Strong surface high pressure building into western North Dakota resulted in warning criteria wind speeds across the higher terrain of southwestern North Dakota during the late morning and afternoon hours of September 27th.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Strong surface high pressure building into western North Dakota resulted in warning criteria wind speeds across the higher terrain of southwestern North Dakota during the late morning and afternoon hours of September 27th.
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 Sep 27, 1:39 AM CST, 9 hours 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 239 AM CDT SUN SEP 27 2009 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT... SEVERAL WEATHER HEADLINES CONTINUE IN THE SHORT TERM. WE UPGRADED THE HIGH WIND WATCH IN SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA TO A HIGH WIND WARNING...THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH ACROSS PORTIONS OF WEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA TODAY WAS ALSO UPGRADED TO A RED FLAG WARNING. THE CURRENT WIND ADVISORY REMAINS WARRANTED ACROSS THE REST OF THE CWA TODAY. OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST TO CONTEND IN THE SHORT TERM WITH WILL BE A POSSIBLE FROST ADVISORY AND/OR FREEZE WARNING ACROSS THE WEST LATE TONIGHT/MONDAY MORNING. A FROST ADVISORY MAY ALSO BE NEEDED TUESDAY MORNING ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. ANOTHER RED FLAG WARNING MAY ALSO BE NEEDED TUESDAY ACROSS PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND SOUTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA. ALL THE HEADLINES TODAY ARE CENTERED AROUND VERY STRONG WINDS WHICH ARE READY TO IMPINGE ON THE CWA. THE SURFACE COLD FRONT HAS ALREADY SWEPT THREW. LATEST MSAS SHOWS A TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT UPSTREAM WITH A SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE RISE BUBBLE (+9MB/3HR) OVER NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA WHICH IS FORECAST TO DIVE SOUTHEAST THIS MORNING. WE ADJUSTED THE TIMING OF THE HIGH WIND WARNING TOWARD AN EARLIER START WHICH IS MORE IN LINE WITH THE LEADING EDGE OF THE PRESSURE RISE...WHICH LOOKS TO ENTER OUR SOUTHWEST ZONES AROUND 12Z. IN THE HIGH WIND WARNING AREA EXPECT SUSTAINED WINDS BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MPH WITH GUSTS BETWEEN 55 AND 60 MPH. THE REST OF THE CWA IS IN A WIND ADVISORY WHICH WILL RESULT IN SUSTAINED NORTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MPH. THE LATEST RADAR LOOP IMAGERY SHOWS AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN AND NORTHEAST MONTANA THIS MORNING. A 300MB 140KT JET WILL SLIDE OVER NORTH DAKOTA TODAY. THE LEFT FRONT QUADRANT/EXIT REGION OF THE JET WILL PROVIDE ENOUGH LARGE SCALE ASCENT (850-300MB OMEGA) FOR ISOLATED/ SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY ALONG A LINE FROM KISN/KBIS/KJMS THROUGH 18Z...THEN SHIFTING A BIT FURTHER EAST THEREAFTER. CLOUDS WILL DECREASE THIS EVENING WITH CLEARING SKIES IN THE WEST AND DIMINISHING WINDS. WINDS WILL REMAIN BREEZY OVERNIGHT ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA WHICH WILL KEEP THE AIR MIXED JUST ENOUGH TO STAY ABOVE FROST POTENTIAL. HOWEVER IN THE WEST AREAS OF FROST LOOK MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP AS SKIES CLEAR AND WINDS BECOME LIGHT. A COUPLE OF SPOTS WILL BE AROUND FREEZING MONDAY MORNING. WILL LET THE DAY SHIFT SIFT THROUGH THIS WITH THE LATEST DATA AND ISSUE THE APPROPRIATE HEADLINES IF NEEDED. BEYOND TODAY...DRY WEATHER WITH PLENTY OF SUNSHINE WILL BE THE THEME FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY. EXPECT BELOW SEASONAL AVERAGES MONDAY WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM 55F TO 65F OVER THE CWA...THEN SLIGHTLY ABOVE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURES TUESDAY WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM 65F TO 75F. WARM ADVECTION AHEAD OF OUR NEXT STORM SYSTEM TUESDAY ALONG WITH GUSTY SOUTHEAST WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL BRING MORE FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS. WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS POTENTIAL IN THE FIRE WEATHER FORECAST DISCUSSION AND HWO. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A TRANSITION TOWARDS AN UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN WILL GET UNDERWAY ON WEDNESDAY AS A LARGE TROUGH OVER THE WESTERN ROCKIES WILL MOVE TOWARDS THE REGION. SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING SEASONAL TEMPERATURES ALONG WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN. THE TROUGH WILL BEGIN TO SLOW DOWN ON THURSDAY AND DEVELOP A CUT OFF LOW OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS ON FRIDAY. THUS WILL KEEP THE PRECIPITATION CHANCES CONTINUING THROUGH FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL DROP TO BELOW AVERAGE LEVELS DURING THIS PERIOD. THE LOW DEPARTS FOR THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES ON SATURDAY AS A WEAK RIDGE WILL BE OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS TEMPORARILY DRYING THINGS OUT AS THE NEXT WEATHER DISTURBANCE ENTERS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AT THE END OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD. && .AVIATION... A SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL DROP SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE REGION TODAY...AND SUPPORT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM. WITH SCT NATURE OF RAIN...HAVE INCLUDED ONLY VCSH GROUPS FOR STARTERS AT ALL SITES EXCEPT KDIK. THE MAIN ISSUE IS THE WIND BEHIND THE FRONT. EXPECT GUSTS IN THE LOW TO MID 40S (KTS) AT ALL SITES...STRONGEST AT KDIK...FROM MID MORNING THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON. && .FIRE WEATHER...AS MENTIONED ABOVE THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A RED FLAG WARNING FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA TODAY. MINIMUM HUMIDITIES WILL RANGE FROM 20 TO 30 PERCENT WITH VERY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH AND GUSTS TO 50 AND 60 MPH. RANGELAND FIRE DANGER INDICES ARE MOSTLY IN THE VERY HIGH CATEGORY WITH A COUPLE AREAS IN THE EXTREME RANGE OVER FAR SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. THE STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND DRY VEGETATION WILL PRODUCE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TODAY...THUS A RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED. WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA WILL SEE A BRIEF RESPITE ON FIRE WEATHER BEHAVIOR MONDAY AS WINDS WILL BE LIGHT. HOWEVER BY TUESDAY AN INCREASE IN SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS BETWEEN 20 AND 35 MPH ALONG WITH MINIMUM AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES OF 20 TO 30 PERCENT AND VERY HIGH TO EXTREME RANGELAND FIRE DANGER INDICES WILL ONCE AGAIN BRING A THREAT OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER BEHAVIOR. WILL MONITOR THIS CLOSELY AND ISSUE THE APPROPRIATE HEADLINES IF THE DATA REMAINS CONSISTENT. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM CDT /9 AM MDT/ THIS MORNING TO 9 PM CDT /8 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING FOR NDZ001>005-009>013-017>023-025- 034>037-042-045>048-050-051. HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 6 AM THIS MORNING TO 8 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR NDZ031>033-040-041-043-044. RED FLAG WARNING FROM 1 PM CDT /NOON MDT/ THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 PM CDT /8 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING FOR NDZ017-018-031>033-040>045. && SHORT TERM/FIRE WEATHER...KS LONG TERM/AVIATION...KK/RK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 515 AM CDT SUN SEP 27 2009 NDZ001>005-009>013-019>023-025-034>037-042-045>048-050-051-281015- DIVIDE-BURKE-RENVILLE-BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-WILLIAMS-MOUNTRAIL-WARD- MCHENRY-PIERCE-MERCER-OLIVER-MCLEAN-SHERIDAN-WELLS-FOSTER-MORTON- BURLEIGH-KIDDER-STUTSMAN-GRANT-SIOUX-EMMONS-LOGAN-LA MOURE- MCINTOSH-DICKEY- 515 AM CDT SUN SEP 27 2009 /415 AM MDT SUN SEP 27 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY EVENING. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON SUNDAY. VERY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP. NORTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH WILL OCCUR LATE SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. SOME RAIN SHOWERS MAY CONTAIN WIND GUSTS OVER 50 MPH. AREAS OF FROST WILL OCCUR TONIGHT ACROSS WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA. SOME SPOTS WILL FALL TO 32. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES ON ANY FROST ADVISORIES AND/OR FREEZE WARNINGS THAT MAY BE ISSUED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY AREAS OF FROST WILL OCCUR AGAIN MONDAY NIGHT. THERE WILL BE A FEW SPOTS THAT WILL FALL TO 32F. A FROST ADVISORY AND/OR A FREEZE WARNING MIGHT BE ISSUED IN LATER FORECASTS. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. NDZ017-018-031>033-040-041-043-044-281015- MCKENZIE-DUNN-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-SLOPE-HETTINGER-BOWMAN- ADAMS- 515 AM CDT SUN SEP 27 2009 /415 AM MDT SUN SEP 27 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY EARLY EVENING. MINIMUM HUMIDITIES WILL RANGE FROM 20 TO 30 PERCENT WITH VERY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH AND GUSTS TO 50 AND 60 MPH. THE STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND DRY VEGETATION WILL PRODUCE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS TODAY...THUS A RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED. HIGH WIND WARNING SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA SUNDAY. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF DICKINSON...BOWMAN AND HETTINGER. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON SUNDAY. VERY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BEHIND THIS FRONT SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH THE EVENING ACROSS THE AREA. EXPECT SUSTAINED WINDS OF 35 TO 40 MPH...WITH GUSTS OF 55 TO 60 MPH POSSIBLE. AREAS OF FROST WILL OCCUR TONIGHT ACROSS WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA. SOME SPOTS WILL FALL TO 32. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES ON ANY FROST ADVISORIES AND/OR FREEZE WARNINGS THAT MAY BE ISSUED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY ON TUESDAY...AN INCREASE IN SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS BETWEEN 20 AND 35 MPH ALONG WITH MINIMUM AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES OF 20 TO 30 PERCENT AND VERY HIGH TO EXTREME RANGELAND FIRE DANGER INDICES WILL ONCE AGAIN BRING A THREAT OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER BEHAVIOR. WILL MONITOR THIS CLOSELY AND ISSUE THE APPROPRIATE HEADLINES IF THE DATA REMAINS CONSISTENT. AREAS OF FROST WILL OCCUR AGAIN MONDAY NIGHT. THERE WILL BE A FEW SPOTS THAT WILL FALL TO 32F. A FROST ADVISORY AND/OR A FREEZE WARNING MIGHT BE ISSUED IN LATER FORECASTS. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. KS
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Measured sustained winds of 40 mph were also recorded.
Measured sustained winds up to 43 mph were also recorded.
Emergency management reported estimated sustained wind speeds around 40 mph.
A partially constructed building in Mott collapsed due to the high winds. Wind speeds were estimated.
Sustained wind speeds were estimated at around 40 mph.
Sustained wind speeds were estimated at around 40 mph.
Sustained wind speeds were estimated at around 40 mph.
Sustained wind speeds were estimated at around 40 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, September 2009
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: 195540, 195541, 195542, 195543, 195544, 195545, 196839, 196845.