Tornadoes and Hail in North Dakota, July 15, 2007

Large branches were also blown down.

Several trees were blown down and area crops were destroyed.

There was a report of quarter size hail, 1.50 inches of rain, and full grown pine trees broken in half. The baseball field scoreboard was blown down and the metal batting cage was blown across two baseball diamonds. Extensive crop damage occurred throughout Hugo Township.

Numerous trees were blown down and a field irrigation system was overturned. Extensive crop damage also occurred in Colgate and Broadlawn Townships.

Quarter size hail fell and many large trees were broken.

Quarter size hail fell along with damaging winds. Extensive crop damage occurred across Ellsbury and Rochester Townships.

Large branches were also blown down. Extensive crop damage occurred across Lake and Rich Townships.

Major crop damage occurred in Cornell and Ayr Townships due to downburst winds and hail. Tree damage was also reported. A ND RWIS mesonet site at mile point 10 on highway 38 reported a 57 mph wind gust at 609 pm CST.

The tornado toppled a barn, severely injuring a horse. It tumbled farm outbuildings and toppled one high voltage power tower. The tower was made of steel and had four footings. Peak winds were estimated at 125 mph.

Two 5000 bushel steel grain bins were caved in by the winds and several trees were knocked down. The doors were blown off a machine shed. Extensive crop damage occurred across Buffalo Township.

A two foot deep drift of hail was left next to one home. Hail knocked out several windows at another home. Wind driven (70 mph) hail also damaged an extensive amount of cropland across the Howes, Gill, Eldred, and Walburg Townships.

This tornado yanked one aluminum high voltage power tower out of its steel footings and toppled several others. It snapped off mature oak and ash trees near the Maple River and snapped several wooden power poles at multiple road crossings across its path. The tornado continued into Ransom County, where it dissipated at 640 pm CST. Peak winds were estimated at 105 mph.

A two mile section of aluminum high voltage power towers were crumpled by downburst winds and at least one tornado. The nine towers were operated by Minnkota Power Cooperative. Wind speeds likely exceeded 100 miles per hour based on utility company estimates. Extensive crop damage occurred across the Highland and Watson Townships.

This tornado began in Cass County at 625 pm CST. The tornado yanked one aluminum high voltage power tower out of its steel footings and toppled several others. It also snapped several wooden power poles at multiple road crossings across its path. Peak winds were estimated at 105 mph.

The wind gust was measured by a storm chaser with portable wind equipment. Large hail and damaging winds produced extensive crop damage across Coburn Township.

Trees were blown down at the Sheldon cemetery, damaging some gravestones. Additional crop damage occurred in Greene Township.

The tornado cut a large gap in mature hardwood trees near the Sheyenne River and snapped several wooden power poles. Several sections of a large irrigation system were also tipped over. Peak winds were estimated at 115 mph. Some crops were damaged in Owego Township.

Golfball sized hail broke windows and was still left on the ground the next morning.

Trees were blown down and a grain bin was blown over. One tree fell on a motorhome. Downburst winds and hail produced crop damage across portions of Sandoun Township.

The wind gust was measured by a RAWS mesonet site. The time was estimated.

The hail was reported by a motorist along U.S. Highway 2.

The wind gust was reported by a storm chaser with portable wind equipment. Large trees fell on homes and grain bin parts were scattered in town.

At a location two miles east of McLeod, siding was peeled off a house and a trampoline was wrapped around a tree. Other large tree branches were also blown down.

Fully grown trees were uprooted. Some trees fell on power poles and powerlines, causing power outages in Finley. Trees also fell on cars and damage was reported at the grain elevator. On one house porch, the windows were blown out and the screens were torn off. Extensive wind driven hail produced crop damage across portions of Finley Township.

A brick silo was blown over onto a parked farm truck.

Two 5000 bushel grain bins were blown one-half mile.

The Traill County Sheriff reported driving rain and large hail just west of Interstate 29 near Hillsboro. Strong wind gusts also uprooted a few trees and blew a door off a grain elevator. Crop damage also occurred across portions of Norway, Bloomfield, and Hillsboro Townships.

Five wooden double post high voltage power towers were snapped off by downburst winds. The utility company estimated winds around 100 mph. Large hail and damaging winds produced extensive crop damage across portions of Easton and Melrose Townships.

Hail covered the ground. Damaging winds produced additional crop damage in Carpenter and Colgate Townships.

A second round of hail covered the ground.

A second round of penny to quarter sized hail and downburst winds affected most of Rochester and Lake Townships.

Penny to quarter sized hail and downburst winds affected most of Ellsburg and Minnie Lake Townships.

The 62 mph wind gust was measured by a NDAWN mesonet sensor northwest of Prosper.

Widespread nickel to golfball sized hail and downburst winds affected much of Cornell and Tower City Townships.

Penny to quarter sized hail and downburst winds affected much of Weimer and Oriska Townships.

The tornado touched down on the northeast side of Tower City in Cass County and tracked to the south-southwest. In Tower City, the tornado ripped off a section from the roof of a house and tossed garden storage buildings and equipment. The tornado also blew a single car garage off its foundation and destroyed it. Several trees in town were damaged or blown down. Peak winds were estimated at 110 mph.

The tornado plowed through wooden power poles and viciously ripped up mature trees over its damage path. The tornado also damaged a sturdy pole shed, where the sidewall was caved in and the roof and rafters were torn off. It tore the roof off and collapsed an older barn, then lifted and threw a well-built two car garage from its slab foundation. The tornado crumpled one steel, four footing, high voltage power tower. In combination with extreme downburst winds, the collapse of this first tower helped initiate the collapse of dozens more of these power towers. Peak winds were estimated at 130 mph.

One steel four pole power tower was crumpled and numerous trees were snapped off. Additional towers in adjacent Cass County were also destroyed. Wind driven hail also caused crop damage in Springvale and Binghampton Townships.

A six mile stretch of high voltage power towers was crumpled by a combination of downburst winds and at least one tornado through Central Hill Township. At least 28 steel four pole towers, operated by Western Area Power Administration, were destroyed. One tower in adjacent Barnes County was also destroyed. Extensive crop damage occurred across Hill and Howes Townships.

Trees were uprooted at the Alice cemetery and tombstones were tipped over.

The roof was torn off a machine shed, collapsing the building on the equipment inside. Debris was strewn downwind for one-half mile. A camper was also rolled over and destroyed. Extensive crop damage occurred in Clifton, Pontiac, and Highland Townships.

Large tree limbs were broken down in shelterbelts. A few marble to nickel sized hail also fell.

Numerous large tree branches were blown down.

Large tree branches were blown down.

The Bismarck NWS office received a public report of a brief tornado touchdown with movement to the southeast. The touchdown occurred in an open field with no damage.