A cold front moved across North Dakota on the 26th, with a hot and humid airmass in place ahead of the front. At 6 pm CST, a surface low was located over southern Manitoba (Canada), just north of Pembina, ND.
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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 episode as NWS FGF wrote it up.
A cold front moved across North Dakota on the 26th, with a hot and humid airmass in place ahead of the front. At 6 pm CST, a surface low was located over southern Manitoba (Canada), just north of Pembina, ND. The cold front stretched to the southwest, back toward Devils Lake (ND) and Bismarck (ND). Ahead of the cold front, temperatures ranged in the low to mid 80s with dew points around 70F. Behind the front, temperatures did not cool significantly, but dew points dropped to the mid 40s. Thunderstorms began to form along and ahead of the cold front by early evening (from northeast ND into south central ND), eventually crossing into northwest Minnesota several hours later. Eight distinct tornadoes occurred over northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota during this event.
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 26, 4:39 PM CST, 2 hours 39 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND 539 PM CDT SUN AUG 26 2007 .UPDATE... UPDATED ZFP/GRIDDS FOR TOR WATCH TIL 04Z FOR MUCH OF ERN ND AND NW MN. PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH WELL DEFINED NR A LANGDON-DVL-NEW ROCKFORD LINE...THEN SOUTHWEST TO JUST EAST OF BISMARCK. EAST OF BOUNDARY AIRMASS VERY UNSTABLE WITH CAPE VALUES OVER 4000 J/KG AS AIRMASS HAS HEATED OUT TO THE UPPER 80S AND DEW PTS HAVE CLIMBED INTO THE UPPER 60S AND LOWER 70S. CIN VALUES STILL THERE BUT WEAKENING. BEST UPPER SUPPORT ALONG CANADIAN BORDER AND WOULD EXPECT BEST CHC FOR SVR IN NRN VALLEY WITH MORE DISCRETE CELLS SOUTHWEST ALONG THE PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH INTO SOUTH CENTRAL ND. DEVELOPMENT POISED TO TAKE PLACE 23Z-00Z TIME FRAME IT APPEARS. HOW ORGANIZED AND WIDESPREAD SVR IS AND WHAT FORM (TORNADIC/HAIL/WIND THREAT) REMAINS TO BE SEEN. LOW LEVEL 850 MB JET FOCUSES MORE OVER ERN MN OVERNIGHT WITH LEFT QUAD IN WCNTRL AND SE ND. SO WOULD THINK ORGANIZATION INTO A COMPLEX IS PSBL OVERNIGHT AS IT MOVES INTO SE ND/WCNTRL MN. AS FOR TORNADIC POTENTIAL....LOW LEVEL SHEAR NOT THE BEST....AS SFC WINDS SOUTHERLY WITH SOUTHWEST WINDS JUST OFF THE SFC. PREFER TO SEE A MORE SOUTHEAST WIND FOR BEST POTENTIAL...BUT SUCH INSTABILITY IN THE ATMOSPHERE WOULD ARGUE FOR SUPERCELLS.PER SPC LARGE HAIL THREAT APPEARS VERY HIGH DUE TO FAIRLY STEEP LAPSE RATES 700-500 MB. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 306 PM CDT SUN AUG 26 2007/ SHORT TERM (SUN NIGHT - WED)... FORECAST CHALLENGE FOR THE NEAR SHORT TERM WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES THROUGH THE CWA. AS OF 19Z... THE COLD FRONT APPEARS TO BE IN THE WEST CENTRAL PORTION OF THE STATE...EXTENDING FROM NEAR MINOT TO THE DICKINSON AREA. THERE IS STILL GOOD SOUTHERLY FLOW THROUGH EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA... WITH DEW POINTS INTO THE UPPER 60S TO LOW 70S IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF MY CWA. HOWEVER...SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CWA IS STILL CAPPED. FOR THE NORTHERN PORTION...MAINLY THE NORTHERN VALLEY REGION...18Z RUC IS PROGGING BY 00Z A 40KT TO 50KT LLJ WITH STRONG WAA JUST NORTH OF THE BORDER. 19Z VIS SATELLITE IS SHOWING CU START TO POP IN THIS REGION...WHICH IS JUST EAST OF A QUITE STRONG SHOWALTERS GRADIENT...WITH VALUES IN THE NORTHERN VALLEY AROUND NEG 6 BY 00Z. THUS...THIS AREA APPEARS TO HAVE THE GREATEST THREAT FOR CONVECTION THIS EVENING...WITH SEVERE CERTAINLY A POTENTIAL AS INDICATED WITH SPC DAY 1 OUTLOOK (15% CHANCE OF SEVERE HAIL). FRONT SHOULD PUSH INTO THE MINNESOTA SIDE OF THE CWA AFTER 06Z...WHILE A SECOND LOW DEVELOPS OVER WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. THIS LOW WILL PUSH EASTWARD OVER SD TONIGHT. GFS AND NAM BOTH SHOW A BAND OF DECENT H700 FRONTOGENETIC FORCING FORM ACROSS THE CWA FROM THE SW TO THE NE BY 18Z MONDAY...WITH A VORT MAX PUSHING ACROSS THE STATE. THUS...BEST QPF WILL BE IN THE EAST MONDAY AS THE WAVE MOVES OVER THE SFC BOUNDARY IN CNTRL MN. INCLUDED SEVERE WORDING FOR THE EAST PM MONDAY AFTERNOON AS WELL. SFC BOUNDARY WILL PUSH OUT OF THE CWA TOMORROW EVENING...AND NORTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL BRING A RETURN OF MORE SEASONAL LIKE TEMPS. LONG TERM (THU - SAT)...LONG RANGE MODELS CONTINUE IN FAIR AGREEMENT IN RAISING HEIGHTS AS FLATTENING MID LEVEL RIDGE SHIFTS OVER FA. SOME TIMING DIFFERENCES WITH APPROACHING SURFACE BOUNDARY HOWEVER LOW END POPS SEEM REASONABLE AS BOUNDARY EVENTUALLY SHIFTS EAST INTO REGION FOR PORTION OF HOLIDAY WEEKEND. BASED ON THICKNESS AND THERMAL VALUES TEMPERATURES SHOULD RISE ABOVE SEASONAL AVERAGES BY THE WEEKEND. AVIATION...VFR. THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE OF ISOLD TSRA DEVELOPING OVER FAR NW-N FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING PROPAGATING EASTWARD ACROSS NORTHERN MN OVERNIGHT. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...NONE. MN...NONE. && RIDDLE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND 630 AM CDT SUN AUG 26 2007 MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024- 026>030-038-039-049-052>054-271130- WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS- WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL-NORTH BELTRAMI-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE- EAST POLK-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI-MAHNOMEN- SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-WILKIN- WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-GRANT-TOWNER-CAVALIER- PEMBINA-BENSON-RAMSEY-EASTERN WALSH COUNTY-EDDY-NELSON- GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-TRAILL-BARNES-CASS-RANSOM-SARGENT- RICHLAND-WESTERN WALSH COUNTY- 630 AM CDT SUN AUG 26 2007 ...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA...WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NORTH OF A LINE FROM VALLEY CITY NORTH DAKOTA TO BEMIDJI MINNESOTA THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. THE MAIN THREAT IS LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EAST OF A LINE FROM ROSEAU MINNESOTA TO VALLEY CITY NORTH DAKOTA ON MONDAY. THE MAIN THREAT IS LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...ALONG WITH AN ISOLATED TORNADO. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS EVENING INTO MONDAY. TG
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS
708 PM CDT SUN AUG 26 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0645 PM HAIL 4 S TOLNA 47.77N 98.44W
08/26/2007 E0.75 INCH NELSON ND PUBLIC
&&
AMHOMANNPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS
720 PM CDT SUN AUG 26 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0711 PM HAIL EDINBURG 48.50N 97.86W
08/26/2007 E1.75 INCH WALSH ND LAW ENFORCEMENT
&&
AMHOMANNPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS
734 PM CDT SUN AUG 26 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0732 PM HAIL HOOPLE 48.54N 97.64W
08/26/2007 E1.00 INCH WALSH ND LAW ENFORCEMENT
&&
AMHOMANNPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS
743 PM CDT SUN AUG 26 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 PM HAIL 3 NW MCVILLE 47.80N 98.22W
08/26/2007 E1.00 INCH NELSON ND PUBLIC
0725 PM HAIL CRYSTAL 48.60N 97.67W
08/26/2007 E1.75 INCH PEMBINA ND LAW ENFORCEMENT
0730 PM HAIL HOOPLE 48.54N 97.64W
08/26/2007 E1.75 INCH WALSH ND LAW ENFORCEMENT
&&
AMHOMANNPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS
808 PM CDT SUN AUG 26 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0804 PM HAIL PETERSBURG 48.01N 98.00W
08/26/2007 E1.00 INCH NELSON ND TRAINED SPOTTER
0804 PM TORNADO 10 W NORTHWOOD 47.74N 97.78W
08/26/2007 GRAND FORKS ND FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
&&
AMHOMANNPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
817 PM CDT SUN AUG 26 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0630 PM HAIL 2 SE MILTON 48.61N 98.01W
08/26/2007 E1.75 INCH CAVALIER ND LAW ENFORCEMENT
MOSTLY PENNY TO DIME WITH SOME GOLFBALL HAIL
0645 PM HAIL 2 WNW UNION 48.57N 97.99W
08/26/2007 E0.75 INCH CAVALIER ND PUBLIC
&&
MEWENSThe Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 119 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:19 UTC.
15 thunderstorm wind, 6 hail, 3 tornado, 1 funnel cloud, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The wind gust was measured by a MNDOT RWIS sensor.
The tornado brushed the north edge of Marshall County Park, causing some tree damage. The tornado then took part of the roof off an old granary and blew down an old shed at an abandoned farm site one mile south of Florian. Peak winds were estimated at 105 mph.
The wind gust was measured by a NDAWN mesonet wind sensor.
Several large branches were blown down just east of Pelan.
An airplane hanger was destroyed at the Greenbush Airport.
Three to five inch diameter tree branches were blown down.
Forty-five mph winds occurred with gusts up to 60 mph. The hail lasted from 850 to 853 pm CST. 1.58 inches of rain fell in 35 minutes.
A couple intermittent and brief touchdowns occurred along the edge of a field and into a line of trees. The tornado travelled less than a half mile. A few large tree limbs were broken down. Peak winds were estimated at 80 mph.
This tornado touched down at 9 pm CST about 7 miles east-northeast of Reynolds, North Dakota (in Grand Forks County). It crossed the Red River into western Polk County at about 904 pm CST. The total tornado path length was about 5 miles, and about 3 miles of the total occurred in Tynsid Township in Polk County. The tornado destroyed a steel pole shed and a wooden quonset at one farmstead with significant tree damage at other locations nearby. Peak winds were estimated at 120 mph.
About 1.75 inches of rain fell in 15 minutes.
Zero visibility was reported in very high winds and rain.
Four to five inch diameter tree limbs were blown down. Powerlines were also knocked down.
Large tree limbs and power lines were blown down along the Polk and Red Lake County line.
Four inch diameter tree limbs were blown down. Powerlines were also knocked down.
Several trees were blown down in the city of Thief River Falls.
Several large tree branches were blown down. Some penny to nickel sized hail also fell.
At the intersection of Minnesota 1 and 89 (on the south side of Lower Red Lake), powerlines were blown down.
Trees and powerlines were knocked down.
Powerlines and trees were blown down, blocking highway 1.
Trees were blown down and a shed was destroyed.
Lightning struck the bell tower of a church in Bejou, igniting a fire in the tower. The fire spread throughout the building, causing a total loss. The building had been recently renovated.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Minnesota, 2007Warnings in Minnesota, August 2007
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: 48862, 48765, 49973, 54082, 49975, 54083, 48863, 48864, 48865, 54084, 48754, 48866, 54085, 48867, 54086, 48868, 54087, 48869, 49976, 54088, 48870, 48871, 48872, 48875, 48874, 49972.