Hail and Damaging Winds in North Dakota, July 17, 2019

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in North Dakota, July 17, 2019
Start: 2019-07-17T15:05
End: 2019-07-17T20:57
Location: North Dakota

July 17, 2019 · NWS BIS · 16 events in 6 counties and zones

Multiple short-wave troughs passing through the area resulted in thunderstorm development. Adequate instability and shear were present for some thunderstorms to become severe.

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: 16

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.

Multiple short-wave troughs passing through the area resulted in thunderstorm development. Adequate instability and shear were present for some thunderstorms to become severe. The largest hail reported was the size of golf balls, and fell in Bottineau County. The strongest thunderstorm wind gusts reported were 70 mph, and occurred in both Stark and Bottineau counties.

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 17, 1:13 PM MST, 1 hour 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 17, 1:13 PM MST, 1 hour 52 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 17, 12:39 PM MST, 2 hours 26 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 17, 2:29 PM MST, 36 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
329 PM MDT Wed Jul 17 2019

NDZ041-172200-
Hettinger ND-
329 PM MDT Wed Jul 17 2019

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN HETTINGER COUNTY
UNTIL 400 PM MDT...

At 329 PM MDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over Mott, moving
east at 25 mph.

Penny size hail and wind gusts to 40 mph will be possible with this
storm.

Locations impacted include...
Mott, Burt and Bentley.

Very heavy rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek shelter
inside a building or vehicle.

&&

LAT...LON 4631 10249 4643 10249 4649 10205 4629 10205
TIME...MOT...LOC 2129Z 267DEG 22KT 4638 10236

JONES

Special weather statement, Jul 17, 2:36 PM MST, 29 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
436 PM CDT Wed Jul 17 2019

NDZ017-018-172215-
McKenzie ND-Dunn ND-
436 PM CDT Wed Jul 17 2019

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN DUNN AND CENTRAL
MCKENZIE COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM CDT/415 PM MDT/...

At 436 PM CDT/336 PM MDT/, a strong thunderstorm was located over
Watford City, moving east at 35 mph.

Half inch hail and wind gusts to 40 mph will be possible with this
storm.

Locations impacted include...
Watford City, Arnegard and Johnsons Corner.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek shelter
inside a building or vehicle.

&&

LAT...LON 4770 10345 4788 10343 4789 10276 4759 10284
TIME...MOT...LOC 2136Z 275DEG 31KT 4779 10333

KRANZ

The radar

The Bismarck radar (KBIS), 117 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:04 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Hail, Hettinger

When: July 17, 3:05 PM MST to 3:08 PM MST
Where: Hettinger County, 2.13 mi SSW of Burt
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 46.340, -102.160

Hail, Stark

When: July 17, 5:00 PM MST to 5:02 PM MST
Where: Stark County, 7.53 mi NE of South Heart
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 46.960, -102.910

Thunderstorm Wind, Stark

When: July 17, 5:10 PM MST to 5:13 PM MST
Where: Stark County, 2.13 mi NNE of Dickinson
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 46.910, -102.770

The public estimated thunderstorm wind gusts to 65 mph.

Hail, Sioux

When: July 17, 5:17 PM MST to 5:19 PM MST
Where: Sioux County, 19.71 mi W of Selfridge
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 46.050, -101.340

Hail, Grant

When: July 17, 5:20 PM MST to 5:22 PM MST
Where: Grant County, 13.81 mi SSE of New Leipzig
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 46.180, -101.860

Hail, Sioux

When: July 17, 5:30 PM MST to 5:32 PM MST
Where: Sioux County, 3.66 mi SW of Ft Yates
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 46.040, -100.680

Hail, Bottineau

When: July 17, 6:30 PM CST to 6:33 PM CST
Where: Bottineau County, 3.08 mi NE of Russell
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 48.700, -100.850

Hail, Bottineau

When: July 17, 6:30 PM CST to 6:34 PM CST
Where: Bottineau County, 0.46 mi E of Newburg
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 48.720, -100.910

Hail, Stark

When: July 17, 5:33 PM MST to 5:38 PM MST
Where: Stark County, 2.8 mi NE of Gladstone
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.900, -102.510

Hail, Bottineau

When: July 17, 6:35 PM CST to 6:38 PM CST
Where: Bottineau County, 3.08 mi NE of Russell
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 48.700, -100.850

Hail, Stark

When: July 17, 5:38 PM MST to 5:41 PM MST
Where: Stark County, Taylor
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 46.900, -102.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Stark

When: July 17, 5:38 PM MST to 5:41 PM MST
Where: Stark County, Taylor
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 46.900, -102.420

The public estimated thunderstorm wind gusts to 70 mph.

Hail, Bottineau

When: July 17, 7:06 PM CST to 7:09 PM CST
Where: Bottineau County, 2.66 mi WSW of Bottineau
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 48.810, -100.480

Thunderstorm Wind, Bottineau

When: July 17, 7:06 PM CST to 7:09 PM CST
Where: Bottineau County, 2.66 mi WSW of Bottineau
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 48.810, -100.480

A trained spotter estimated thunderstorm wind gusts to 70 mph.

Hail, Morton

When: July 17, 8:54 PM CST to 8:56 PM CST
Where: Morton County, 1.17 mi SE of St Anthony
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 46.610, -100.900

Hail, Morton

When: July 17, 8:54 PM CST to 8:57 PM CST
Where: Morton County, 0.47 mi E of St Anthony
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 46.620, -100.910

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

Every storm in North Dakota in 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in North Dakota, July 2019

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 842213, 842214, 842215, 842216, 842217, 842218, 842222, 842223, 842219, 842227, 842221, 842236, 842229, 842234, 842231, 842232.