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Regarding fear of tornadoes- they are rare, and if you do the following 2 things you will have nothing to worry about: (a) rent or buy a place that has a basement that can be used in the event of a tornado (if renting an apartment, this could be basement storage/laundry area, etc.), and (b) install a good weather app on your phone to warn you of anticipated bad weather (i.e. thunderstorm/tornado warnings), and check the weather/weather app in advance of any longer-distance travel.
Regarding baseball-sized hail-- also rare, I think I've seen this once in my lifetime living in the midwest (I grew up in SD), which involved seeing just a few baseball/softball-sized chunks of hail mixed into what was mostly quarter-sized hail. If it starts hailing, go indoors.
That said, climate change is rapidly changing weather patterns nation-/world-wide, so it's likely that tornadoes and hail storms will increase in frequency in lots of places. But as it relates to the climate crisis, I'd much rather be raising my kids in the Upper Midwest than almost any other place in the nation. I'll take the threat of ocassional tornadoes/severe t-storms over massive hurricanes,'100 year' flooding events, insane wildfires, extreme heat/humidity and water shortages any day of the week (that's not to say SD doesn't also sometimes see wildfires, ocassional flooding, or extreme heat-- but the risk/frequency/scale here is signiicantly lower than almost every other state)....
Regarding fear of tornadoes- they are rare, and if you do the following 2 things you will have nothing to worry about: (a) rent or buy a place that has a basement that can be used in the event of a tornado (if renting an apartment, this could be basement storage/laundry area, etc.), and (b) install a good weather app on your phone to warn you of anticipated bad weather (i.e. thunderstorm/tornado warnings), and check the weather/weather app in advance of any longer-distance travel.
Regarding baseball-sized hail-- also rare, I think I've seen this once in my lifetime living in the midwest (I grew up in SD), which involved seeing just a few baseball/softball-sized chunks of hail mixed into what was mostly quarter-sized hail. If it starts hailing, go indoors.
That said, climate change is rapidly changing weather patterns nation-/world-wide, so it's likely that tornadoes and hail storms will increase in frequency in lots of places. But as it relates to the climate crisis, I'd much rather be raising my kids in the Upper Midwest than almost any other place in the nation. I'll take the threat of ocassional tornadoes/severe t-storms over massive hurricanes,'100 year' flooding events, insane wildfires, extreme heat/humidity and water shortages any day of the week (that's not to say SD doesn't also sometimes see wildfires, ocassional flooding, or extreme heat-- but the risk/frequency/scale here is signiicantly lower than almost every other state)....
Rapid City news had a warning about baseball sized hail a couple weeks before I posted my comment about them. That is why I mentioned it. Reviews of RC also mentioned it a couple times. So it must be a thing.
Rapid City news had a warning about baseball sized hail a couple weeks before I posted my comment about them. That is why I mentioned it. Reviews of RC also mentioned it a couple times. So it must be a thing.
Here are some photos of huge hail in SD, and the freaky storm they came from.
Those are huge. It seems some places are way worse than others. Mitchell seems to get hit really hard more often than any other place east river.
They sure are huge!!! I'd hate to get hit in the head with one of those, lol. That would either get your attention, or kill you. Those poor cattle when the hail hits, oh my goodness. My cargo van would be living in the body shop. I can't afford that on SS. But I would like the hiking in the Black Hills. Haven't been there yet, but it sounds good. There are actually hiking clubs around there which is exciting to me. I can't find any clubs at all in eastern Oregon where I live now . It's depressing.
That's too bad about Mitchell being a target. They seem to get the extremes of heat, and cold from what I've read.
They sure are huge!!! I'd hate to get hit in the head with one of those, lol. That would either get your attention, or kill you. Those poor cattle when the hail hits, oh my goodness. My cargo van would be living in the body shop. I can't afford that on SS. But I would like the hiking in the Black Hills. Haven't been there yet, but it sounds good. There are actually hiking clubs around there which is exciting to me. I can't find any clubs at all in eastern Oregon where I live now . It's depressing.
That's too bad about Mitchell being a target. They seem to get the extremes of heat, and cold from what I've read.
The extreme heat and cold are most of eastern SD.
That is funny you are asking about here and I want to move to Oregon. Have you ever been here? I have been going to the Oregon coast since the mid 80s. The properties there have gone nuts lately. I am hoping for a good recession soon so I can afford a place and still be able to eat.
That is funny you are asking about here and I want to move to Oregon. Have you ever been here? I have been going to the Oregon coast since the mid 80s. The properties there have gone nuts lately. I am hoping for a good recession soon so I can afford a place and still be able to eat.
Yeah, that is what I have gathered from doing more research. I have put my moving plans on hold temporarily as no place feels right anyway. And my older cargo van is eating up my moving money. Now it needs rear brakes, and blah, blah, blah, lol. I've only been here for 4yrs, and plopped here because of a divorce. The senior apts had a short waiting list. It's terribly isolating with not much to do, but others here seem to like it.
I'm still looking at conservative states, that is why I'm hoping to move away from the west coast. No, I've never been to SD, but that has never stopped me before. While I prefer the Oceanic climate the coast does have issues like decent medical care being far away, a lack of a certain amount of shopping, and the Cascadia subduction zone offshore I'm not wild about. But that is just my likes, and dislikes. When you are an old fart on SS you have got to think about certain things. I hope you find an affordable place there though. Good luck with that.
Yeah, that is what I have gathered from doing more research. I have put my moving plans on hold temporarily as no place feels right anyway. And my older cargo van is eating up my moving money. Now it needs rear brakes, and blah, blah, blah, lol. I've only been here for 4yrs, and plopped here because of a divorce. The senior apts had a short waiting list. It's terribly isolating with not much to do, but others here seem to like it.
I'm still looking at conservative states, that is why I'm hoping to move away from the west coast. No, I've never been to SD, but that has never stopped me before. While I prefer the Oceanic climate the coast does have issues like decent medical care being far away, a lack of a certain amount of shopping, and the Cascadia subduction zone offshore I'm not wild about. But that is just my likes, and dislikes. When you are an old fart on SS you have got to think about certain things. I hope you find an affordable place there though. Good luck with that.
South Dakota is not your best option. Housing is obnoxious here, too. I would not recommend it.
South Dakota is not your best option. Housing is obnoxious here, too. I would not recommend it.
Thank you, but my housing must be low income SS subsidized. So I must follow my lead from that aspect, and who is accepting applicants. But yes, it has gotten trendier with people moving in.
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But I would like the hiking in the Black Hills. Haven't been there yet, but it sounds good. There are actually hiking clubs around there which is exciting to me. I can't find any clubs at all in eastern Oregon where I live now 
. It's depressing. 
