On the morning of the 30th, a severe thunderstorm produced a bow echo, which moved along a Gwinner (ND) to Rothsay (MN) line. Strong wind gusts occurred along the line, which resulted in several reports of tree damage.
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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 FGF wrote it up.
On the morning of the 30th, a severe thunderstorm produced a bow echo, which moved along a Gwinner (ND) to Rothsay (MN) line. Strong wind gusts occurred along the line, which resulted in several reports of tree damage. Another severe thunderstorm developed later in the morning and tracked from Alice to Fairmount (ND). The same thunderstorm also clipped the southwest portion of Grant County in Minnesota. These thunderstorms were aided by the low level jet, which focused into southeast North Dakota and west central Minnesota.
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 Grand Forks, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 30, 3:03 AM CST, 3 hours 42 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND 403 AM CDT SAT JUL 30 2011 .SHORT TERM... AS EXPECTED..CLUSTERS OF ELEVATED COVECTION FORMED IN WRN/CNTRL ND AND MOVED EAST AND NOW OVER THE RED RIVER VALLEY. HAD TWO SUCH SYSTEMS ONE WITH SOME WIND AS IT MOVED INTO DEVILS LAKE WITH GUSTS 40 TO 50 MPH BEFORE WEAKENING. OTHER CLUSTER MOVED NORTHEAST INTO CARRINGTON-COOPERSTOWN AND ALSO INTO LISBON-FARGO AREA BEFORE WEAKENING AS WELL IN THE PAST HOUR. SPC MESO PAGE SHOWS MUCH WEAKER 850 MB JET OVER RRV (25 KTS) AND AREA ON EDGE OF ELEVATED INSTABILITY. WORTH NOTING IS NEWLY FORMED CLUSTER NR BISAMRCK WHICH IS ON NOSE OF 40 KT 850 MB JET. THIS IS SEVERE ATTM AND MAY CONTINUE TO BE STRONG AS IT MOVES EAST AS 40 KT LLJ IS EXPECTED TO VEER NORTHEAST WITH TIME THRU 12Z. SO WILL EXPECT SCATTERED ELEVATED CONVECTION TO CONTINUE PAST 12Z OVER THE FCST AREA. ACTUAL COLD FRONT OVER SOUTHEAST SASK INTO EASTERN MONTANA. THE ELEVATED ACTIVTY MAY WEAKEN MID TO LATE MORNING AND KEY IS WILL ENOUGH SUN RETURN TO HEAT THINGS UP INTO THE MID TO UPPER 80S OUT AHEAD OF FRONT BY MID AFTN. AT 20Z EXPECT FRONT NR A WASKISH TO FARGO LINE AND THUS BEST AREA FOR SEVERE MID TO LATE AFTN TODAY IS EAST OF THIS LINE IN WCNTRL MN. LATER SHFITS WILL NEED TO MONITOR CONDITIONS AND CAN INSERT SEVERE WORDING IN GRIDDS AS NEEDED. SYSTEM EXISTS QUICKLY THIS EVENING WITH HIGH COMING IN AND CLEARING TO ALL BUT FAR SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST. HIGH WILL BE OVER AREA SUNDAY. NEXT SHORT WAVE WILL MOVE THRU MONDAY. THIS ONE APPEARS A BIT STRONGER THAN TODAYS AND TIMING OF FRONT APPEARS A BIT BETTER FOR SVR OVER ERN ND/NW MN MON AFTN-EVE. ALL IN ALL POPS WITH BOTH SYSTEMS HAD BEEN CONSISTENT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS MODEL RUNS SO LITTLE CHANGE NEEDED. .LONG TERM... HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE IN TUESDAY WITH NEXT WAVE THURSDAY. && .AVIATION... EXPECT VFR CIGS TODAY AS MOISTURE IS PRETTY HIGH AOA 6000 FT AGL. GUSTY WINDS NR STORMS ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY. LOOK FOR NORTHWEST WIND SHIFT APPROX NR 18Z AT DVL THEN 20Z GFK-TVF THEN 23Z BJI-FAR. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...NONE. MN...NONE. && RIDDLE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND 527 AM CDT SAT JUL 30 2011 MNZ001-004>008-013>015-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-038-054- 311030- WEST POLK-KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-WEST MARSHALL- EAST MARSHALL-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-EAST POLK-TOWNER-CAVALIER- PEMBINA-BENSON-RAMSEY-EASTERN WALSH-EDDY-NELSON-GRAND FORKS- GRIGGS-STEELE-TRAILL-BARNES-WESTERN WALSH- 527 AM CDT SAT JUL 30 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA...WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON OUT AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT WHICH WILL EXTEND NEAR A BEMIDJI TO FARGO LINE BY MID AFTERNOON. AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM IS POSSIBLE UNTIL EARLY AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM WILL IMPACT THE AREA MONDAY GIVING A GOOD CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH MAY BE SEVERE AND ALSO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. MNZ002-003-009-016-017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ039-049-052-053- 311030- NORMAN-CLAY-NORTH BELTRAMI-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI- MAHNOMEN-SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-WILKIN- WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-GRANT-CASS-RANSOM-SARGENT- RICHLAND- 527 AM CDT SAT JUL 30 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA...WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA INTO WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA THIS MORNING...AND THEN ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AGAIN DURING THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH. A FEW STORMS MAY BE SEVERE AND PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM WILL IMPACT THE AREA MONDAY GIVING A GOOD CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH MAY BE SEVERE AND ALSO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE LATER TODAY. DTR
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND 152 AM CDT SAT JUL 30 2011 NDZ049-052-053-300745- RANSOM ND-RICHLAND ND-SARGENT ND- 152 AM CDT SAT JUL 30 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN RICHLAND...SARGENT AND RANSOM COUNTIES UNTIL 245 AM CDT... AT 146 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING THUNDERSTORMS FROM ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LISBON TO GWINNER TO FORMAN. THESE STORMS WILL MOVE NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER IS EXPECTED WITH THE STORM. THE STORM WILL BE NEAR... LISBON AROUND 205 AM CDT. MILNOR AROUND 210 AM CDT. ENDERLIN...HAMLIN AND DE LAMERE AROUND 220 AM CDT. WYNDMERE...SHELDON AND ANSELM AROUND 225 AM CDT. BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IF THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE...OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. DTR
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND 220 AM CDT SAT JUL 30 2011 NDZ006-007-014-015-024-026-300815- BENSON ND-CAVALIER ND-EDDY ND-NELSON ND-RAMSEY ND-TOWNER ND- 220 AM CDT SAT JUL 30 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN TOWNER...RAMSEY... NELSON...EASTERN EDDY...CAVALIER AND SOUTHEASTERN BENSON COUNTIES UNTIL 315 AM CDT... AT 213 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 27 MILES NORTH OF CANDO TO 14 MILES NORTHEAST OF CANDO TO 8 MILES WEST OF DEVILS LAKE TO 10 MILES EAST OF NEW ROCKFORD...MOVING TO THE EAST AT 30 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THE STORMS...ALONG WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING. AT 215 AM CDT ...KDVL RADIO IN DEVILS LAKE REPORTED WINDS UP TO 50 TO 55 MPH. THE STORMS WILL BE NEAR... DEVILS LAKE...CAMP GRAFTON AND WEBSTER AROUND 225 AM CDT. TOKIO AROUND 230 AM CDT. WARWICK AND ALSEN AROUND 235 AM CDT. HANNAH AND HAMPDEN AROUND 240 AM CDT. BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IF THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE...OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. JK
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
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND 558 AM CDT SAT JUL 30 2011 NDZ049-052-053-301200- RANSOM ND-RICHLAND ND-SARGENT ND- 558 AM CDT SAT JUL 30 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN RICHLAND...SARGENT AND RANSOM COUNTIES UNTIL 700 AM CDT... AT 554 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 24 MILES WEST OF LISBON TO 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF SPRING CREEK COLONY...MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THE STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. THE STORMS WILL BE NEAR... FORT RANSOM AROUND 615 AM CDT. ENGLEVALE AROUND 620 AM CDT. ELLIOTT AROUND 630 AM CDT. LISBON AND CRETE AROUND 635 AM CDT. BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IF THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE...OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY. JK
The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 126 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:46 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Several 3 to 5 inch diameter tree branches were blown down.
The strong wind gusts were measured by a MNDOT RWIS site.
The hail still covered the ground 30 minutes after it fell.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, July 2011
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: 318592, 318593, 318594.