North Dakota, 2018

Hail and Damaging Winds in North Dakota, July 8, 2018

July 8, 2018 · NWS BIS · 7 events in 1 county or zone

Thunderstorms developed along a surface boundary that was draped across eastern and central parts of North Dakota. One thunderstorm became severe over Dickey County, near Oakes, producing extensive damage in that area.

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
$165,000
Crop damage
$250,000
Events
7

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 developed along a surface boundary that was draped across eastern and central parts of North Dakota. One thunderstorm became severe over Dickey County, near Oakes, producing extensive damage in that area. The largest hail was the size of a baseball, and the strongest wind gust was estimated to be 85 mph.

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 8, 5:29 PM CST, 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 8, 5:29 PM CST, 10 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 8, 5:38 PM CST, 1 minute before
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The radar

The Aberdeen radar (KABR), 74 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:37 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Dickey

When
July 8, 5:39 PM CST to 5:43 PM CST
Where
Dickey County, 1.46 mi SSW of Oakes Muni Arpt
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
46.080, -98.090

Thunderstorm Wind, Dickey

When
July 8, 5:40 PM CST to 5:44 PM CST
Where
Dickey County, 0.48 mi E of Oakes Muni Arpt
Measured
65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$15,000
Crop damage
$100,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
46.100, -98.070

Two power poles were snapped, and crops were shredded and destroyed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dickey

When
July 8, 5:40 PM CST to 5:43 PM CST
Where
Dickey County, 1.46 mi SSW of Oakes Muni Arpt
Measured
74 kt (85 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$150,000
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.080, -98.090

A center-pivot irrigation system was blown completely over. Large trees were uprooted.

Hail, Dickey

When
July 8, 5:40 PM CST to 5:44 PM CST
Where
Dickey County, 0.48 mi W of Oakes Muni Arpt
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.100, -98.090

Hail, Dickey

When
July 8, 5:40 PM CST to 5:44 PM CST
Where
Dickey County, 2.13 mi SSW of Oakes Muni Arpt
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.070, -98.090

Hail, Dickey

When
July 8, 5:40 PM CST to 5:42 PM CST
Where
Dickey County, 1.46 mi SSW of Oakes Muni Arpt
Measured
2.75 in hail
Crop damage
$150,000
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.080, -98.090

The bean and corn crop in this area were shredded.

Hail, Dickey

When
July 8, 5:42 PM CST to 5:44 PM CST
Where
Dickey County, 1.59 mi ENE of Oakes Muni Arpt
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.110, -98.050

What these are

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.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Dakota in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, July 2018

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: 766866, 766868, 766870, 766871, 766872, 766933, 766935.