In the early afternoon of Friday May 25th, Severe Thunderstorm Watch 289 was issued in anticipation of severe thunderstorms developing along a cold front moving out of Wyoming and into the Dakotas. Several severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings were issued.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 BIS wrote it up.
In the early afternoon of Friday May 25th, Severe Thunderstorm Watch 289 was issued in anticipation of severe thunderstorms developing along a cold front moving out of Wyoming and into the Dakotas. Several severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings were issued. Severe weather reports included a tornado, funnel clouds, and large hail.
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 Bismarck, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 25, 1:00 PM MST, 44 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 300 PM CDT FRI MAY 25 2007 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT... MAIN FORECAST CONCERN IS THE PRECIPITATION FOR TONIGHT. HAVE GENERALLY FOLLOWED THE GFS FOR SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SATELLITE PICTURE SHOWS UPPER LOW IN SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA WITH ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW AND FRONT IN WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA. WARM FRONTAL BOUNDARY EXTENDS EASTWARD THROUGH NORTHERN SOUTH DAKOTA. THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN THE FAR SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL AT THE PRESENT TIME WHERE SOME SUNSHINE DEVELOPED AFTER THIS MORNINGS SHOWERS. BELIEVE THREAT OF SEVERE WILL BE LIMITED TO THE FAR SOUTH. HOWEVER...EXPECT WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND SOME THUNDER TONIGHT SPREADING FROM WEST TO EAST. AN INCH OR SO OF QPF POSSIBLE. LOOKS LIKE A SMALLER CHANCE FOR PRECIP ACROSS THE FAR NORTH. GFS CONTINUES A CHANCE FOR A LITTLE SNOW MIXING IN FAR NORTH CENTRAL TOWARD MORNING. SHOWERS SHOULD PUSH EAST OF THE AREA BY NOON ON SATURDAY...THEN FORECAST LOOKS DRY SUNDAY. NEXT UPPER LOW WILL SPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA STARTING SUNDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. NATIONAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTS GFS MAY BE MOVING THIS UPPER LEVEL LOW A LITTLE TO SLOWLY...THEY PREFER ECMWF FORECAST. WITH COOL SURFACE HIGH OVER THE AREA ON SATURDAY...EXPECT HIGHS MAINLY IN THE 50S. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM TO NEAR NORMAL ON SUNDAY IN BETWEEN THE TWO SYSTEMS. GFS FORECASTS A COLD FRONT TO MOVE ACROSS THE CWA ON MONDAY...BUT LATE ENOUGH IN THE DAY THAT HIGHS WILL STILL REACH 65 TO 75. .LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... IN GENERAL WILL STAY WITH THE PREVIOUS FORECAST WITH ONLY MINOR CHANGES. THE GFS CONTINUES TO DEVELOP A CLOSED UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE STATE BY TUESDAY NIGHT...THEN HOLDS IT STATIONARY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT...EJECTING IT TO THE EAST THURSDAY AND BUILDING A RIDGE OVER THE AREA. THE ECWMF IS MUCH MORE PROGRESSIVE...MOVING A SHORT WAVE TROUGH ACROSS THE AREA AND DEVELOPING THE RIDGE EARLIER. THIS IS THE PREFERRED SOLUTION...AND WILL HOLD ANY CHANCE OF PRECIP TO THE EARLY PART OF THE EXTENDED. TEMPERATURES WILL START COOL...BUT SHOULD WARM TO NORMAL OR ABOVE BY FRIDAY AS THE RIDGE DEVELOPS. && .AVIATION...A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IN EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA WILL SLOWLY EAST TO CENTRAL NORTH SOUTH DAKOTA...THEN NORTHEAST. THE LOW WILL SPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHERN NORTH DAKOTA...AND SHOWERS ACROSS THE NORTH. IN ADDITION STRONG SURFACE WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA THROUGH 06Z. CEILINGS WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE MARGINAL CATEGORY EARLY TONIGHT...BUT WILL DROP TO IFR CONDITIONS ACROSS THE WEST AND CENTRAL AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE SURFACE WINDS TURN NORTH TO NORTHWEST. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && JF/TSW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 446 AM CDT FRI MAY 25 2007 NDZ001>005-009>013-017>019-021>023-025-261000- DIVIDE-BURKE-RENVILLE-BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-WILLIAMS-MOUNTRAIL-WARD- MCHENRY-PIERCE-MCKENZIE-DUNN-MERCER-MCLEAN-SHERIDAN-WELLS-FOSTER- 446 AM CDT FRI MAY 25 2007 /346 AM MDT FRI MAY 25 2007/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AND TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. NDZ020-031>037-040>048-050-051-261000- OLIVER-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-MORTON-BURLEIGH-KIDDER- STUTSMAN-SLOPE-HETTINGER-GRANT-BOWMAN-ADAMS-SIOUX-EMMONS-LOGAN- LA MOURE-MCINTOSH-DICKEY- 446 AM CDT FRI MAY 25 2007 /346 AM MDT FRI MAY 25 2007/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT OVER THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF NORTH DAKOTA. AT THIS TIME THE BEST SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL LOOKS TO BE OVER SOUTH DAKOTA...BUT AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM REMAINS A POSSIBILITY OVER FAR SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER UPDATES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THERE IS ANOTHER GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AND TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. NH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
947 AM CDT FRI MAY 25 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1110 PM NON-TSTM WND GST MARMARTH 46.30N 103.93W
05/13/2007 E85 MPH SLOPE ND EMERGENCY MNGR
A SHOP THAT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION WAS COLLAPSED. GRAIN
BIN 1 MILE EAST OF MARMARTH WAS DAMAGED ALONG WITH THE
ROOF OF A FARM OUTBUILDING BEING TORN OFF. 1 MILE
NORTHEAST OF MARMARTH A HORSE TRAILER WAS TIPPED. HIGH
WINDS LASTED UNTIL ABOUT 1120 PM CDT. SAND CREEK RAWS
SITE NORTHEAST OF MARMARTH MEASURED 78 MPH GUST AROUND
1130 PM CDT.
1110 PM TSTM WND GST GOLVA 46.73N 103.98W
05/13/2007 E65 MPH GOLDEN VALLEY ND NEWSPAPER
1200 AM TSTM WND GST AMIDON 46.48N 103.32W
05/14/2007 E65 MPH SLOPE ND EMERGENCY MNGR
1205 AM TSTM WND GST SCRANTON 46.15N 103.14W
05/14/2007 E65 MPH BOWMAN ND NEWSPAPER
1210 AM TSTM WND GST 5 S BELFIELD 46.81N 103.19W
05/14/2007 E75 MPH STARK ND NEWSPAPER
MACHINE SHED ON FARM DESTROYED 5 MILES SOUTH OF BELFIELD.
BARN 7 MILES SOUTH OF BELFIELD DAMAGED.
0530 PM HAIL 8 NE DOUGLAS 47.94N 101.38W
05/18/2007 E1.75 INCH WARD ND PUBLIC
PILES OF HAIL WERE STILL ON THE GROUND UNTIL THE
AFTERNOON OF THE 19TH.
&&
JP MARTIN WCMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
947 AM CDT FRI MAY 25 2007
CORRECTED NON TSTM WIND TO TSTM WIND
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1110 PM TSTM WND GST MARMARTH 46.30N 103.93W
05/13/2007 E85 MPH SLOPE ND EMERGENCY MNGR
A SHOP THAT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION WAS COLLAPSED. GRAIN
BIN 1 MILE EAST OF MARMARTH WAS DAMAGED ALONG WITH THE
ROOF OF A FARM OUTBUILDING BEING TORN OFF. 1 MILE
NORTHEAST OF MARMARTH A HORSE TRAILER WAS TIPPED. HIGH
WINDS LASTED UNTIL ABOUT 1120 PM CDT. SAND CREEK RAWS
SITE NORTHEAST OF MARMARTH MEASURED 78 MPH GUST AROUND
1130 PM CDT.
1110 PM TSTM WND GST GOLVA 46.73N 103.98W
05/13/2007 E65 MPH GOLDEN VALLEY ND NEWSPAPER
1200 AM TSTM WND GST AMIDON 46.48N 103.32W
05/14/2007 E65 MPH SLOPE ND EMERGENCY MNGR
1205 AM TSTM WND GST SCRANTON 46.15N 103.14W
05/14/2007 E65 MPH BOWMAN ND NEWSPAPER
1210 AM TSTM WND GST 5 S BELFIELD 46.81N 103.19W
05/14/2007 E75 MPH STARK ND NEWSPAPER
MACHINE SHED ON FARM DESTROYED 5 MILES SOUTH OF BELFIELD.
BARN 7 MILES SOUTH OF BELFIELD DAMAGED.
0530 PM HAIL 8 NE DOUGLAS 47.94N 101.38W
05/18/2007 E1.75 INCH WARD ND PUBLIC
PILES OF HAIL WERE STILL ON THE GROUND UNTIL THE
AFTERNOON OF THE 19TH.
&&
JP MARTIN WCMThe Bismarck radar (KBIS), 94 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:42 UTC.
4 hail, 2 funnel cloud, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail was followed by a funnel cloud. See entry for Sioux County 13:49 MST May 25, 2007.
Funnel began descending and quickly retreated back into the thunderstorm. Funnel followed a large hail event, 2 inches in diameter. See hail entry 13:44 MST May 25, 2007.
There was a very brief funnel just below cloud base.
Brief touchdown reported by off-duty National Weather Service employee. The tornado hit no structures and did no damage. See funnel cloud entry 6 minutes earlier at the same location, 15:20 MST, May 25, 2007.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for North Dakota, 2007Warnings in North Dakota, May 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: 32256, 32254, 32257, 32260, 32255, 32259, 32258.