ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) — The National Weather Service says severe weather so far this year in South Dakota has been an anomaly.
The weather service issued 561 severe thunderstorm warnings in the state as of July 5. That’s 131 more than 2007, when the previous record for that timeframe was set.
While there does appear to be an increasing trend in the number of severe thunderstorms, the National Weather Service says it’s important to note that the way storms are predicted has become more precise and that the standards have changed over time.
State climatologist Laura Edwards says there’s no distinct tie between severe weather in South Dakota and climate change.
