North Dakota, 2002

Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in North Dakota, July 31, 2002

July 31, 2002 · NWS FGF · 29 events in 10 counties and zones

18 hail, 6 thunderstorm wind, 3 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
$3,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
29

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 31, 1:10 PM CST, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 31, 1:10 PM CST, 3 hours 35 minutes before
FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
210 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2002

MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE IS CONVECTIVE THREAT WITH COLD FRONTAL
PASSAGE TONIGHT AND THEN WINDY/CCOLER CONDITIONS IN ITS WAKE. MODELS
IN FAIR AGREEMENT BUT AVN WAS TOO HIGH WITH SFC DEW POINTS WHILE ETA
OVERDONE WITH CURRENT QPF. SO CONTINUED TO FOLLOW A BLEND BETWEEN
ETA AND AVN FOR GRIDS.

19Z SFC MAP SHOWS SEVERAL DISTINCT AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE WITH
MULTIPLE BOUNDARIES IN PLACE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. MAIN SFC
LOW REMAINS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL SD WITH WARM FRONT EXTENDING
NORTHEAST INTO CENTRAL MN. WEAK LOW IN SRN MANITOBA WITH PREFRONTAL
TROUGH LINE BACK TOWARD ANOTHER WEAK LOW IN ERN MT. ALREADY HAS BEEN
SOME CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THIS BOUNDARY THIS AFTERNOON
SHOWING UP ON RADAR/SATELLITE IMAGERY. SOUTHERN PORTION OF FA
REMAINS CAPPED LIMITING CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE WARM FRONT
SO FAR TODAY. NORTHERN FA NOT CAPPED AND HAVE FINALLY SEEN SOME
MOISTURE RETURN/SFC HEATING. MSAS SHOWING THIS AREA QUITE
UNSTABLE WITH COMPUTED SFC LIS NEAR -9. STILL WAITING TO SEE HOW
MUCH CONVERGENCE THIS BOUNDARY WILL PROVIDE AS MOST STATIONS SHOWING
WEAK SFC WIND FLOW. COLD FRONT TIMING STILL ON TAP FOR 06Z IN THE
VALLEY AND THIS WILL PROVIDE AMPLE LIFT. SO WILL KEEP A SCT THUNDER
MENTION IN ND ZONES THRU THE EVENING AND THRU MIDNIGHT ON THE MN
SIDE. WIDE AREA OF CLOUDS AND SHOWERS CURRENTLY BEHIND THE COLD
FRONT SO WILL KEEP SHOWER MENTION IN FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT IN THE
WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT. STRONG 850 MB COLD ADVECTION BEHIND THE
FRONT AS WELL WITH 40+ KNOTS...SO WILL UP WINDS A BIT TONIGHT INTO
EARLY THU.

WILL HANG ONTO A FEW SHOWERS OVER EASTERN MN COUNTIES EARLY THU AS
WELL WITH BOTH ETA AND AVN THEN SHOWING A GOOD DRY PUNCH WORKING IN.
LONG ADVERTISED COOL DOWN ON TAP FOR REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. 12Z AVN
KEEPS FRI NIGHT DRY NOW BUT ETA EXTENSION STILL KEEPS SOME WARM
FRONTAL PCPN. CANADIAN ALSO HAS SOME PCPN FRI NIGHT-SAT...SO WILL
KEEP CHANCE OF THUNDER FOR NOW.

.EXTENDED...
SEVERAL SHORT WAVES WILL AFFECT THE NRN PLAINS IN THE SUNDAY THROUGH
WEDNESDAY TIME FRAME...WITH TIMING AND ANY PCPN CHANCES THE
CHALLENGE.  12Z AVN/00Z MRF HAD SOME CONSISTENCY WITH 00Z CANADIAN
SO GENERALLY DID NOT DEVIATE FROM MODEL SOLNS. ONE SYSTEM MOVING
THRU THE NRN PLAINS MONDAY WITH THE NEXT ONE MOVING THRU LATE
WEDNESDAY. CARRIED CHC TSRA LATE SUNDAY NIGHT IN WARM ADVECTION THEN
CONTINUED CHC POPS THRU MON NIGHT AND AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY.  TEMPS
WILL BE NEAR OR TAD BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS AS REAL HOT AIR STAYS
SOUTH OF AREA.

.FGF...NONE.

GODON/RIDDLE

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 31, 1:22 PM CST, 3 hours 23 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
222 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2002

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

0600 AM    5 W TENNEY                MN   WIND DAMAGE
07/31/02   WILKIN                         3 INCH BRANCHES DOWN
Local storm report, Jul 31, 1:22 PM CST, 3 hours 23 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
222 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2002

CORRECTED FOR TIME

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

0545 AM    5 W TENNEY                MN   WIND DAMAGE
07/31/02   WILKIN                         3 INCH BRANCHES DOWN

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

18 hail, 6 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Benson

When
July 31, 4:45 PM CST
Where
Benson County, York
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.317, -99.567

Tornado, Benson

When
July 31, 5:00 PM CST
Where
Benson County, 3 mi S of Leeds
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
25 yd
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.233, -99.433

A tornado touched down in open country.

Hail, Benson

When
July 31, 5:10 PM CST
Where
Benson County, 5 mi N of Leeds
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.350, -99.433

Hail, Benson

When
July 31, 5:11 PM CST
Where
Benson County, Leeds
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.283, -99.433

Hail, Benson

When
July 31, 5:18 PM CST
Where
Benson County, Leeds
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.283, -99.433

Hail, Benson

When
July 31, 5:18 PM CST
Where
Benson County, 4 mi E of Leeds
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.283, -99.350

Hail, Ramsey

When
July 31, 5:27 PM CST
Where
Ramsey County, 5 mi N of Churchs Ferry
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.333, -99.183

Tornado, Benson

When
July 31, 5:30 PM CST
Where
Benson County, 10 mi SE of Leeds
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
25 yd
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.183, -99.283

A brief tornado touchdown snapped off several large tree branches. A farmer saw a brief swirling of dust near a tree row with a funnel above.

Hail, Ramsey

When
July 31, 5:39 PM CST
Where
Ramsey County, Churchs Ferry
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.267, -99.183

Tornado, Ramsey

When
July 31, 5:50 PM CST
Where
Ramsey County, 4 mi E of Penn
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
10 yd
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.217, -99.000

A tornado touched down in a field, causing minimal crop damage.

Hail, Ramsey

When
July 31, 6:20 PM CST
Where
Ramsey County, 2 mi N of Devils Lake
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.133, -98.850

A wall cloud was observed.

Hail, Benson

When
July 31, 6:20 PM CST
Where
Benson County, Maddock
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.967, -99.533

The ground was white with hail.

Hail, Ramsey

When
July 31, 6:30 PM CST
Where
Ramsey County, 2 mi NW of Devils Lake
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.117, -98.883

Hail, Cavalier

When
July 31, 6:30 PM CST
Where
Cavalier County, 6 mi SW of Wales
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.833, -98.683

Hail, Benson

When
July 31, 6:35 PM CST
Where
Benson County, 5 mi E of Maddock
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.967, -99.433

Flash Flood, Walsh

When
July 31, 6:35 PM CST to 8:35 PM CST
Where
Walsh County, Lankin
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.370, -97.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Street flooding was reported.

Hail, Ramsey

When
July 31, 6:40 PM CST
Where
Ramsey County, 4 mi NW of Devils Lake
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.133, -98.917

Hail, Ramsey

When
July 31, 6:40 PM CST
Where
Ramsey County, Devils Lake
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.100, -98.850

A funnel cloud was also reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Walsh

When
July 31, 6:57 PM CST
Where
Walsh County, Lankin
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.317, -97.917

Hail, Walsh

When
July 31, 7:05 PM CST
Where
Walsh County, Lankin
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.317, -97.917

Thunderstorm Wind, Grand Forks

When
July 31, 7:25 PM CST
Where
Grand Forks County, 2 mi N of Inkster
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.183, -97.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Nelson

When
July 31, 7:30 PM CST
Where
Nelson County, Lakota
Property damage
$200
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.033, -98.350

Tree branches were blown down.

Hail, Walsh

When
July 31, 7:45 PM CST
Where
Walsh County, 8 mi E of Grafton
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.417, -97.233

Flash Flood, Walsh

When
July 31, 8:02 PM CST to 10:02 PM CST
Where
Walsh County, Grafton
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.370, -97.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Street flooding was reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Eddy

When
July 31, 10:45 PM CST
Where
Eddy County, New Rockford
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.683, -99.133

Trees were blown down in New Rockford.

Thunderstorm Wind, Griggs

When
July 31, 11:30 PM CST
Where
Griggs County, Cooperstown
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.450, -98.117

Trees were blown down in Cooperstown.

Thunderstorm Wind, Barnes

When
July 31, 11:45 PM CST
Where
Barnes County, 1 mi N of Pillsbury
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
47.217, -97.783

A 58 mph wind gust was measured at an NDAWN mesonet site.

Hail, Steele

When
July 31, 11:53 PM CST
Where
Steele County, Luverne
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.250, -97.950

Hail, Barnes

When
July 31, 11:55 PM CST
Where
Barnes County, Pillsbury
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.200, -97.783

What these are

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.
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 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for North Dakota, 2002Warnings in North Dakota, July 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: 5303634, 5303635, 5303636, 5308496, 5308497, 5308498, 5308499, 5308614, 5308500, 5308613, 5308501, 5308502, 5308503, 5308504, 5308505, 5308516, 5308506, 5308517, 5308507, 5308508, 5308509, 5308510, 5308511, 5308611, 5308512, 5308612, 5308513, 5308514, 5308515.