North Dakota, 2010

Hail and Damaging Winds in North Dakota, April 13, 2010

April 13, 2010 · NWS BIS · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

In the early afternoon hours of April 13th, Severe Thunderstorm Watch 70 was issued for portions of western and central North Dakota in anticipation of severe thunderstorms developing downstream of a strong upper level trough, and in the vicinity of an eastward moving cold front. Due mainly to relatively low instability parameters, only marginal severe thunderstorms developed.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Property damage
$65,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS BIS wrote it up.

In the early afternoon hours of April 13th, Severe Thunderstorm Watch 70 was issued for portions of western and central North Dakota in anticipation of severe thunderstorms developing downstream of a strong upper level trough, and in the vicinity of an eastward moving cold front. Due mainly to relatively low instability parameters, only marginal severe thunderstorms developed. One report of large hail and three reports of severe thunderstorm winds were received.

What forecasters said that day

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 Apr 13, 1:56 AM CST, 8 hours 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 13, 1:56 AM CST, 8 hours 4 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 13, 3:33 AM CST, 6 hours 27 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, McHenry

When
April 13, 10:00 AM CST to 10:05 AM CST
Where
McHenry County, 4.15 mi S of Bergen
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
47.940, -100.720

Thunderstorm Wind, Dunn

When
April 13, 1:15 PM MST to 1:23 PM MST
Where
Dunn County, 1.4 mi W of Halliday
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.350, -102.360

Tree damage from thunderstorm winds was reported near Halliday.

Thunderstorm Wind, Morton

When
April 13, 4:00 PM CST to 4:15 PM CST
Where
Morton County, Mandan
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
46.830, -100.900

High winds from thunderstorms caused a large tree to fall on a mobile home in Mandan. One person in the home received minor injuries. Time is estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Morton

When
April 13, 4:00 PM CST to 4:15 PM CST
Where
Morton County, 6.81 mi ENE of Sweet Briar
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
Newspaper
Coordinates
46.856, -101.041

High winds from thunderstorms toppled two tandem trailers on a semi along Interstate 94 west of Mandan. The location and time are estimated.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Dakota in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, April 2010

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 224421, 224422, 224423, 224424.