During the afternoon hours of August 11th, five tornadoes occurred in central North Dakota, across Burleigh, Sheridan, and McHenry counties. These tornadoes were the result of a localized area of sufficient low level buoyancy and low level vorticity coincident over central North Dakota.
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.
During the afternoon hours of August 11th, five tornadoes occurred in central North Dakota, across Burleigh, Sheridan, and McHenry counties. These tornadoes were the result of a localized area of sufficient low level buoyancy and low level vorticity coincident over central North Dakota. A surface cold front stretched north to south across the central plains. All of the five tornadoes remained in open country and impacted no structures. As a result, they were rated EF0 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
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 Aug 11, 2:24 AM CST, 9 hours 44 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 324 AM CDT MON AUG 11 2008 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT... THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERN IS THREAT OF HEAVY RAIN TODAY. CURRENTLY A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE EXTENDS FROM A LOW OVER NORTHERN ALBERTA/SASKATCHEWAN TO A LOW AT THE BORDER OF ND/SD/MT/WY. A LOW LEVEL JET AHEAD OF THIS TROUGH EXTENDED FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS NORTHWARD THROUGH THE DAKOTAS AND INTO NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN. SURFACE DEWPOINTS IN THE 60S AND H850 DEWPOINTS IN THE 50S EXTENDED ALL THE WAY INTO NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN. ONGOING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AHEAD OF THE TROUGH WAS PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL IN THIS VERY WARM AND HUMID ENVIRONMENT. THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT TODAY AND INDICATE A VORT MAX THAT BEGINS OVER WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA YESTERDAY EVENING AND STRENGTHENS AND MOVES NORTHEASTWARD INTO SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA BEFORE 12Z THIS MORNING. THIS FEATURE IS PROGGED TO MOVE INTO EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA BY LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING. ALONG WITH ONGOING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OVER NORTH DAKOTA...RECENT NEW DEVELOPMENT HAS OCCURRED IN NORTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA - SUGGESTING THAT THE STRENGTHENING VORT MAX IS IN GOOD PLACEMENT/TIMING BY THE MODELS. THE MODELS GENERATE HEAVY PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA TODAY. IN LIGHT OF THE PAST FEW THUNDERSTORM EVENTS OF LATE WHERE AREAL FLOOD ADVISORIES AND A COUPLE OF FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA...AND IN COLLABORATION WITH SURROUNDING FORECAST OFFICES...WILL ISSUE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH TODAY FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF MY COUNTY WARNING AREA. ALTHOUGH FORECAST BASIN-WIDE AVERAGES OF PRECIPITATION TODAY RANGE FROM HALF AN INCH TO 1.5 INCHES...THERE WILL LIKELY BE MANY LOCALES THAT WILL RECEIVE 2 TO 4 INCHES OR MORE OF RAINFALL IN RELATIVELY SHORT TIME PERIODS WITH BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS. THE MAIN UPPER LOW OVER ALBERTA WILL KICK OUT A SHORTWAVE THAT IS CURRENTLY OVER EASTERN MONTANA AND MOVE IT THROUGH NORTH DAKOTA TODAY. THIS FEATURE IS ASSOCIATED WITH CURRENT THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN EASTERN MONTANA THAT IS MOVING TOWARD WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA BEHIND THE SURFACE TROUGH. THIS SHORTWAVE/VORT MAX IS PROGGED TO MOVE EAST ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA TODAY AND WILL PUSH THE SURFACE TROUGH EASTWARD AS WELL. THE TROUGH SHOULD BE IN EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA BY EVENING...WITH DRY AIR MOVING IN FROM THE WEST AND CLEARING SKIES FROM WEST TO EAST TONIGHT. TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY THE MODELS BRING THE UPPER LOW EASTWARD SLOWLY FROM ALBERTA TOWARDS MANITOBA. THE NEXT SHORTWAVE EXPECTED FROM THIS SYSTEM IS PROGGED TO ARRIVE IN WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA WEDNESDAY EVENING AND SPREAD TO CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA WEDNESDAY NIGHT. HAVE KEPT A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MENTIONED FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT. TEMPS SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE TODAY WITH PLENTY OF CLOUD COVER AND OCCASIONAL THUNDERSTORMS. SEASONABLE TEMPS ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE 80S AND LOWS IN THE 50S. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT... LATEST GFS AND ECMWF HAVE BEGUN TO CONVERGE ON A SOLUTION WITH REGARD TO THE MIDDLE/UPPER LEVEL LOW UNDERCUTTING A NORTHERN MANITOBA BLOCKING RIDGE. THEY BOTH NOW BRING A DEEP CLOSED LOW ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY...THOUGH THEY CONTINUE TO DISAGREE ON TIMING AND LOW TRACK. PER NCEP/HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER PREFERENCE...HAVE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT A BLEND OF THE TWO MODELS...SINCE THEIR ENSEMBLE MEMBERS SUGGEST THAT BOTH ARE WITHIN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY. ONCE AGAIN...NORTH DAKOTA WILL FIND ITSELF ON THE EAST SIDE OF A NORTHERN ROCKIES UPPER LEVEL RIDGE...WHICH MEANS NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND STRONG MIDDLE LEVEL CAPPING. DISTURBANCES TOPPLING OVER THE RIDGE MAY BE ABLE TO IGNITE SOME CONVECTION...BUT STORMS WILL LIKELY FIND THEMSELVES IN AN ENVIRONMENT NOT CONDUCIVE TO SUSTAINED CONVECTION. ADDITIONALLY...TIMING MIDDLE LEVEL SHORTWAVES IN FAST FLOW ALOFT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE AT THIS TIME RANGE. SO...HAVE KEPT THINGS DRY AFTER FRIDAY WHEN THE HEIGHT RISES SPREAD INTO THE AREA. TEMPERATURES OVER THE AREA SHOULD BE BELOW CLIMATOLOGY - THANKS TO OVERCAST SKIES AND PRECIPITATION - UNTIL THE LOW MOVES SOUTHEAST ON FRIDAY. THEN...TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE CLOSER TO CLIMATOLOGY. && .AVIATION... A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS IS FORECAST TO TRUDGE EASTWARD AND BE IN IN EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA BY SUNSET MONDAY EVENING. AHEAD OF THE STORM...WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE ONGOING AND EXPECTED TO CONTINUE. IN FACT...ONCE THE SUN RISES THIS MORNING THERE WILL LIKELY BE INTENSIFICATION OF ONGOING CONVECTION. ALSO...EXPECT REDEVELOPMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT AFTER NOON. VERY HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS...SO CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES MAY DIVE INTO THE IFR CATEGORY PERIODICALLY UNTIL THE FRONT PASSES. SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE BEHIND THE FRONT...BUT EXPECT THAT INTENSITY AND AREAL COVERAGE WILL BE FAR LESS. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 1 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR NDZ003-011- 021. FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR NDZ004-005-012-013- 022-023-025-035>037-046>048-050-051. && JV/SCHECK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 540 AM CDT MON AUG 11 2008 NDZ001-002-009-010-017>020-031>034-040>045-121045- DIVIDE-BURKE-WILLIAMS-MOUNTRAIL-MCKENZIE-DUNN-MERCER-OLIVER- GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-MORTON-SLOPE-HETTINGER-GRANT-BOWMAN- ADAMS-SIOUX- 540 AM CDT MON AUG 11 2008 /440 AM MDT MON AUG 11 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY. SOME MAY CONTAIN BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. NDZ003-011-021-121045- RENVILLE-WARD-MCLEAN- 540 AM CDT MON AUG 11 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON. OCCASIONAL THUNDERSTORMS TODAY...SOME CONTAINING HEAVY RAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. NDZ004-005-012-013-022-023-025-035>037-046>048-050-051-121045- BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-MCHENRY-PIERCE-SHERIDAN-WELLS-FOSTER-BURLEIGH- KIDDER-STUTSMAN-EMMONS-LOGAN-LA MOURE-MCINTOSH-DICKEY- 540 AM CDT MON AUG 11 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM THIS EVENING. OCCASIONAL THUNDERSTORMS TODAY...SOME CONTAINING HEAVY RAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. JV
The Bismarck radar (KBIS), 17 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:08 UTC.
5 tornado, 2 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
The public reported this tornado as being visible by swirling dirt and dust on the ground. The tornado impacted no structures so there was no damage.
This funnel cloud was reported by a Burleigh County Deputy Sheriff.
The public reported this brief funnel cloud.
This tornado was reported by several sources, including trained spotters from the Mercer Fire Department, and other trained spotters. It was reported to be in an open field, impacting no structures and causing no damage.
The public reported this tornado as being briefly on the ground. There was no damage and no reports of structures being impacted.
The public reported this brief touchdown of a tornado. There were no reports of damage as this tornado remained in open field.
This tornado remained in open field and impacted no structures. No damage was reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for North Dakota, 2008Warnings in North Dakota, August 2008
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: 119210, 119207, 119213, 119224, 119216, 119219, 119220.