Posted by Hogryder on August 01, 2001 at 20:47:12:
Several people have called for information on the weather in this area so here it is.
We have two fires burning in the Black Hills but neither one is close to Sturgis. Part of Highway 16 in the southern Black Hills area is closed due to fire.
The weather has been hot and humid. Temps in the 90's and a few over 100 degrees F in the last few weeks. Strong thunderstorms in the afternoons and evenings. 4 inch diameter hail fell just east of Rapid City a couple of days ago. Yes, that was 4 inches. Baseball size.
We had heavy rain and wind gusts of 73 miles per hour in Rapid City two days ago during one of these short lived storms.
Several homes in Belle Fourche, SD (a few miles north of Sturgis) were destroyed recently by a storm. They thought it was a tornado at first but now say it was a severe downdraft.
Moral of the story is that if you are coming to Sturgis, be prepared for a variety of weather. In any one day you may experience fog, rain, hail, extreme heat, clear beautiful riding, warm calm evenings, clear warm nights, and near hurricane winds.
Be very careful where you eat at the rally. There were lots of cases of food poisoning last year, all from food vendors in Sturgis who didn't store and/or prepare the food properly. 100 degree heat, shortage of ice, and bacteria make a bad mix.
If you come, have fun.