Flash Flooding and Hail in North Dakota, August 27 to 28, 2002

Name: Flash Flooding and Hail in North Dakota, August 27 to 28, 2002
Start: 2002-08-27T16:15
End: 2002-08-28T05:30
Location: North Dakota

August 27 to 28, 2002 · NWS FGF · 30 events in 4 counties and zones

26 hail, 3 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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: $55,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 30

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 Aug 27, 2:20 PM CST, 1 hour 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 27, 2:20 PM CST, 1 hour 55 minutes before

FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
320 PM CDT TUE AUG 27 2002

UPDATED...COORD WITH SPC AND THINKING IS SVR WATCH BOX WILL BE
NEEDED AT LEAST NRN 1/2 CWFA (NE ND AND NW MN) SOON.  MANY
BOUNDARIES FLOATING AROUND AT 20Z...MAIN ONES FROM NORTH OF LANGDON
TO SOUTH OF HALLOCK TO TVF.  GETTING SOME TSRA AND TCU FIRE ALONG
THIS BOUNDARY AND ONCE THEY BECOME SFC BASED WATCH OUT. WILL ADD CHC
SVR TO MOST ZONES THIS EVE.
------------------------------------------------------------------

PERSISTANCE HAS BEATEN MODELS THE PAST FEW DAYS AND SEE LITTLE NEED
TO CHANGE ONGOING FCST THROUGH LABOR DAY.

DEW PTS ONCE AGAIN IN THE 65-70 RANGE OVER ERN ND AND NW MN...WITH
SOME LOWER DEW PTS FOUND IN FAR ERN ZONES AROUND EDGE OF LARGE
CANADIAN HIGH NORTH OF LAKE SUPERIOR.  VSBL PIX AND SFC OBS SHOWS
NUMEROUS WEAK BOUNDARIES.  MORE PROMINENT BOUNDARIES EXTEND JUST
EAST OF A MOT-DIK LINE (NW WIND BEHIND TO SE WIND AHEAD) AND FROM
NEAR FARGO TO SISSESTON TO JUST EAST OF WATERTOWN (EAST WINDS AHD
AND SOUTH WIND BEHIND).  CU FIELDS SHOW LOTS OF CONVECTIVE ROLLS AS
WELL.  GOOD HEATING TAKING PLACE...THOUGH NOT AS GREAT AS MONDAY.
MSAS SHOWS LI TO -6 AND EXPECT THIS TO LOWER AS HEATING
CONTINUES...ONCE AGAIN MAKING IT MORE UNSTABLE THAN ANY MODEL PROG.

THE END RESULT SHOULD BE MORE SCT TSRA FIRING MID AFTERNOON INTO THE
EVENING WITH SCT SVR CELLS.  BASED ON LATE MORNING CONVECTION VILS
OF 55-60 WOULD GIVE DIME HAIL.

.LONGER TERM...
NO CHANGE THRU FRIDAY.  CURRENT WK UPR LOW WILL MOVE INTO MANITOBA
AND WASH OUT...AS NEW UPR LOW REMAINS OVER INTERMOUNTAIN REGION.
AREA TO REMAIN IN SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WITH MOIST 60 DEW PTS
REMAINING.  DESPITE SOME RISING 50H HEIGHTS...SFC HEATING SHOULD
PRODUCE ENOUGH INSTABILITY FOR SCT TSRA IN THE AFTN/EVE EACH PERIOD.
KEPT TEMPS ABOUT THE SAME EACH PERIOD...AROUND 80 TO MID 80S EACH
DAY.

.EXTENDED...
MORE ORGANIZED THREAT MAY COME OVER THE WEEKEND INTO LABOR DAY AS
NEXT STRONGER SHORT WAVE AND COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH.

.FGF...NONE

RIDDLE

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 27, 10:59 AM CST, 5 hours 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
1159 AM CDT TUE AUG 27 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0400 PM    HUOT                      MN   TORNADO
08/26/02   RED LAKE                       REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0500 PM    4 W BROOKS                MN   TORNADO
08/26/02   RED LAKE                       REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0620 PM    3 NE DEVILS LAKE          ND   .75 INCH HAIL
08/26/02   RAMSEY

DPORTER

Local storm report, Aug 27, 11:00 AM CST, 5 hours 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
1200 PM CDT TUE AUG 27 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0400 PM    HUOT                      MN   TORNADO
08/26/02   RED LAKE                       REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0500 PM    4 W BROOKS                MN   TORNADO
08/26/02   RED LAKE                       REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0620 PM    3 NE DEVILS LAKE          ND   .75 INCH HAIL
08/26/02   RAMSEY

DK

Local storm report, Aug 27, 2:04 PM CST, 2 hours 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
304 PM CDT TUE AUG 27 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0520 PM    5 N MCINTOSH              MN   TORNADO
08/26/02   POLK                           REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0630 PM    FLOM                      MN   2.50 INCH HAIL
08/26/02   NORMAN                         REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0720 PM    1 N OGEMA                 MN   .75 INCH HAIL
08/26/02   BECKER                         REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0720 PM    1 W WAUBUN                MN   .75 INCH HAIL
08/26/02   MAHNOMEN                       REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0220 AM    4 W LEEDS                 ND   WIND DAMAGE
08/27/02   BENSON                         CROP DAMAGE. REPORTED BY
                                          PUBLIC.

DPORTER

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 170 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:15 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

26 hail, 3 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Cavalier

When: August 27, 4:15 PM CST to 4:25 PM CST
Where: Cavalier County, 7 mi SE of Maida
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.933, -98.233

The ground was white with hail.

Hail, Pembina

When: August 27, 4:57 PM CST to 5:02 PM CST
Where: Pembina County, 1 mi NW of Walhalla
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.933, -97.917

Hail, Cavalier

When: August 27, 5:05 PM CST
Where: Cavalier County, 6 mi E of Vang
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.900, -97.983

The ground was white with hail.

Hail, Pembina

When: August 27, 5:15 PM CST
Where: Pembina County, 2 mi SE of Walhalla
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.900, -97.867

The ground was white with hail.

Hail, Pembina

When: August 27, 5:34 PM CST
Where: Pembina County, 6 mi NW of Cavalier
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.867, -97.717

Hail, Pembina

When: August 27, 5:48 PM CST
Where: Pembina County, 3 mi W of Cavalier
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.800, -97.683

Hail, Cavalier

When: August 27, 5:55 PM CST
Where: Cavalier County, 10 mi E of Langdon
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.750, -98.150

Hail, Pembina

When: August 27, 6:55 PM CST
Where: Pembina County, 3 mi SW of Glasston
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.667, -97.500

Hail, Walsh

When: August 27, 7:05 PM CST
Where: Walsh County, 3 mi NE of Fairdale
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.517, -98.183

Hail, Walsh

When: August 27, 7:15 PM CST
Where: Walsh County, 3 mi NE of Edinburg
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.533, -97.800

Hail, Pembina

When: August 27, 7:24 PM CST
Where: Pembina County, 4 mi S of St Thomas
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.567, -97.450

Hail, Towner

When: August 27, 7:30 PM CST
Where: Towner County, 2 mi E of Hansboro
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.950, -99.317

Hail, Pembina

When: August 27, 7:30 PM CST
Where: Pembina County, 4 mi W of Crystal
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.600, -97.750

Hail, Pembina

When: August 27, 7:50 PM CST
Where: Pembina County, 4 mi SW of St Thomas
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.583, -97.517

Hail, Walsh

When: August 27, 7:55 PM CST
Where: Walsh County, 2 mi NW of Auburn
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.533, -97.467

Hail, Towner

When: August 27, 8:15 PM CST
Where: Towner County, 12 mi NE of Rocklake
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.900, -99.050

Hail covered the ground.

Hail, Cavalier

When: August 27, 8:30 PM CST
Where: Cavalier County, 3 mi SW of Calvin
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.817, -98.967

Hail, Walsh

When: August 27, 8:40 PM CST
Where: Walsh County, 3 mi W of Fairdale
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.483, -98.300

Hail, Walsh

When: August 27, 8:45 PM CST
Where: Walsh County, Fairdale
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.483, -98.233

Hail, Cavalier

When: August 27, 8:55 PM CST
Where: Cavalier County, 11 mi SW of Wales
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.783, -98.750

Hail, Walsh

When: August 27, 9:05 PM CST
Where: Walsh County, 3 mi NW of Adams
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.450, -98.117

Hail, Walsh

When: August 27, 9:10 PM CST
Where: Walsh County, 5 mi E of Fairdale
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.483, -98.117

Hail, Walsh

When: August 27, 9:25 PM CST
Where: Walsh County, 3 mi NE of Adams
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.450, -98.017

The ground was white with hail.

Hail, Walsh

When: August 27, 9:30 PM CST
Where: Walsh County, 9 mi E of Adams
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.417, -97.867

Hail, Towner

When: August 27, 9:55 PM CST
Where: Towner County, 3 mi NW of Egeland
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.667, -99.150

Flash Flood, Walsh

When: August 27, 10:00 PM CST to August 28, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Walsh County, Park River
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.370, -97.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Major street flooding was reported around Park River as up to a foot of rain fell in a short period of time from training thunderstorms. Roughly 3/4 of the homes in the town of 1,535 reported damage. Eight homes had severe structural damage and 10 homes had sewer backup. The city law enforcement building also took on a little water. The American Red Cross spent $16,000 helping some residents buy new water heaters and furnaces.

Flash Flood, Walsh

When: August 27, 10:00 PM CST to August 28, 4:00 AM CST
Where: Walsh County, 2 mi N of Pisek
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 48.370, -97.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Farm fields flooded and backed up into farm buildings.

Hail, Walsh

When: August 27, 10:08 PM CST
Where: Walsh County, 5 mi NE of Park River
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.450, -97.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Walsh

When: August 27, 10:23 PM CST
Where: Walsh County, Park River
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.400, -97.733

Power lines were blown down.

Flash Flood, Walsh

When: August 27, 11:30 PM CST to August 28, 5:30 AM CST
Where: Walsh County, 3 mi W of Park River
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 48.370, -97.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Highways 32 and 17 were under water and closed. The county emergency manager estimated that 36 total road sites were damaged at a cost of $50,000.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Dakota in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in North Dakota, August 2002

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: 5317650, 5317651, 5317699, 5317700, 5317701, 5317702, 5317703, 5317704, 5317705, 5317706, 5317707, 5317708, 5317709, 5317794, 5317795, 5317796, 5317710, 5317711, 5317712, 5317713, 5317714, 5317715, 5317716, 5317717, 5317718, 5317790, 5317797, 5317791, 5317792, 5317793.