Alert archive / North Dakota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 89, NWS Grand Forks, ND

July 6, 2026Sargent County, North Dakota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 6, 2026, 7:08 PM CDT for Sargent County, North Dakota. It was in force for 44 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jul 6, 2026, 7:08 PM CDT (00:08 UTC)
Expired
Jul 6, 2026, 7:52 PM CDT
In force
44 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
50.0 mph

County Sargent County, ND

The radar

The Aberdeen radar (KABR), 102 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:10 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 6, 1:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Aberdeen, SD (KABR), launched 00:00Z, 0.1 hours before the alert went out and 147 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 2026-07-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2597 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 2026-07-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 5 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
2597 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-70 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1800 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
25 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
5 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
107 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

014 
WUUS53 KFGF 070008
SVRFGF
NDC081-070115-
/O.NEW.KFGF.SV.W.0089.260707T0008Z-260707T0115Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
708 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

The National Weather Service in Grand Forks has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Southeastern Sargent County in southeastern North Dakota...

* Until 815 PM CDT.

* At 708 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Rutland, or
  16 miles northwest of Veblen, moving southeast at 20 mph.

  HAZARD...Quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Damage to vehicles is expected.

* Locations impacted include...
  Rutland and Cayuga.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

&&

LAT...LON 4594 9748 4608 9755 4613 9747 4606 9726
      4600 9726 4599 9723 4594 9723
TIME...MOT...LOC 0008Z 307DEG 17KT 4606 9748 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...<50 MPH

$$

CJ
1 follow-up statement
668 
WWUS53 KFGF 070052
SVSFGF

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
752 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

NDC081-070102-
/O.CAN.KFGF.SV.W.0089.000000T0000Z-260707T0115Z/
Sargent ND-
752 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN SARGENT COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 900 PM CDT for
southeastern North Dakota.

&&

LAT...LON 4594 9748 4608 9755 4613 9747 4606 9726
      4600 9726 4599 9723 4594 9723
TIME...MOT...LOC 0049Z 307DEG 17KT 4593 9724 

$$

Thomas

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 Grand Forks, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 6, 7:08 PM CDT, 0 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Level 2 out of 5 severe risk this afternoon into early evening with a primary risk for large hail along with secondary risk for winds to 70 mph, brief tornadoes, and flash flooding.
  • Level 2 out of 5 severe risk late Tuesday for hail and damaging wind gusts along and south of I-94/HWY 10.
  • There is a level 2 of 4 risk for flash flooding across southeast North Dakota and west central Minnesota Tuesday night into Wednesday.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 6, 7:08 PM CDT, 0 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
708 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Level 2 out of 5 severe risk this afternoon into early evening
  with a primary risk for large hail along with secondary risk
  for winds to 70 mph, brief tornadoes, and flash flooding.

- Level 2 out of 5 severe risk late Tuesday for hail and
  damaging wind gusts along and south of I-94/HWY 10.

- There is a level 2 of 4 risk for flash flooding across
  southeast North Dakota and west central Minnesota Tuesday
  night into Wednesday.

&&

.UPDATE...
Issued at 708 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

Cold front has pushed south and east, with winds shifting to the
northwest at Valley City, Grand Forks, Roseau, and other sites
along the northern and western edge of the severe thunderstorm
watch. Convection has stayed out ahead of the cold front, and
although dew points are still quite moist right behind the
boundary, drier air is slowly moving in. Let the watch go for
our east central ND and northwestern MN counties. As for the
convection, will have to watch the intersection of the cold
front and a few pre-frontal troughs across the southern Red
River Valley and west central MN. There seems to be a transition
to more clustering/linear type threat, although can't rule out a
brief weak tornado in a few spots.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 104 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

...Synopsis...

This week, flow aloft will be generally zonal as upper ridging
in the central CONUS is influenced by at least a couple of
shortwave troughs moving through the crest of the ridge. These
shortwave troughs and attendant surface frontal features will
provide forcing for ascent to drive thunderstorms, including
potential for severe storms capable of all hazards, as well as
flash flooding (more info on these below).

This afternoon's temperatures into the upper 80s and low 90s
coupled with high dew points in the 70s are pushing heat indices
into the 90s, including near 100 in southeast ND and west-
central MN. This combined with mostly sunny skies in some areas,
as well as relatively light winds under 20 mph are pushing wet-
bulb globe temperatures into the low 80s. These factors
introduce potential for minor heat-related impacts this
afternoon, particularly in southeast ND and west-central MN.

Getting into late this week into early next week, ensemble
guidance strong favors anomalously strong upper ridging to
build within the Southwest and Four Corners region, eventually
eastward into the Central and Northern Plains, including our
area. This strongly favors above to well above average
temperatures this weekend into next week.

With early/mid July nearing our climatological peak for hottest
temperatures, this lends confidence toward our area seeing
potential heat-related issues. Despite this increased confidence
several days away, it remains unclear to the magnitude and
exact duration of potential impacts.

The strong upper ridge building into the Northern Plains also
brings increasingly suppressive influence in terms of upper
forcing for ascent/precipitation. However, in these regimes,
mesoscale influences can dominate - thus, confidence in these
details is virtually nill. Should thunderstorms develop within
the strongly heated air mass, it is reasonable to think they
could be strong to severe.

...Severe potential this afternoon/early evening...

A northeast/southwest cold front is working its way eastward
across our area this afternoon into evening, as influenced by a
stout shortwave trough traveling eastward across southern MB
into ON. This cold front will be the focus for initiating
severe storms this afternoon. Ahead of the front is rich
moisture and strong instability.

With flow aloft generally zonal, and weak southerly flow in the
low levels, this presents a generally unidirectionally sheared
regime for storm organization. Bulk shear vectors perpendicular
to the cold front will favor initially discrete modes, with
supercells likely. With supercells as expected initial storm
mode amid strong instability and unidirectional shear, large to
very large hail (potentially 2-3 inches) is brought to the
forefront of hazards. Supercells amid strong instability and
rich moisture also introduces potential for brief tornadoes,
although a lack of stronger low level shear limits expected
upper end strength (not likely to exceed EF-2). Additionally,
ambient vorticity near the cold front also introduces a source
for low level spin should a storm anchor itself on the front. AI-
based guidance like Nadocast and StormNet continue to keep
tornadic potential in the cards as well, increasing confidence
in this continuing to be a potential hazard.

While initial mode is expected to feature supercells, frontal
forcing and marginal anvil-layer storm relative winds will
promote clustering of storms. These clusters then shift hazard
potential away from very large hail to more of a strong
wind/hail threat. Gusty winds to 70 mph can be anticipated,
potentially introducing wind-driven hail.

The transition of initially discrete/semi discrete supercells to
more clusters is anticipated to occur by late afternoon moving
into the early evening hours.

Overall timeframe for severe storms is 3 PM to 11 PM.

Lastly, there is potential for isolated flash flooding with
storms this afternoon into early evening. This is driven by rich
boundary layer and total atmospheric moisture combined with
very high freezing level, strong instability, and potential for
training storms/clusters. Some guidance suggests 2-3 inches per
hour, which would be enough to create minor flash flooding
impacts, especially if this occurs over urban landscape (e.g.
Fargo-Moorhead, Bemidji, Detroit Lakes, etc).

...Severe storm potential late Tuesday...

Today's cold front stalls within SD and central or southern MN
by Tuesday. Another shortwave trough moves eastward through the
zonal flow across the Dakotas, sparking thunderstorms near the
stalled front. This front, and instability near it, is expected
to be close enough to our area to allow for potential strong to
severe storms to spread eastward within southeast ND and west-
central MN. Main hazards with this activity will be hail to the
size of quarters and gusty winds to 60 mph, although should the
front be placed deeper into our area, hail to the size of golf
balls and 70 mph may ensue.

Perhaps more at the forefront of hazards is potential for flash
flooding in these areas. This is driven by strong forcing
combined with very rich moisture overrunning the front, of which
instability will also be present. Rainfall totals of 1-2
inches, perhaps up to 4 inches, is reasonable expectation.
Should this fall on areas that receive high rain today,
excessive rainfall leading to flooding would be increased.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 640 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

A cold front is moving southeast through the region this
evening. A line of showers and storms is filling in along this
cold front and will push through the eastern and southern TAF
sites this evening. Once the cold front passes, winds will shift
from the northwest and remain steady around 8-13kts for a few
hours. In the early morning hours on Tuesday, northerly winds
will become light and we will see some SCT-BKN high clouds. Some
light fog is possible, this has been mentioned at DVL and BJI.
We will remain VFR through most of the day on Tuesday. Rain will
move in from the west in the late afternoon and into the evening
hours.

&&

.FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ND...None.
MN...None.

&&

UPDATE...JR
DISCUSSION...CJ/Lynch
AVIATION...FGF
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 6, 4:28 AM CDT, 14 hours 40 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
428 AM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

NDZ006-007-014-015-024-070930-
Towner-Cavalier-Benson-Ramsey-Eddy-
428 AM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North
Dakota.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not anticipated today.

MNZ001-002-004>009-013>017-022-023-NDZ008-016-026>030-054-070930-
West Polk-Norman-Kittson-Roseau-Lake Of The Woods-West Marshall-
East Marshall-North Beltrami-Pennington-Red Lake-East Polk-
North Clearwater-South Beltrami-Mahnomen-South Clearwater-Pembina-
Eastern Walsh-Nelson-Grand Forks-Griggs-Steele-Traill-
Western Walsh-
428 AM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North
Dakota and northwest Minnesota.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

There is a level 2 out of 5 severe risk this afternoon with a
primary risk for large hail along with secondary risk for strong
winds and a tornado or two.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be required today.

MNZ003-024-027>032-040-NDZ038-039-049-052-053-070930-
Clay-Hubbard-West Becker-East Becker-Wilkin-West Otter Tail-
East Otter Tail-Wadena-Grant-Barnes-Cass-Ransom-Sargent-Richland-
428 AM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North
Dakota, west central and northwest Minnesota.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

There is a level 2 out of 5 severe risk this afternoon with a
primary risk for large hail along with secondary risk for strong
winds and a tornado or two.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday

There is a level 2 out of 5 severe risk Tuesday for large hail
and damaging wind gusts along and south of I-94/HWY 10.

There is a level 2 of 4 risk for flash flooding across southeast
North Dakota and west central Minnesota Tuesday and Wednesday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be required today.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 6, 4:26 PM CDT, 2 hours 42 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
426 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

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

0416 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     8.1 N Graceton          48.86N 94.84W
07/06/2026  M57 MPH          Lake of the Woods  MN   Mesonet

            PWS reports 57 mph gust.

&&
Local storm report, Jul 6, 4:30 PM CDT, 2 hours 38 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
430 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

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

0406 PM     Hail             Mentor                  47.70N 96.14W
07/06/2026  M1.00 Inch       Polk               MN   Broadcast Media

            Time estimated via radar.

&&
Local storm report, Jul 6, 5:49 PM CDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
549 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

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

0349 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     9 NNE Pitt              48.84N 94.70W
07/06/2026  M53 MPH          Lake of the Woods  MN   Public

            PWS reports wind gust.

&&
Local storm report, Jul 6, 5:50 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
550 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

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

0545 PM     Hail             Winger                  47.54N 95.99W
07/06/2026  M0.88 Inch       Polk               MN   Broadcast Media

            Relayed via broadcast media.

&&
Local storm report, Jul 6, 6:18 PM CDT, 50 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
618 PM CDT Mon Jul 6 2026

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

0416 PM     Funnel Cloud     Karlstad                48.58N 96.52W
07/06/2026                   Kittson            MN   Broadcast Media

            Video sent to broadcast media shows funnel
            just south of Karlstad.

&&

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 6, 8:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFRichland81 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Dakota, 2026Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026

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.