A surface boundary stretching from southwest into north central North Dakota served as the primary focal point for thunderstorm development in an atmosphere of very high instability. Initially, large hail was the main threat, though a couple of tornadoes developed in an area of enhanced low level shear.
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 BIS wrote it up.
A surface boundary stretching from southwest into north central North Dakota served as the primary focal point for thunderstorm development in an atmosphere of very high instability. Initially, large hail was the main threat, though a couple of tornadoes developed in an area of enhanced low level shear. Later, storms mainly developed along an old outflow boundary and were slow moving. This combined with a moisture rich atmosphere which led to a heavy rain threat, in addition to a hail and strong wind threat. The heaviest rain fell over Sioux and Emmons counties, where there were multiple reports of over four inches of rain. In Sioux County, on the Standing Rock Nation, flash flooding from the heavy rain resulted in a section of BIA Road 3, locally known as the Kenel Road, being washed out at the crossing with Joe Bush Creek. The culvert washed out and the road collapsed. Four vehicles drove into the washout and resulted in two fatalities and two injuries. The largest hail reported in this episode was golf ball size, and fell in Divide, Morton, and Burleigh counties. The strongest wind gusts were 60 mph, and occurred in Wells and Divide counties.
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, 12:20 PM CST, 32 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Bismarck ND 120 PM CDT Mon Jul 8 2019 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Tuesday) Issued at 117 PM CDT Mon Jul 8 2019 Severe weather likely this afternoon and evening highlights the short term forecast. A surface low pressure is currently centered in northwest North Dakota with a boundary extending from southwest to north central ND. Aloft, a trough west of the forecast area continues to propagate downstream, with low-level moisture continuing to advect into the Northern Plains from a strong 850 jet nosing into our south-central counties. This boundary will be the forcing mechanism for severe thunderstorms, with very steep low level lapse rates present and current analysis showing MLCAPE values around 3000-4000 J/kg. Already beginning to see some cb forming along the boundary so expecting cap is very little at this point. Best intersection of low and deep-layer shear seems to be in a corridor north of Interstate 94 and east of Highway 83, where bulk shear is forecast to be around 40-45 knots. This is also the area where SRH is expected to be strongest around 150 m2/s2, so threat for a few tornadoes and the largest hail will likely be in the region generally from Bismarck to northeast North Dakota. A few discrete supercells are expected initially, likely in central North Dakota, as deep layer shear is more perpendicular to the boundary. This is when the greatest threat for tornadoes and large hail will be, before the anvil-level shear begins to dominate storm mode and upscale growth is favored. This will lead to more of a cluster-type storm mode, likely in front of and along the boundary. This upscale growth, combined with very high precipitable water values, gives concern for very heavy rainfall with training possible along the boundary as the low-level jet continues to push into southern ND, helping convection continue. Therefore, have issued a Flash Flood Watch for parts of southwest and south central North Dakota in anticipation of this. As the night continues and the storm mode continues to get more multicellular, expecting the severe threat to slowly decrease. However, still anticipating plenty of rainfall and possible thunderstorms across western and central North Dakota as the slow-moving low pressure center becomes stacked with a low aloft. This is forecast to quickly deepen and keep precipitation around through all of Tuesday. Any thunderstorms are likely to be on the east side of the surface low with some instability still present, but severe threat is marginal at best. As the boundary from today passes, Tuesday's temperatures will be cooler than today's, with highs in the upper 60s in western North Dakota. .LONG TERM...(Tuesday night through Monday) Issued at 117 PM CDT Mon Jul 8 2019 The long term forecast is highlighted by summerlike temperatures and a few chances for showers and thunderstorms. As the stacked surface low progresses east of the forecast area, rain will continue overnight Tuesday and slowly taper off west to east by Wednesday morning. From there, upper-level ridging begins to dominate over a strong high pressure in the southwestern US. Wednesday and Thursday look to be mostly dry and warming up from Tuesday's cooler temperatures. Some showers and thunderstorms are possible for the end of the work week and into the weekend with some shortwave impulses moving through the upper-level flow, but the overall pattern looks to be relatively consistent through the extended forecast. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Tuesday afternoon) Issued at 1238 PM CDT Mon Jul 8 2019 Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected at KBIS/KJMS/KDIK later this afternoon and evening, and possibly at KMOT. All severe hazards are possible including heavy rain. Winds will be sustained around 10 mph with gusty winds around showers and thunderstorms. Risk of thunderstorms decreases overnight but rain showers are expected to continue through tomorrow across much of western and central North Dakota. Low MVFR ceiling is likely to move in early tomorrow morning with these showers. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch from 5 PM CDT /4 PM MDT/ this afternoon through Tuesday morning for NDZ019>023-033>036-041-042-044>047- 050. && SHORT TERM...MJ LONG TERM...MJ AVIATION...MJ
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Bismarck ND 124 PM CDT Mon Jul 8 2019 NDZ019>023-033>036-041-042-044>047-050-091830- Mercer-Oliver-McLean-Sheridan-Wells-Stark-Morton-Burleigh-Kidder- Hettinger-Grant-Adams-Sioux-Emmons-Logan-McIntosh- 124 PM CDT Mon Jul 8 2019 /1224 PM MDT Mon Jul 8 2019/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of south central North Dakota, southeast North Dakota, and southwest North Dakota. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Isolated thunderstorms this morning, then more widespread storms developing this afternoon and continuing tonight. Some of the storms later this afternoon and tonight will be severe and with very heavy rain. A Flash Flood Watch has been issued for this evening and tonight. A few tornadoes, large hail up to tennis ball size, and damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph are all possible along with the very heavy rain. The highest risk for tornadoes and the largest hail is north of Interstate 94 and east of Highway 83. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday Thunderstorms are forecast for Tuesday, Thursday night, and over the coming weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters will be needed from later this afternoon and at least until midnight tonight. Report all tornadoes, hail, storm wind gusts of 40 mph or higher, any pooling of rain water, and rain amounts to your National Weather Service in Bismarck. More experienced spotters should report information related to storm structure as well. NDZ001>005-009>013-017-018-025-031-032-037-040-043-048-051-091830- Divide-Burke-Renville-Bottineau-Rolette-Williams-Mountrail-Ward- McHenry-Pierce-McKenzie-Dunn-Foster-Golden Valley-Billings- Stutsman-Slope-Bowman-La Moure-Dickey- 124 PM CDT Mon Jul 8 2019 /1224 PM MDT Mon Jul 8 2019/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central North Dakota, northwest North Dakota, southeast North Dakota, and southwest North Dakota. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Isolated thunderstorms this morning, then more widespread storms developing this afternoon and continuing tonight. Some of the storms later this afternoon and tonight will be severe and with very heavy rain. A few tornadoes, large hail up to tennis ball size, and damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph are all possible along with the very heavy rain. The highest risk for tornadoes and the largest hail is north of Interstate 94 and east of Highway 83. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday Thunderstorms are forecast for Tuesday, Thursday night, and over the coming weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters will be needed from later this afternoon and at least until midnight tonight. Report all tornadoes, hail, storm wind gusts of 40 mph or higher, any pooling of rain water, and rain amounts to your National Weather Service in Bismarck. More experienced spotters should report information related to storm structure as well. MJ
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
852 AM CDT MON JUL 8 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM HEAVY RAIN 7 N DUNSEITH 48.92N 100.07W
07/08/2019 M0.98 INCH ROLETTE ND COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION ND-RL-7 DUNSEITH 7.4 N.
&&
AESpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Bismarck ND 132 PM CDT Mon Jul 8 2019 NDZ019-020-081900- Oliver ND-Mercer ND- 132 PM CDT Mon Jul 8 2019 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT WESTERN OLIVER AND SOUTHERN MERCER COUNTIES UNTIL 200 PM CDT... At 132 PM CDT, a strong thunderstorm was located 8 miles south of Beulah, moving northeast at 15 mph. Nickel size hail and wind gusts to 40 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Hazen, Center, Stanton and Hannover. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. LAT...LON 4698 10195 4711 10202 4742 10144 4702 10123 TIME...MOT...LOC 1832Z 237DEG 13KT 4714 10178 EDWARDS
The Bismarck radar (KBIS), 91 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:52 UTC.
15 hail, 3 flash flood, 2 tornado, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The tornado touched down north of Hazen, and based on the very minor damage that occurred was rated EF-0.
The tornado touched down in northern Sheridan County west of Martin, and based on the very minor damage that occurred was rated EF-0.
The public estimated thunderstorm wind gusts of 60 mph.
Crop damage occurred with the large hail.
A trained spotter estimated thunderstorm wind gusts of 60 mph.
Heavy rain occurred in Bismarck, with up to two inches of rain falling in parts of the city in 30 minutes. Water was flowing over curbs in many locations, and in parts of south Bismarck buildings in lower lying areas took on water in their basements. Two feet of rushing water through some streets caused dangerous driving conditions.
Between five and six inches of rain fell over parts of southern Emmons County. This led to deep water running over sections of U.S. Highway 83, blocking the highway. There were wash outs on some county roads.
Flash flooding resulted in a section of BIA Road 3, locally known as the Kenel Road which connects with ND Highway 1806, being washed out at the crossing with Joe Bush Creek. The culvert washed out and the road collapsed. Four vehicles drove into the washout and resulted in two fatalities and two injuries.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood, Sioux | 2019-07-09 | 65 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
| Flash Flood, Sioux | 2019-07-09 | 60 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for North Dakota, 2019Warnings in North Dakota, July 2019
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: 831869, 827461, 827463, 831885, 827464, 827465, 827466, 827467, 827468, 827469, 831917, 831918, 831919, 831920, 831921, 831922, 831923, 831928, 831932, 831933, 831943, 831940.