By early in the evening of September 22nd, an area of surface low pressure was located just northwest of Fargo, North Dakota, with a stationary boundary extending out to the east, toward Fosston and Bemidji, Minnesota. A strong low level jet helped storms fire to the north and east of the surface features, mainly from Grand Forks County in North Dakota, up toward Marshall County in Minnesota.
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 FGF wrote it up.
By early in the evening of September 22nd, an area of surface low pressure was located just northwest of Fargo, North Dakota, with a stationary boundary extending out to the east, toward Fosston and Bemidji, Minnesota. A strong low level jet helped storms fire to the north and east of the surface features, mainly from Grand Forks County in North Dakota, up toward Marshall County in 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 Sep 22, 6:08 PM CST, 1 hour 26 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 708 PM CDT Fri Sep 22 2017 .UPDATE... Issued at 703 PM CDT Fri Sep 22 2017 Frontal boundary remains in place from Baudettte to east of Crookston then to just west of Ada to just west of Fargo to near Lisbon. It is creeping east. Low pressure along it just west of Fargo if looking at the wind field. Low pressure will move along boundary toward Thief River Falls/Fosston area 03z period. Airmass in warm sector with temps 85-90 does have some capping issues, but of greater importance is seen on water vapor as quite dry air aloft is spreading over the warm sector as well as near the surface low itself. Have had a few cells/towers try to get going, but they were squashed near the boundary NE of Fargo. So far activity is NW of the front in the DVL basin into Manitoba. Still wait and see if something can get going in NW MN, and chat with SPC indicates they are still hanging on to some severe risk. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Saturday) Issued at 115 PM CDT Fri Sep 22 2017 Primary concern will be severe potential this afternoon and into this evening along and ahead of warm frontal boundary. Said boundary currently from surface low vcnty ABR northeastward to FAR and BJI. CAM guidance all in good agreement in keeping warm sector dry with capping and best potential along and ahead of warm front over northern MN. Guidance also in good agreement with convective initiation occurring around 00z lifting northward through the evening. Tough to buck CAM guidance being in such good agreement so adjusted pops/timing accordingly. Certainly enough instability/cape and shear for severe storms although most likely will be elevated. If storms can become surface based will have to watch tor potential with warm front in place. Elsewhere spotty showers and isolated T continue to organize over the DVL basin into the northern valley on cold side of boundary. Uncertainty remains on how far south this convection will get so stuck with chance pops. Appears strongest storms should lift ne out of the fa by midnight. A fairly distinct thermal contrast will continue across the fa with low 40s over the nw to low 60s over the se. Boundary moves little Saturday with best rain chances vcnty boundary over the far east into the se corner of ND. With cooler airmass in place, instability weak so strong storms not anticipated. Temperatures will range from the mid 50s to mid 60s vcnty boundary. .LONG TERM...(Saturday night through Friday) Issued at 115 PM CDT Fri Sep 22 2017 Region will remain in sw flow aloft with next stronger wave lifting northeast Saturday night. this will bring more widespread rain back into a good chuck of the forecast area into Sunday. Finally looks like system will begin pulling east of the region Sunday night. Most guidance is in agreement of pushing the majority of ongoing rain early Monday east deeper into Minnesota along with the cold front. This is due to the upper level trough shifting east with a surface high pressure building into the region from the west. With the axis of the upper trough east of the area by Tuesday, upper level flow turns more northwesterly. The GFS propagates a shortwave trough and an associated cold front through the region Wednesday sparking a few convective showers, although this scenario is not in good agreement with other models. Towards Thursday into Friday, another upper level disturbance and surface low pressure dips into the Upper Midwest/western Great Lakes region from Canada providing rain chances. Questions do remain on how close this disturbance will move towards the region dictating how great our rain chances will be. Temperatures will remain cool Monday with a more mild trend towards midweek with highs generally in the 60s and lows in the 40s. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Saturday evening) Issued at 703 PM CDT Fri Sep 22 2017 Winds turned more northwest at GFK and increasing speeds and this will continue into Saturday with north-northwest wind 15 to 25 kts. Fargo will see the SSE turn southwest and then northwest by 03z. DVL in north-northwest wind into Saturday 15-20kts. TVF NNE turning NNW and Bemidji area turning more NW but not til late tonight. Issue is ceilings overnight as MVFR cigs should spread over most areas tonight into Saturday. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...None. MN...None. && UPDATE...Riddle SHORT TERM...Voelker LONG TERM...CJ/BP/Voelker AVIATION...Riddle
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 427 AM CDT Fri Sep 22 2017 NDZ006-007-014-015-024-026-028-029-038-049-052-054-230930- Towner-Cavalier-Benson-Ramsey-Eddy-Nelson-Griggs-Steele-Barnes- Ransom-Sargent-Western Walsh County- 427 AM CDT Fri Sep 22 2017 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North Dakota, west central and northwest Minnesota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Showers today will intensify to a few thunderstorms later this afternoon and evening. The main threat will be lightning and pea sized hail, although an isolated storms producing hail up to 1 inch is possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be required this afternoon and evening. MNZ001-004>009-013>017-NDZ008-016-027-230930- West Polk-Kittson-Roseau-Lake Of The Woods-West Marshall- East Marshall-North Beltrami-Pennington-Red Lake-East Polk- North Clearwater-South Beltrami-Pembina-Eastern Walsh County- Grand Forks- 427 AM CDT Fri Sep 22 2017 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North Dakota, west central and northwest Minnesota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Showers will intensify into thunderstorms this afternoon and evening across far northeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Some of the storms could become severe, with hail up to a inch and a half in diameter, along with 60 mph winds. The tornado threat is unlikely at this point. Storms will move off to the east after midnight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday Some showers and thunderstorms will be possible into Saturday, although best chances for strong to severe activity will remain to the south of the area. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be required. MNZ002-003-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ030-039-053-230930- Norman-Clay-Mahnomen-South Clearwater-Hubbard-West Becker- East Becker-Wilkin-West Otter Tail-East Otter Tail-Wadena-Grant- Traill-Cass-Richland- 427 AM CDT Fri Sep 22 2017 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North Dakota, west central and northwest Minnesota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Storms moving through west central Minnesota this morning will bring a threat for hail up to an inch along with heavy downpours. After these storms move east, there should be a break in storm activity. At this point it seems that warm temperatures aloft will keep severe storms from developing during the afternoon, although there could be some isolated storms producing 1 inch hail and 60 mph wind gusts later on during the overnight hours. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday Thunderstorms will be possible again on Saturday, with lightning and pea sized hail the primary threats as best chances for severe activity will remain south and east. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be required. jr
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Eastern ND/Grand Forks ND
816 PM CDT FRI SEP 22 2017
MNZ006-008-009-013-230215-
East Marshall MN-North Beltrami MN-Pennington MN-
Lake Of The Woods MN-
816 PM CDT FRI SEP 22 2017
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN MARSHALL...
NORTHWESTERN BELTRAMI...SOUTHWESTERN LAKE OF THE WOODS AND
NORTHEASTERN PENNINGTON COUNTIES UNTIL 915 PM CDT...
At 816 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles southeast of Espelie, or 27 miles east of Thief River Falls,
moving northeast at 30 mph.
Nickel size hail will be possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Grygla, Thorhult, Carmel, Malcolm, Espelie, Fourtown and Gates
Corner.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
office in Grand Forks.
&&
LAT...LON 4802 9555 4813 9580 4854 9540 4854 9534
4860 9534 4861 9533 4842 9490
TIME...MOT...LOC 0116Z 218DEG 24KT 4814 9559
SpeicherSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Eastern ND/Grand Forks ND 818 PM CDT FRI SEP 22 2017 MNZ005-008-009-013-230215- East Marshall MN-North Beltrami MN-Pennington MN-Roseau MN- 818 PM CDT FRI SEP 22 2017 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN MARSHALL...SOUTHWESTERN ROSEAU...NORTHWESTERN BELTRAMI AND WESTERN PENNINGTON COUNTIES UNTIL 915 PM CDT... At 817 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Thief River Falls, moving northeast at 30 mph. Nickel size hail will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Thief River Falls, Middle River, St. Hilaire, Holt, Strathcona, Gatzke and Rosewood. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service office in Grand Forks. && LAT...LON 4841 9550 4798 9624 4811 9643 4869 9614 TIME...MOT...LOC 0117Z 225DEG 29KT 4810 9626 Speicher
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Eastern ND/Grand Forks ND
825 PM CDT FRI SEP 22 2017
MNZ001-007-008-013-014-NDZ027-030-230200-
East Marshall MN-Red Lake MN-Pennington MN-West Polk MN-
West Marshall MN-Traill ND-Grand Forks ND-
825 PM CDT FRI SEP 22 2017
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTH CENTRAL MARSHALL...WESTERN
RED LAKE...WESTERN POLK...WESTERN PENNINGTON...SOUTHEASTERN GRAND
FORKS AND NORTHEASTERN TRAILL COUNTIES UNTIL 900 PM CDT...
At 823 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking an outflow boundary from
strong thunderstorms along a line extending from 7 miles northwest
of Grand Forks to Merrifield to near Reynolds. Movement was
northeast at 35 mph.
Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph will be possible.
Locations impacted include...
Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, Crookston, Warren, Red Lake Falls,
Thompson and Fisher.
LAT...LON 4809 9622 4779 9612 4776 9627 4776 9635
4774 9635 4757 9712 4780 9721 4800 9733
4836 9639
TIME...MOT...LOC 0123Z 246DEG 31KT 4797 9720 4784 9712 4767 9706
SpeicherThe Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 63 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:32 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A large piece of metal sheet roofing from a neighbor's machine shed was torn off and hit the house, causing minor damage. An enclosed trailer was moved about ten feet and two trees were uprooted.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, September 2017
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: 716035.