North Dakota, 1994

Tornadoes and Hail in North Dakota, August 18, 1994

August 18, 1994 · 27 events in 7 counties and zones

15 hail, 7 thunderstorm wind, 5 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 23 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
3
Property damage
$1.5 million
Crop damage
$80,000
Events
27

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

15 hail, 7 thunderstorm wind, 5 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Cavalier

When
August 18, 3:10 PM CST
Where
Cavalier County, Langdon
Measured
2.75 in hail
Property damage
$20,000
Coordinates
48.772, -98.465 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Foster

When
August 18, 4:40 PM CST
Where
Foster County, Carrington
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
47.457, -98.883 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A severe hailstorm that lasted nearly twenty minutes damaged buildings, homes, and vehicles. The large hail put holes in roofs and broke windows. Fifty percent of the homes in Carrington were damaged. Three golfers were caught in the storm, their injuries ranged from cuts and bruises to a broken hand.

Hail, Foster

When
August 18, 4:48 PM CST
Where
Foster County, Carrington
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
47.457, -98.883 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A severe hailstorm that lasted nearly twenty minutes damaged buildings, homes, and vehicles. The large hail put holes in roofs and broke windows. Fifty percent of the homes in Carrington were damaged. Three golfers were caught in the storm, their injuries ranged from cuts and bruises to a broken hand.

Hail, Foster

When
August 18, 4:50 PM CST
Where
Foster County, Carrington
Measured
2.5 in hail
Coordinates
47.457, -98.883 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A severe hailstorm that lasted nearly twenty minutes damaged buildings, homes, and vehicles. The large hail put holes in roofs and broke windows. Fifty percent of the homes in Carrington were damaged. Three golfers were caught in the storm, their injuries ranged from cuts and bruises to a broken hand.

Hail, Foster

When
August 18, 4:51 PM CST
Where
Foster County, Carrington
Measured
2 in hail
Coordinates
47.457, -98.883 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A severe hailstorm that lasted nearly twenty minutes damaged buildings, homes, and vehicles. The large hail put holes in roofs and broke windows. Fifty percent of the homes in Carrington were damaged. Three golfers were caught in the storm, their injuries ranged from cuts and bruises to a broken hand.

Hail, Cavalier

When
August 18, 4:55 PM CST
Where
Cavalier County, Ne of Langdon
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
48.772, -98.465 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Foster

When
August 18, 5:00 PM CST
Where
Foster County, Carrington
Measured
2.75 in hail
Injuries
2 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$25,000
Crop damage
$30,000
Coordinates
47.457, -98.883 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A severe hailstorm that lasted nearly twenty minutes damaged buildings, homes, and vehicles. The large hail put holes in roofs and broke windows. Fifty percent of the homes in Carrington were damaged. Three golfers were caught in the storm, their injuries ranged from cuts and bruises to a broken hand.

Hail, Cavalier

When
August 18, 5:10 PM CST
Where
Cavalier County, Ne Langdon
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
48.772, -98.465 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Foster

When
August 18, 5:16 PM CST
Where
Foster County, Carrington
Rating
F1
Path length
2 mi
Path width
40 yd
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
$10,000
Coordinates
47.380, -99.050

The path was estimated.

Tornado, Foster

When
August 18, 5:25 PM CST
Where
Foster County, Carrington
Rating
F1
Path length
2 mi
Path width
40 yd
Coordinates
47.380, -99.030

The path was estimated.

Hail, Pembina

When
August 18, 5:30 PM CST
Where
Pembina County, Pembina
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
48.768, -97.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Cavalier

When
August 18, 5:50 PM CST
Where
Cavalier County, Maida
Measured
1.75 in hail
Crop damage
$10,000
Coordinates
48.772, -98.465 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Pembina

When
August 18, 5:50 PM CST
Where
Pembina County, Walhalla
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Crop damage
$20,000
Coordinates
48.768, -97.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Stutsman

When
August 18, 5:51 PM CST
Where
Stutsman County, Buchanan
Rating
F1
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
10 yd
Coordinates
47.030, -98.830

The path was estimated.

Tornado, Stutsman

When
August 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Stutsman County, Near Buchanan
Rating
F1
Path length
2 mi
Path width
40 yd
Property damage
$50,000
Coordinates
46.979, -98.959 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The path was estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pembina

When
August 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Pembina County, Cavalier
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage
$40,000
Coordinates
48.768, -97.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Barnes

When
August 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Barnes County, Wimbledon
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
46.936, -98.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Walsh

When
August 18, 6:30 PM CST
Where
Walsh County, Grafton
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage
$1.3 million
Crop damage
$10,000
Coordinates
48.370, -97.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong winds caused widespread damage. Uprooted trees fell on and damaged cars. A hangar at the airport was destroyed damaging four airplanes. Other damage occurred to a 70 ft. trailer and to many homes.

Hail, Barnes

When
August 18, 6:45 PM CST
Where
Barnes County, W of Valley City
Measured
2.75 in hail
Coordinates
46.936, -98.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Barnes

When
August 18, 8:01 PM CST
Where
Barnes County, Fingal
Property damage
$20,000
Coordinates
46.936, -98.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Grand Forks

When
August 18, 8:20 PM CST
Where
Grand Forks County, Petersburg
Measured
1.5 in hail
Coordinates
47.922, -97.457 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Grand Forks

When
August 18, 8:45 PM CST
Where
Grand Forks County, Arvilla
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
47.922, -97.457 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Grand Forks

When
August 18, 8:45 PM CST
Where
Grand Forks County, Emerado
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$30,000
Coordinates
47.922, -97.457 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Grand Forks

When
August 18, 8:45 PM CST
Where
Grand Forks County, Grand Forks Afb
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates
47.922, -97.457 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Grand Forks

When
August 18, 8:45 PM CST
Where
Grand Forks County, Near Larimore
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
47.922, -97.457 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Barnes

When
August 18, 8:45 PM CST
Where
Barnes County, Fingal
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
10 yd
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
46.770, -97.850

Hail, Grand Forks

When
August 18, 9:05 PM CST
Where
Grand Forks County, Grand Forks
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
47.922, -97.457 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Dakota in 1994Every state in 1994This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for North Dakota, 1994Warnings in North Dakota, August 1994

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10337648, 10337760, 10337761, 10337762, 10337763, 10337649, 10337764, 10337650, 10337765, 10337766, 10337785, 10337651, 10337786, 10337091, 10337092, 10337787, 10337900, 10337107, 10337979, 10337980, 10337811, 10337812, 10337813, 10337814, 10337815, 10337981, 10337816.