Alert archive / North Dakota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2025

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 59, NWS Bismarck, ND

June 20, 20255 counties in North Dakota

NWS Bismarck, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 20, 2025, 9:36 PM CDT for 5 counties in North Dakota. It was in force for 54 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Jun 20, 2025, 9:36 PM CDT (02:36 UTC)
Expired: Jun 20, 2025, 10:30 PM CDT
In force: 54 min
Issued by: NWS Bismarck, ND
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Possible
Damage threat: Destructive
Hail: 1.0 in
Wind: 80.0 mph

Counties Burleigh County, ND, Emmons County, ND, Kidder County, ND, Logan County, ND, Stutsman County, ND

The radar

The Bismarck radar (KBIS), 74 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:38 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jun 20, 7:54 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Bismarck Municip, ND (KBIS), launched 00:00Z, 2.6 hours before the alert went out and 70 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 1726 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -39 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1897 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 52 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 180 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 480 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.5
Supercell composite: 26.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Bismarck, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jun 20, 8:43 PM CDT, 53 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Scattered to numerous severe thunderstorms (risk level 3 out of 5) are possible late this evening into the overnight hours. The main hazards will be very large hail up to the size of tennis balls, damaging wind gusts to 80 mph, and a few tornadoes. A strong tornado is possible along the I-94 corridor from around Bismarck to Jamestown.
There is a marginal risk (level 1 out of 5) for severe weather both Saturday and Sunday. Cooler and breezy conditions are expected Sunday.
The active weather pattern continues, with additional chances for showers and thunderstorms next week along with temperatures trending cooler.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 20, 8:43 PM CDT, 53 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
843 PM CDT Fri Jun 20 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Scattered to numerous severe thunderstorms (risk level 3 out
  of 5) are possible late this evening into the overnight
  hours. The main hazards will be very large hail up to the size
  of tennis balls, damaging wind gusts to 80 mph, and a few
  tornadoes. A strong tornado is possible along the I-94
  corridor from around Bismarck to Jamestown.

- There is a marginal risk (level 1 out of 5) for severe
  weather both Saturday and Sunday. Cooler and breezy conditions
  are expected Sunday.

- The active weather pattern continues, with additional chances
  for showers and thunderstorms next week along with
  temperatures trending cooler.

&&

.UPDATE...
Issued at 838 PM CDT Fri Jun 20 2025

A tornado watch has been issued for much of central and eastern
North Dakota until 3 AM Saturday morning. The atmosphere remains
conducive for severe thunderstorms, including tornados across
central and eastern North Dakota. Farther west, a large complex
of storms is tracking through western and into central ND. Winds
of over 90 mph have been reported within this line of storms. Be
weather aware tonight.

UPDATE
Issued at 659 PM CDT Fri Jun 20 2025

Forecast thinking for this evening's severe threat remains
unchanged from earlier Mesoscale Discussion above. The most
intense supercell has remained just across the South Dakota
border thus far, and right moving Bunkers vectors would keep it
just south. Storms to the north are showing signs of
intensifying though. The most likely outcome is for congealing
into a linear system with bowing segments as it approaches south
central North Dakota mid to late evening. We are also now
starting to see attempts at convective initiation along an
elevated warm front southwest of Jamestown. If convection can
become fully established in this part of the state, explosive
growth into severe convection could occur.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 255 PM CDT Fri Jun 20 2025

Currently, broad upper level ridge anchored just east of the
Great Plains today, with ridging over eastern North Dakota and
southwest flow aloft across the western Dakotas.

An elevated Severe Weather risk remains for much of western and
central North Dakota this afternoon and evening, with robust
CAPE and wind shear. Height falls will start to spread across
the western Dakotas later this afternoon and evening as a mid
level S/WV lifts northeast into the region. CAMs have been
fluctuating the past several hours, but it appears a more likely
scenario is for convection initializing across southeast
Montana/southwestern North Dakota just ahead of the wave, then
moving/propagating east-northeast into western and central ND
by around and after 22-23z or so, along to just north of a west
to east orientated warm front. Noticed a CU field flaring up in
southeast MT the past hour. The chances for initial discrete
convection over south central and southeastern ND appears
minimal with BUFKIT sounding analysis indicating a rather stout
capping inversion. At the same time, hodographs south central
and southeast along the warm front continue to depict favorable
shear/helicity highly favorable for rotating storms and possible
tornadoes, especially if convection remains discrete and lasts
into the evening when hodographs become even more supportive of
strong low level rotation. But, as mentioned, CAMs support
convective initialization southwest, morphing into a wind threat
if bowing lines form. Will need to monitor closely for storm
mode through the evening as anything sfc based south
central/southeast could become problematic.

Models take storms quickly east out of our area by around 06z
tonight, though another embedded wave may lead to additional
thunderstorm activity west overnight and into Saturday morning.
A few elevated strong to severe storms could be possible with
this activity as MUCAPE is forecast to still range from 1000 to
2000 J/kg with deep layer shear remaining robust up to 60
knots. These storms may continue or re-develop into Sat
afternoon across the north along an instability gradient but are
favored to remain elevated in nature. Large hail would likely
be the main threat with this activity but a few damaging wind
gusts would also be possible. Instability on Saturday is much
stronger further south, but limited forcing and capping should
keep convection from developing there.

Strong southwest flow aloft on Sunday with multiple embedded
S/WVs moving through in flow aloft will maintain a chance for
showers and thunderstorms. Despite cooler conditions and less
CAPE, cannot rule out a marginal risk (via SPC) for a few
strong storms with 0-6km shear ranging from 50-75 kts. Any CAPE
will be decreasing from west to east though, so any robust
storms would have to be within the trailing instability
corridor.

Upper trough over the western CONUS next week will maintain
southwest flow aloft and an active weather pattern. Temperatures
trend cooler Sunday and onwards, with continued chances for
showers and a few thunderstorms each day. Windy conditions also
for Sunday as the initial cold front moves through the general
region.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/...
Issued at 659 PM CDT Fri Jun 20 2025

Scattered to numerous strong to severe thunderstorms are possible
across much of western and central North Dakota this evening,
especially across the southern half of the area. The most intense
storms will be capable of very large hail and wind gusts as high as
60-65 kts. Categorical visibility restrictions can be expected with
any storm. Another batch of thunderstorms could cross northwest
North Dakota early Saturday morning, but these are less likely to be
severe. MVFR/IFR ceilings are forecast to develop across much of
western and north central North Dakota later tonight into Saturday
morning, and patchy fog cannot be ruled out at any location. Outside
of storms, winds will mostly be northerly to easterly around 10
kts.

&&

.BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

UPDATE...TWH
DISCUSSION...NH
AVIATION...Hollan

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 20, 7:18 PM CDT, 2 hours 18 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
718 PM CDT Fri Jun 20 2025

NDZ010>013-017>023-025-031>037-040>048-050-051-220030-
Mountrail-Ward-McHenry-Pierce-McKenzie-Dunn-Mercer-Oliver-McLean-
Sheridan-Wells-Foster-Golden Valley-Billings-Stark-Morton-
Burleigh-Kidder-Stutsman-Slope-Hettinger-Grant-Bowman-Adams-Sioux-
Emmons-Logan-La Moure-McIntosh-Dickey-
718 PM CDT Fri Jun 20 2025 /618 PM MDT Fri Jun 20 2025/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central
North Dakota, northwest North Dakota, south central North Dakota,
southeast North Dakota, and southwest North Dakota.

.DAY ONE...Tonight

Numerous severe thunderstorms are possible this evening and
tonight. Very large hail up to tennis ball size, damaging winds to
80 mph, and a few tornadoes are all possible. A tornado or two
could become strong along the Interstate 94 corridor from around
Bismarck to Jamestown.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday

Isolated severe thunderstorms are also possible on Saturday and
Sunday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters are encouraged to report severe weather to the National
Weather Service at 701-223-4582.

NDZ001>005-009-220030-
Divide-Burke-Renville-Bottineau-Rolette-Williams-
718 PM CDT Fri Jun 20 2025

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central
North Dakota and northwest North Dakota.

.DAY ONE...Tonight

Scattered severe thunderstorms are possible this evening and
tonight. Large hail up to golf ball size and damaging winds to 70
mph are the main expected hazards.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday

Isolated severe thunderstorms are also possible on Saturday and
Sunday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters are encouraged to report severe weather to the National
Weather Service at 701-223-4582.

Hollan

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 20, 9:20 PM CDT, 16 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
920 PM CDT Fri Jun 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0915 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     4 S Mandan              46.77N 100.90W
06/20/2025  M62 MPH          Morton             ND   AWOS

            AWOS station KY19 Mandan.

&&

MEJ

Local storm report, Jun 20, 9:23 PM CDT, 13 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
923 PM CDT Fri Jun 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0917 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     1 SSE Sanger            47.17N 100.99W
06/20/2025  M64 MPH          Oliver             ND   Mesonet

            10 meter measured gust NDAWN Sanger 1S.

&&

MEJ

Local storm report, Jun 20, 9:24 PM CDT, 12 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
924 PM CDT Fri Jun 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0918 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     6 N Bismarck            46.90N 100.79W
06/20/2025  M67 MPH          Burleigh           ND   Mesonet

            Mesonet station CW2059 6 N Bismarck.

&&

MEJ

Local storm report, Jun 20, 9:29 PM CDT, 7 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
929 PM CDT Fri Jun 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0919 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     2 W Lincoln             46.77N 100.75W
06/20/2025  M66 MPH          Burleigh           ND   ASOS

            ASOS station KBIS Bismarck Airport.

&&

MEJ

Local storm report, Jun 20, 9:30 PM CDT, 6 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
930 PM CDT Fri Jun 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0920 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     3 NNE Cannon Ball       46.44N 100.57W
06/20/2025  M67 MPH          Emmons             ND   Mesonet

            10 meter wind gust NDAWN Livona 5S.

&&

MEJ

Local storm report, Jun 20, 9:34 PM CDT, 2 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
934 PM CDT Fri Jun 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0910 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     2 WNW Bismarck          46.82N 100.83W
06/20/2025  M82 MPH          Burleigh           ND   Mesonet

            Measured wind gust from Bismarck I-94 bridge
            NDDOT site.

&&

MEJ

The office that day

Everything else NWS Bismarck, ND issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jun 20, 7:09 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BIS	Adams, Bowman, Hettinger, Slope	66 min
Jun 20, 7:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BIS	Billings, Dunn, Stark	26 min
Jun 20, 7:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BIS	Billings, Dunn, Slope, Stark	60 min
Jun 20, 7:42 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BIS	Stutsman	18 min
Jun 20, 7:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BIS	Stutsman	59 min
Jun 20, 8:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BIS	Adams, Grant, Hettinger, Morton, Sioux, Stark	57 min
Jun 20, 8:04 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BIS	Dunn, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Oliver, Stark	56 min
Jun 20, 8:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	BIS	Stutsman	53 min
Jun 20, 8:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	BIS	Dunn, Mercer, Morton, Stark	32 min
Jun 20, 8:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	BIS	Grant, Morton	25 min
Jun 20, 8:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BIS	LaMoure, Stutsman	40 min
Jun 20, 8:31 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BIS	Stutsman	29 min
Jun 20, 8:38 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BIS	Grant, Morton	27 min
Jun 20, 8:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BIS	LaMoure, Stutsman	35 min
Jun 20, 8:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	BIS	Morton, Oliver	30 min
Jun 20, 8:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	BIS	Grant, Morton, Sioux	27 min
Jun 20, 8:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BIS	Burleigh, McLean, Morton, Oliver	35 min
Jun 20, 8:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	BIS	Burleigh, Emmons, Morton, Oliver	62 min
Jun 20, 9:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BIS	Burleigh, McHenry, McLean, Mercer, Oliver, Sheridan and 1 more	44 min
Jun 20, 9:15 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BIS	LaMoure, Stutsman	30 min
Jun 20, 9:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BIS	Emmons, Sioux	56 min
Jun 20, 9:37 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BIS	Burleigh, Sheridan	23 min
Jun 20, 9:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BIS	LaMoure	35 min
Jun 20, 9:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BIS	Burleigh, McHenry, McLean, Mercer, Oliver, Pierce and 2 more	61 min
Jun 20, 10:00 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BIS	Burleigh, Sheridan	30 min
Jun 20, 10:07 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	BIS	Kidder, Stutsman	38 min
Jun 20, 10:12 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BIS	Dickey, McIntosh	33 min
Jun 20, 10:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	BIS	Foster, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan, Stutsman, Wells	54 min
Jun 20, 10:29 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BIS	Stutsman	31 min
Jun 20, 10:36 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BIS	Sheridan, Wells	24 min
Jun 20, 10:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	Dickey	50 min
Jun 20, 10:42 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	BIS	Foster	18 min
Jun 20, 10:46 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BIS	Wells	29 min
Jun 20, 10:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BIS	Burleigh, Kidder, Sheridan, Wells	57 min
Jun 20, 11:05 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BIS	Burleigh, McLean, Sheridan	5 hr
Jun 20, 11:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	BIS	Foster, Kidder, Stutsman, Wells	65 min
Jun 20, 11:12 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	LaMoure	33 min
Jun 20, 11:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BIS	Kidder, Stutsman	54 min
Jun 21, 12:09 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	BIS	Foster, Kidder, Stutsman, Wells	66 min
Jun 21, 12:25 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	Stutsman	50 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Dakota, 2025 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2025

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.