln County, South Dakota

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 of the hospital. Average path width was estimated at 40 yards. Property damage costs are rough estimates.

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 uprooted large trees. At this point, the tornado turned northeast for the last quarter mile of its path, moving along La Quinta Street. Two homes incurred more substantial damage with loss of exterior walls. The tornado lifted before reaching Venita Avenue. Average path width was estimated at 40 yards. Property damage costs are rough estimates.

A tornado tracked north at 20 mph near Interstate 29 destroying at least one farmyard and tossing vehicles. At 315 PM CDT the tornado ripped through a farmyard seven miles north of Beresford destroying a large barn, silo, and numerous outbuildings, and killing 15 hogs. Also lost were 40 tons of hay and 1200 bales of straw. The owner of the farm was driving a tractor when one of at least two tornadoes dipped down, overturning the 11,000 lb. tractor and loader. At 320 PM CDT a tornado blew a 34,000 lb. semi-truck, a utility truck, and two cars off an Interstate 29 exit ramp while their drivers huddled on an embankment waiting for the tornado to pass. After the storm passed the cars rested unharmed in the ditch, but the trucks were both overturned and blown 70 feet from the exit ramp, causing extensive damage to the trucks. The semi was estimated to be a total loss. A young boy was injured when he was struck by a car on Interstate 29 while seeking shelter under an overpass. In addition, funnel clouds were reported as far north as the Lincoln County border near Sioux Falls.