North Dakota, 2001

Tornado and Flash Flooding in North Dakota, July 17, 2001

July 17, 2001 · NWS FGF · 52 events in 8 counties and zones

37 hail, 10 thunderstorm wind, 2 funnel cloud, 2 flash flood, 1 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
$197,000
Crop damage
$5.0 million
Events
52

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, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 17, 1:30 PM CST, 1 hour 20 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), 52 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:50 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

37 hail, 10 thunderstorm wind, 2 funnel cloud, 2 flash flood, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Griggs

When
July 17, 2:50 PM CST
Where
Griggs County, 7 mi NE of Cooperstown
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.517, -98.017

Hail, Steele

When
July 17, 3:00 PM CST
Where
Steele County, 6 mi W of Finley
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.517, -97.983

Hail, Griggs

When
July 17, 3:04 PM CST
Where
Griggs County, 4 mi E of Cooperstown
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.450, -98.033

Hail, Steele

When
July 17, 3:05 PM CST
Where
Steele County, 5 mi W of Finley
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.517, -97.950

Hail, Griggs

When
July 17, 3:20 PM CST
Where
Griggs County, 3 mi NE of Cooperstown
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.483, -98.067

Funnel Cloud, Griggs

When
July 17, 3:20 PM CST
Where
Griggs County, 5 mi E of Cooperstown
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.457, -98.237 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Steele

When
July 17, 3:28 PM CST
Where
Steele County, 3 mi S of Finley
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.467, -97.850

Hail, Steele

When
July 17, 3:30 PM CST
Where
Steele County, 3 mi SW of Finley
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.483, -97.900

The hail battered a farmhouse, denting the siding and putting holes in the gutters. Several windows were broken and the shingles were damaged.

Hail, Steele

When
July 17, 3:35 PM CST
Where
Steele County, 5 mi N of Hope
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.383, -97.733

Hail, Steele

When
July 17, 4:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Steele County, 10 mi S of Finley
Measured
4.5 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.367, -97.850

Hail, Steele

When
July 17, 4:00 PM CST to 4:15 PM CST
Where
Steele County, 7 mi SW of Finley
Measured
2 in hail
Property damage
$10,000
Crop damage
$5.0 million
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.450, -97.950

The hail damaged a pickup. County extension agents estimated that 10,000 acres were destroyed along a strip from highway 200 along the Steele/Griggs line to near Blabon.

Funnel Cloud, Traill

When
July 17, 4:07 PM CST
Where
Traill County, 5 mi SW of Portland
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
47.454, -97.162 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Griggs

When
July 17, 4:10 PM CST
Where
Griggs County, 5 mi E of Cooperstown
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.450, -98.017

Hail, Traill

When
July 17, 4:45 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Traill County, Clifford
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.350, -97.417

Hail, Steele

When
July 17, 4:45 PM CST
Where
Steele County, 10 mi S of Finley
Measured
4.5 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.367, -97.850

Hail, Traill

When
July 17, 4:45 PM CST
Where
Traill County, Clifford
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.350, -97.417

Flash Flood, Griggs

When
July 17, 5:00 PM CST
Where
Griggs County, 3 mi E of Cooperstown
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.457, -98.237 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Water was reported over highway 200 with many fields and ditches full.

Flash Flood, Steele

When
July 17, 5:00 PM CST
Where
Steele County, 5 mi S of Finley
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.456, -97.725 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Water was reported over highways 200 and 32 with many fields and ditches also flooded.

Hail, Cass

When
July 17, 5:00 PM CST
Where
Cass County, Lynchburg
Measured
2.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.783, -97.250

Hail, Traill

When
July 17, 5:06 PM CST
Where
Traill County, 6 mi SE of Kelso
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.250, -96.950

Hail, Cass

When
July 17, 5:15 PM CST
Where
Cass County, 3 mi N of Chaffee
Measured
4.5 in hail
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.833, -97.350

The ground was white with hail. The hail killed birds and damaged several vehicles and buildings.

Hail, Cass

When
July 17, 5:20 PM CST
Where
Cass County, 3 mi NE of Chaffee
Measured
3 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.817, -97.300

Hail, Barnes

When
July 17, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Barnes County, 2 mi N of Oriska
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.967, -97.850

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When
July 17, 6:27 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 8 mi W of Walcott
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.550, -97.100

Hail, Richland

When
July 17, 6:27 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 8 mi W of Walcott
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.550, -97.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When
July 17, 6:30 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 12 mi N of Wyndmere
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.433, -97.133

Small trees were blown down.

Hail, Cass

When
July 17, 6:36 PM CST
Where
Cass County, 4 mi E of Kindred
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.650, -96.933

Hail, Ramsey

When
July 17, 6:40 PM CST
Where
Ramsey County, Brocket
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.217, -98.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When
July 17, 6:45 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 13 mi S of Walcott
Measured
78 kt (90 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.367, -96.933

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When
July 17, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Richland County, Walcott
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
46.550, -96.933

Half of the metal roof on the fire station was blown off and deposited a block away. Many trees were uprooted by the strong wind.

Thunderstorm Wind, Ransom

When
July 17, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Ransom County, 1 mi N of Mc Leod
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.417, -97.300

Tree branches were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When
July 17, 7:05 PM CST
Where
Richland County, Mooreton
Measured
56 kt (64 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.267, -96.867

A 65 mph wind gust was measured at the Mooreton Weigh Station.

Tornado, Richland

When
July 17, 7:10 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 8 mi NE of Barney
Rating
F1
Path length
2 mi
Path width
25 yd
Property damage
$100,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.350, -96.883

70 trees were uprooted and twisted in different directions. The awnings of a home and a barn were destroyed by the tornado. Several radio towers were toppled. At a nearby farm, a large grain bin, house, and several other buildings were damaged.

Hail, Richland

When
July 17, 7:10 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 8 mi NE of Barney
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.350, -96.883

Hail, Richland

When
July 17, 7:10 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 6 mi N of Barney
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.350, -97.000

Thunderstorm Wind, Ransom

When
July 17, 7:15 PM CST
Where
Ransom County, 4 mi N of Mc Leod
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.450, -97.300

Tree branches were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When
July 17, 7:20 PM CST
Where
Richland County, Mooreton
Measured
69 kt (79 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.267, -96.867

A 79 mph wind gust was measured at the Mooreton Weigh Station.

Hail, Barnes

When
July 17, 7:38 PM CST
Where
Barnes County, 2 mi S of Fingal
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.733, -97.850

Hail, Richland

When
July 17, 7:45 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 4 mi E of Mooreton
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.267, -96.783

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When
July 17, 7:50 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 9 mi W of Wahpeton
Measured
56 kt (64 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.267, -96.783

Trees were downed by the strong wind.

Hail, Cass

When
July 17, 7:55 PM CST
Where
Cass County, 7 mi SW of Alice
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.700, -97.650

Hail, Cass

When
July 17, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Cass County, 17 mi W of Leonard
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.650, -97.617

Hail, Ransom

When
July 17, 8:15 PM CST
Where
Ransom County, Sheldon
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.583, -97.483

Hail, Ransom

When
July 17, 8:55 PM CST
Where
Ransom County, 5 mi SW of Lisbon
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.383, -97.750

Hail, Richland

When
July 17, 8:55 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 15 mi N of Wyndmere
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.483, -97.133

Hail, Richland

When
July 17, 9:00 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 7 mi N of Walcott
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.650, -96.933

Hail, Ransom

When
July 17, 9:10 PM CST to 9:15 PM CST
Where
Ransom County, 6 mi S of Lisbon
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.350, -97.683

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When
July 17, 9:50 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 9 mi W of Wahpeton
Measured
56 kt (64 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.267, -96.783

Numerous trees were blown down.

Hail, Richland

When
July 17, 9:55 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 3 mi SE of Mooreton
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.233, -96.817

Hail, Richland

When
July 17, 10:00 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 3 mi SW of Mooreton
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.233, -96.917

Hail, Richland

When
July 17, 10:00 PM CST
Where
Richland County, 5 mi E of Mooreton
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.267, -96.767

Hail, Barnes

When
July 17, 11:35 PM CST
Where
Barnes County, 13 mi NE of Valley City
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.050, -97.800

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Funnel Cloud
A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
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.
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.
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 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for North Dakota, 2001Warnings in North Dakota, 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: 5260947, 5260948, 5260949, 5260950, 5260934, 5260935, 5260951, 5260952, 5260953, 5260936, 5261017, 5260937, 5261018, 5260938, 5261019, 5261020, 5260939, 5260940, 5261021, 5261022, 5260941, 5261023, 5261024, 5261025, 5261026, 5260942, 5261027, 5261028, 5261029, 5260943, 5261030, 5261033, 5260944, 5260945, 5261034, 5261031, 5261035, 5261036, 5261037, 5260946, and more.