North Dakota, 2015

Hail and Damaging Wind in North Dakota, July 12, 2015

July 12, 2015 · NWS BIS · 8 events in 7 counties and zones

Thunderstorms formed along a frontal boundary that was stretched southward through central North Dakota as a short wave trough moved through the region. Strong instability was noted over eastern into parts of central North Dakota with high dew point readings ahead of the frontal boundary.

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
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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.

Thunderstorms formed along a frontal boundary that was stretched southward through central North Dakota as a short wave trough moved through the region. Strong instability was noted over eastern into parts of central North Dakota with high dew point readings ahead of the frontal boundary. Severe thunderstorms developed which mainly produced large hail, with sizes reaching up to three inches diameter in Stutsman County. One severe wind gust of 60 mph occurred in McHenry County.

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 Jul 12, 2:47 PM CST, 1 hour 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 12, 2:47 PM CST, 1 hour 58 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 12, 1:45 PM CST, 3 hours 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

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

Hail, Rolette

When
July 12, 4:45 PM CST to 4:47 PM CST
Where
Rolette County, 0.83 mi NNW of Belcourt
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
48.840, -99.740

Hail, Bottineau

When
July 12, 5:50 PM CST to 5:53 PM CST
Where
Bottineau County, 2.81 mi ENE of Roth
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
48.960, -100.540

Thunderstorm Wind, McHenry

When
July 12, 6:40 PM CST to 6:43 PM CST
Where
McHenry County, 4.43 mi NE of Norfolk
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.020, -100.240

Strong thunderstorm wind gusts were reported by a National Weather Service COOP observer.

Hail, Pierce

When
July 12, 7:00 PM CST to 7:02 PM CST
Where
Pierce County, 2.8 mi N of Selz
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
47.890, -99.890

Hail, Wells

When
July 12, 7:36 PM CST to 7:41 PM CST
Where
Wells County, 2.8 mi S of Hamberg
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.730, -99.510

Hail, Foster

When
July 12, 8:15 PM CST to 8:18 PM CST
Where
Foster County, 0.47 mi E of Barlow
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.570, -99.140

Hail, Stutsman

When
July 12, 9:27 PM CST to 9:31 PM CST
Where
Stutsman County, Kensal
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.300, -98.730

Hail, Stutsman

When
July 12, 9:35 PM CST to 9:38 PM CST
Where
Stutsman County, 4.66 mi SE of Kensal
Measured
3 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
47.260, -98.650

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 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, July 2015

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 593738, 593739, 593740, 593741, 593743, 593744, 593745, 593746.