North Dakota, 1997

Damaging Winds in North Dakota, September 1 to 16, 1997

September 1 to 16, 1997 · NWS BIS · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

6 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
0
Property damage
$41,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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

6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Stutsman

When
September 1, 12:40 AM CST
Where
Stutsman County, 6 mi N of Courtenay
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
47.300, -98.570

strong winds tore roof off of pig barn. roof was blown 100 feet away. No livestock were injured.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dickey

When
September 1, 1:40 AM CST
Where
Dickey County, 1 mi SE of Fullerton
Measured
72 kt (83 mph)
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
46.150, -98.400

winds tore heavy steel door off of a grain bin. door has yet to be found

Thunderstorm Wind, Slope

When
September 15, 7:12 PM MST to 7:30 PM MST
Where
Slope County, Amidon to 20 mi NW of Amidon
Measured
124 kt (143 mph)
Property damage
$15,000
Coordinates
46.680, -103.620

strong downburst winds developed 20 miles northwest of Amidon on the Logging Creek Ranch where between 300 and 400 Ponderosa Pines were knocked down or tore in half. 4 miles south of the logging camp a rancher had 2 roofs blown off of sheds and his steel wind mill was doubled over in half. A Forest Service wind recorder at the Sand Creek Wildlife refuge 7 NW of Amidon recorded the peak gust at 135 mph. This is the new record non-tornadic wind speed for North Dakota. One the refuge its estimated that another 200-300 pines were stripped, tore in half, or toppled altogether.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dunn

When
September 15, 8:12 PM MST
Where
Dunn County, 18 mi N of Halliday
Measured
90 kt (104 mph)
Property damage
$15,000
Coordinates
47.620, -102.330

strong winds moved into Mahto Bay on Lake Sakakawea. Numerous cabins had roofs torn off. There were also some that had decks damaged from falling tree branches. A few boats were capsized or flipped over from the high winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Burleigh

When
September 15, 11:13 PM CST
Where
Burleigh County, Bismarck Arpt
Measured
57 kt (66 mph)
Coordinates
46.780, -100.750

strong winds recorded with NWS ASOS unit

Thunderstorm Wind, Wells

When
September 16, 12:50 AM CST
Where
Wells County, Fessenden
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Coordinates
47.650, -99.620

numerous large tree branches with isolated trees knocked down.

What these are

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 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, September 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: 5614273, 5614277, 5614276, 5614278, 5614274, 5614275.