North Dakota, 1997

Tornadoes and Hail in North Dakota, June 1 to 30, 1997

June 1 to 30, 1997 · NWS BIS · 43 events in 19 counties and zones

23 hail, 12 thunderstorm wind, 6 tornado, 2 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
1
Property damage
$210,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
43

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.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

23 hail, 12 thunderstorm wind, 6 tornado, 2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Grant

When
June 1, 3:30 PM MST
Where
Grant County, 3 S Elgin
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
46.358, -101.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An 11 year old boy was struck by lightning while fishing with his father. He had holes burned into his shirt and was knocked unconscience. The boy also quit breathing, but his father and a friend used CPR to get the boy breathing again. The boy suffered some ear damage.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rolette

When
June 1, 6:30 PM CST
Where
Rolette County, Belcourt
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
48.830, -99.730

Thunderstorm Wind, Rolette

When
June 1, 6:55 PM CST
Where
Rolette County, Rolla
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
48.850, -99.600

Hail, Foster

When
June 2, 5:10 PM CST
Where
Foster County, 4 mi N of Carrington
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
47.500, -99.130

Thunderstorm Wind, Stark

When
June 14, 4:25 PM MST
Where
Stark County, Dickinson
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
46.880, -102.780

Hail, Stark

When
June 14, 4:35 PM MST
Where
Stark County, Dickinson
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
46.880, -102.780

Numerous reports of car windshields being cracked or broken out. Also reports of damage to the siding of houses. Damage amounts estimated.

Hail, Stark

When
June 14, 4:55 PM MST
Where
Stark County, Dickinson
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$20,000
Coordinates
46.880, -102.780

A seperate second storm developed to the west of Dickinson and brought more hail to the town. More houses were damaged as well as more cars. Damage amounts estimated.

Hail, Stark

When
June 14, 5:35 PM MST
Where
Stark County, Gladstone
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
46.870, -102.550

Hail, McLean

When
June 14, 7:08 PM CST
Where
McLean County, Roseglen
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
47.750, -101.830

Hail, Ward

When
June 14, 7:40 PM CST
Where
Ward County, Minot Afb
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
48.430, -101.370

Hail, Morton

When
June 14, 8:39 PM CST
Where
Morton County, Hebron
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
46.900, -102.030

Hail, Bowman

When
June 18, 6:48 PM MST
Where
Bowman County, 4 mi N of Bowman
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
46.230, -103.400

Hail, Slope

When
June 18, 7:00 PM MST
Where
Slope County, 5 mi E of Amidon
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
46.480, -103.220

Hail, Bowman

When
June 18, 8:10 PM MST
Where
Bowman County, 6 mi E of Bowman
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
46.180, -103.270

Hail, Adams

When
June 18, 8:55 PM MST
Where
Adams County, 2 mi W of Hettinger
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
46.000, -102.680

Hail, Adams

When
June 18, 9:10 PM MST
Where
Adams County, 10 mi N of Lemmon
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
46.080, -102.170

Tornado, Bottineau

When
June 19, 11:45 AM CST to 11:55 AM CST
Where
Bottineau County, Bottineau to 2 mi NE of Bottineau
Rating
F0
Path length
1 mi
Path width
15 yd
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
48.850, -100.400

Small tornado touched down briefly. While it was on the ground it tore down a few power poles and some trees. Property damage estimated.

Tornado, Bottineau

When
June 19, 1:40 PM CST
Where
Bottineau County, 4 mi N of Westhope
Rating
F0
Path length
0.4 mi
Path width
10 yd
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
48.970, -101.020

Another weak tornado formed a few hours after the first. This tornado took out some more power lines and damaged a few small grain bins. Property damage amount estimated.

Hail, Rolette

When
June 19, 2:15 PM CST
Where
Rolette County, Dunseith
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
48.820, -100.050

reports of windows broken out of houses. damage amount estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Golden Valley

When
June 22, 8:38 PM CST
Where
Golden Valley County, 8 mi N of Sentinel Butte
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates
47.030, -103.830

Hail, Slope

When
June 22, 8:02 PM MST
Where
Slope County, Amidon
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
46.480, -103.320

also wind gusts to 70 mph

Thunderstorm Wind, Golden Valley

When
June 22, 8:20 PM MST
Where
Golden Valley County, Golva
Measured
56 kt (64 mph)
Coordinates
46.730, -103.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Billings

When
June 22, 8:55 PM MST
Where
Billings County, Fairfield
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates
47.180, -103.220

Hail, Dunn

When
June 22, 8:56 PM MST
Where
Dunn County, 2 mi SW of Manning
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
47.220, -102.800

Hail, Dunn

When
June 22, 9:05 PM MST
Where
Dunn County, Dunn Center
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
47.350, -102.630

Thunderstorm Wind, McLean

When
June 22, 11:50 PM CST
Where
McLean County, 16 mi N of Turtle Lake
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage
$15,000
Coordinates
47.750, -100.900

strong thunderstorm winds destroyed 2 wind breaks at a farm. The winds also rolled a 1000 bushel grain bin across the road and moved a 5000 bushel grain bin off of its foundation.

Lightning, Burke

When
June 23, 2:30 AM CST
Where
Burke County, Lignite
Property damage
$75,000
Coordinates
48.791, -102.518 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning struck a holding tank containing salt water. The resulting fire spread to other tanks before the fire could be brought under control. 4 tanks containing oil, 2 tanks containing salt water, and 2 empty tanks were lost. Damage amount estimated.

Hail, Foster

When
June 27, 4:30 PM CST
Where
Foster County, Juanita
Measured
1.6 in hail
Coordinates
47.500, -98.680

Hail, Foster

When
June 27, 5:25 PM CST
Where
Foster County, Glenfield
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
47.450, -98.570

Hail, La Moure

When
June 28, 6:45 AM CST
Where
La Moure County, 8 mi NW of Lamoure
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
48.920, -97.980

Hail, La Moure

When
June 28, 7:45 AM CST
Where
La Moure County, Verona
Measured
1.25 in hail
Coordinates
46.370, -98.070

Hail, Dickey

When
June 28, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Dickey County, Forbes
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
45.950, -98.780

Tornado, Bottineau

When
June 28, 9:06 PM CST
Where
Bottineau County, 5 mi W of Eckman
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
10 yd
Coordinates
48.670, -101.170

brief tornado touchdown.

Tornado, McHenry

When
June 28, 10:15 PM CST
Where
McHenry County, 5 mi W of Bantry
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
10 yd
Coordinates
48.500, -100.720

report of brief tornado touchdown in pasture

Tornado, McHenry

When
June 28, 10:18 PM CST
Where
McHenry County, Deering
Rating
F0
Path length
4 mi
Path width
20 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
48.400, -101.050

The tornado touched down just ouside of the town. It moved northeast and hit the edge of a farm. A small barn was destroyed by the tornado as it moved through. Damage amout estimated

Tornado, McHenry

When
June 28, 11:10 PM CST
Where
McHenry County, 4 mi E of Towner
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
10 yd
Coordinates
48.350, -100.320

brief tornado touchdown reported by law enforcement

Thunderstorm Wind, Stark

When
June 28, 10:14 PM MST
Where
Stark County, Dickinson
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates
46.880, -102.780

Thunderstorm Wind, Stark

When
June 28, 10:40 PM MST to 10:45 PM MST
Where
Stark County, 10 mi SW of Dickinson
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
46.780, -102.930

The strong winds collapsed a pole barn as well as ripped the roofs off of a few out buildings. Damage amout estimated.

Hail, McHenry

When
June 29, 12:05 AM CST
Where
McHenry County, 2 mi N of Towner
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
48.380, -100.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Morton

When
June 29, 1:20 AM CST
Where
Morton County, Mandan
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Coordinates
46.830, -100.900

Large tree knocked down. wind speed estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Burleigh

When
June 29, 1:30 AM CST
Where
Burleigh County, Bismarck
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
46.800, -100.770

4 inch diameter branches down in northern Bismarck. wind speed estimated.

Hail, Bowman

When
June 30, 1:10 AM MST
Where
Bowman County, Haley Dam
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
45.980, -103.250

The hail left a swath 1/2 mile wide and 1 mile long

Thunderstorm Wind, Adams

When
June 30, 1:55 AM MST
Where
Adams County, Hettinger
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
46.000, -102.630

What these are

Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
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.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Dakota in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for North Dakota, 1997Warnings in North Dakota, June 1997

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: 5597757, 5597755, 5597756, 5597758, 5597860, 5597861, 5597862, 5597863, 5597864, 5597865, 5597870, 5597871, 5597866, 5597867, 5597868, 5597869, 5597872, 5597873, 5597874, 5597875, 5597877, 5597876, 5597878, 5597879, 5597880, 5597881, 5597882, 5597883, 5597884, 5597885, 5597886, 5597887, 5599445, 5599446, 5599447, 5599448, 5599444, 5599449, 5599450, 5599451, and more.