North Dakota, 2020

Hail and Damaging Winds in North Dakota, July 10, 2020

July 10, 2020 · NWS BIS · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

Thunderstorms developed ahead of a potent upper level short-wave trough over western North Dakota. Some storms became severe over southwest North Dakota producing large hail and strong wind gusts.

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
5

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 ahead of a potent upper level short-wave trough over western North Dakota. Some storms became severe over southwest North Dakota producing large hail and strong wind gusts. The largest hail was the size of a ping pong ball, and fell in Stark County. The strongest thunderstorm wind gust was estimated at 65 mph, which occurred in Golden Valley 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 10, 12:35 PM MST, 51 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 10, 12:35 PM MST, 51 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 10, 12:43 PM MST, 43 minutes before
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The radar

The Bismarck radar (KBIS), 246 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:25 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Golden Valley

When
July 10, 1:26 PM MST to 1:28 PM MST
Where
Golden Valley County, 0.84 mi NW of Golva
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.740, -103.990

Thunderstorm Wind, Golden Valley

When
July 10, 1:36 PM MST to 1:39 PM MST
Where
Golden Valley County, 8.99 mi ESE of Golva
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.660, -103.820

Thunderstorm wind gusts of 65 mph were estimated by a trained spotter.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hettinger

When
July 10, 3:45 PM MST to 3:47 PM MST
Where
Hettinger County, 3.49 mi N of Bentley
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
46.380, -102.060

Hail, Stark

When
July 10, 4:49 PM MST to 4:52 PM MST
Where
Stark County, 0.84 mi NW of Belfield
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.890, -103.210

Hail, Stark

When
July 10, 4:51 PM MST to 4:54 PM MST
Where
Stark County, Belfield
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.880, -103.200

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 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, July 2020

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: 906496, 906497, 906498, 906499, 906500.