GARY, SD — A powerful EF3 tornado with estimated peak winds of 150 mph touched down on Saturday evening, June 28, southwest of Gary, leaving a 6.9-mile path of destruction and injuring two people.
The tornado touched down around 8:05 p.m. in a field near the south end of State Highway 22. As it moved east, it broke large trees and caused damage near a gravel pit. Along 483rd Avenue, it collapsed a shed roof and brought down more trees. It then crossed Highway 22, downing a power pole before reaching a farmstead on 484th Avenue, where it tore part of a house roof, collapsed a machine shed, and destroyed a garage.
The most severe damage occurred at a third farmstead directly in the tornado’s path. There, the tornado destroyed the house, several barns, silos, a garage, and a machine shed. Vehicles, including large farm equipment, were thrown as far as 300 yards. Two residents sheltering in the basement sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The tornado became nearly stationary at that location before continuing slowly east and eventually dissipating in a nearby field. Its path reached a maximum width of 100 yards. No damage was observed past 486th Avenue.
No fatalities were reported.
