Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Minnesota, July 17, 2001

Name: Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Minnesota, July 17, 2001
Start: 2001-07-17T14:00
End: 2001-07-17T21:05
Location: Minnesota

July 17, 2001 · NWS FGF · 49 events in 8 counties and zones

37 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 5 tornado, 2 flash flood, 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: 0
Property damage: $5,000
Crop damage: $5,000
Events: 49

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.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Jul 17, 1:30 PM CST, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 17, 1:30 PM CST, 30 minutes before

FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
230 PM CDT TUE JUL 17 2001

.OVERVIEW...
LATEST SFC MAP....MODELS DIFFER IN FIRST 24 HOURS...AND ARE SIMILAR
THEREAFTER. AVN TARGEST THE NORTHERN 1/3 OF FA OVERNIGHT FOR
CONVECTION...WITH ETA HITTING THE SOUTH THE HARDEST. I AM LEANING
TOWARDS THE ETA WITH A WARMFRONT SETTING UP ACROSS THE SOUTH...SO
WILL UTILIZE THIS PACKAGE.

.SHORT TERM...
PLENTY OF MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY CONTINUES OVER THE FA...WITH
CONVECTIVE AVAILABLE POTENTIAL ENERGY (CAPE) TO 4500 J/KG IN
SOUTH...TO AROUND 1500 IN NORTH WITH PRECIPITABLE WATERS TO AROUND
1.50-1.75 INCHES. PLENTY OF BOUNDARIES FROM RECENT CONVECTION...AND
DEVELOPING WARMFRONT IN SOUTH SHOULD PROVIDE FOCUS FOR DEEP MOIST
CONVECTION OVERNIGHT. 500 MB FLOW AROUND 40KT...WITH STRENGTHENING
850 MB LOW LEVEL JET OF AROUND 30KT IN SOUTH UNTIL 06Z. THIS SHOULD
LEAD TO THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT ACROSS MOST OF AREA.
ANY STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL/DOWNBURST...WITH
ISOLATED TORNADOES NOT OUT OF QUESTIONS NORTH OF FRONT IN
SOUTH...WHERE ENERGY HELICITY INDEX/S OF AROUND 3. THIS IS HIGHLY
DEPENDENT ON DEVELOPING BOUNDARY...AND WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED
CLOSELY. NEXT CONCERN IS FLASH FLOODING...WITH POTENTIAL FOR
TRAINING ECHOES WITH FRONT BECOMING PARALLEL TO FRONT IN SOUTHERN
1/3 OF FA. WITH FFG GUIDANCE 1 HOUR VALUES OF 3 INCHES OR MORE IN
SOUTH...AND AREAL COVERAGE STILL IN QUESTION...WILL HOLD ON FFA FOR
NOW. EVENING CREW WILL HAVE TO MONITOR CONVECTIVE TRENDS IN
CONJUNCTION WITH BOUNDARY THOUGH. EXPECT FOG FORMATION AGAIN AFTER
MIDNIGHT...WITH WEAK SFC FLOW...AND TEMPS SIMILAR TO LAST NIGHT.

.LONG TERM...
SFC LOW LIFTS TO NEAR ABR AROUND 00Z THU...COUPLED WITH POTENT MID
LEVEL SHORTWAVE. CAPE NEAR 4500 IN SOUTHEAST ND AND SUFFICIENT
LIFT NEAR LOW SHOULD AGAIN PROVIDE FOCUS FOR AFTERNOON
CONVECTION...WITH BEST CHANCE IN SOUTH. WITH BOUNDARIES STILL
PRESENT AND AMPLE INSTABILITY ELSEWHERE...WILL CONTINUE SCATTERED
POP MENTION. TEMPS TO BE SIMILAR TO TODAY/S READINGS...AND BE IN
LOWER 90S SOUTH TO 85 NORTH. MCS IS POSSIBLE BY EVENING AS IT MOVES
INTO WEST CENTRAL MN ON HEELS OF 35KT LOW LEVEL JET...WITH FLASH
FLOODING ONCE AGAIN A POSSIBILITY. MORE STABLE AIR FILTER/S IN FOR
THU...ALONG WITH A WEAK SFC HIGH AND MINIMAL CAPE. SO WILL KEEP THU
DRY FOR NOW...WITH TEMPS SLIGHTLY COOLER WITH COOLING AT 850MB.

.EXTENDED...
LATEST MODEL TRENDS SHOW LITTLE OVERALL CHANGE IN THE MEAN 50H
PATTERN INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS DISTURBANCES RIDE NORTHEAST INTO THE
NRN PLAINS AROUND THE OKLAHOMA 50H HIGH.  RETURN FLOW WILL SET UP
FRIDAY AND AHEAD OF NEXT SYSTEM PROGGED FOR SATURDAY INTO EARLY
SUNDAY.  NOTICED 12Z AVN IS NOT NEARLY AS PROGRESSIVE WITH 50H
SYSTEM IN CANADA SAT-SUN TIME PERIOD AS WAS THE 00Z MRF.  THUS WILL
LIKELY NOT SEE THE COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS FROM CANADA EARLY NEXT
AS ADVERTISED A FEW DAYS AGO.  THIS TYPE OF PATTERN HARD TO BREAK.

.FGF...NONE.

KELLENBENZ/RIDDLE

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 223 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:59 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

37 hail, 5 thunderstorm wind, 5 tornado, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Beltrami

When: July 17, 2:00 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, Thorhult
Crop damage: $5,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.833, -95.050

Wind damage to crops and trees was reported.

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 2:37 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 10 mi N of Bemidji
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.650, -94.667

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 2:50 PM CST to 2:54 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 9 mi N of Bemidji
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 47.633, -94.900

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 3:00 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 7 mi N of Bemidji
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.617, -94.900

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 3:05 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 10 mi N of Bemidji
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 47.583, -94.900

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 3:25 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 3 mi N of Bemidji
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.633, -94.900

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 3:30 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 10 mi NW of Fourtown
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.817, -95.567

Hail, Roseau

When: July 17, 3:35 PM CST
Where: Roseau County, 3 mi S of Salol
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.500, -94.933

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 3:35 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 2 mi NW of Bemidji
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.550, -95.600

Hail, Roseau

When: July 17, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Roseau County, Skime
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.933, -94.533

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 3:53 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 4 mi W of Kelliher
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.483, -94.583

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 3:59 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 15 mi E of Bemidji
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.483, -94.900

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 4:21 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, Bemidji
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.750, -94.817

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, Ponemah
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.233, -95.250

Hail, Lake of the Woods

When: July 17, 4:50 PM CST
Where: Lake of the Woods County, Graceton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.367, -96.067

Hail, Marshall

When: July 17, 5:15 PM CST
Where: Marshall County, 6 mi SE of Middle River
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.867, -94.967

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 5:21 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, Bemidji
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.017, -94.933

Tornado, Beltrami

When: July 17, 5:24 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 3 mi W of Redby
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.983, -94.683

A brief touchdown was reported by the public.

Tornado, Beltrami

When: July 17, 5:24 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, Saum
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 47.567, -94.900

An amateur radio operator reported a brief tornado touchdown.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lake of the Woods

When: July 17, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Lake of the Woods County, Carp
Property damage: $4,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.483, -94.900

A 10 to 12 foot wide path of downed trees was reported.

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 5:31 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 6 mi N of Bemidji
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.533, -94.900

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 5:36 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 4 mi N of Bemidji
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.483, -94.900

The hail fell on the north shore of Lake Bemidji.

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 5:38 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, Bemidji
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.567, -94.900

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 5:43 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 6 mi N of Bemidji
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.617, -94.900

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 5:50 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 9 mi N of Bemidji
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.550, -94.767

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 5:52 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 2 mi S of Turtle River
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.750, -94.483

Tornado, Beltrami

When: July 17, 5:56 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 3 mi SW of Funkley
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.833, -94.517

A brief touchdown was reported.

Tornado, Beltrami

When: July 17, 5:58 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 5 mi NW of Funkley
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.483, -94.750

A brief touchdown was reported.

Hail, Wadena

When: July 17, 5:58 PM CST
Where: Wadena County, 6 mi S of Huntersville
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.500, -94.650

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 7 mi E of Bemidji
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.783, -94.433

Tornado, Beltrami

When: July 17, 6:00 PM CST to 6:05 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, Funkley
Rating: F0
Path length: 1 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.583, -94.900

A brief touchdown was reported.

Flash Flood, Beltrami

When: July 17, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, Thorhult
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 46.683, -94.883

The heavy rain flooded several roads.

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 6:10 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 7 mi N of Bemidji
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.683, -94.633

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 6:15 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 3 mi N of Hines
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.974, -94.938 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 6:28 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, Hines
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.650, -94.683

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 6:31 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, Tenstrike
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 46.583, -94.800

Hail, Wadena

When: July 17, 6:44 PM CST
Where: Wadena County, Oylen
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.483, -94.600

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 6:45 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 14 mi E of Bemidji
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.017, -94.933

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 6:47 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, Ponemah
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.800, -95.100

Hail, Roseau

When: July 17, 6:51 PM CST
Where: Roseau County, Roosevelt
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.017, -94.917

Hail, Lake of the Woods

When: July 17, 6:55 PM CST
Where: Lake of the Woods County, 6 mi NW of Williams
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.383, -95.483

Flash Flood, Lake of the Woods

When: July 17, 7:00 PM CST
Where: Lake of the Woods County, Carp
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.733, -94.633

Widespread flooding of roads and ditches was reported in the Carp area.

Hail, Beltrami

When: July 17, 7:30 PM CST
Where: Beltrami County, 1 mi E of Tenstrike
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.974, -94.938 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Hubbard

When: July 17, 7:38 PM CST
Where: Hubbard County, 10 mi NE of Park Rapids
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 46.483, -96.333

Thunderstorm Wind, Wilkin

When: July 17, 7:45 PM CST
Where: Wilkin County, 2 mi W of Rothsay
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.017, -94.917

Several large branches were blown down.

Hail, Hubbard

When: July 17, 7:46 PM CST
Where: Hubbard County, 10 mi NE of Park Rapids
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 46.500, -96.283

Thunderstorm Wind, Wilkin

When: July 17, 7:54 PM CST
Where: Wilkin County, 1 mi N of Rothsay
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph)
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 46.283, -96.067

Thunderstorm Wind, Otter Tail

When: July 17, 8:03 PM CST
Where: Otter Tail County, Fergus Falls
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 46.167, -95.317

Hail, Otter Tail

When: July 17, 9:05 PM CST
Where: Otter Tail County, Parkers Prairie
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 47.533, -94.900

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.
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.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Minnesota in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Minnesota, 2001 Warnings in Minnesota, July 2001

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: 5259017, 5259026, 5259027, 5259028, 5259029, 5259030, 5258738, 5258739, 5258740, 5258741, 5258742, 5258743, 5258744, 5259018, 5258745, 5258746, 5259019, 5258747, 5258748, 5259020, 5258749, 5258750, 5258751, 5258752, 5258753, 5258754, 5258755, 5258756, 5259021, 5258757, 5258758, 5259022, 5258759, 5259023, 5258760, 5258761, 5258762, 5258763, 5258764, 5258765, and more.