An isolated supercell thunderstorm developed over Bottineau County, producing a tornado and reported one-inch diameter hail. The tornado touched down in an open field southeast of Landa.
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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.
An isolated supercell thunderstorm developed over Bottineau County, producing a tornado and reported one-inch diameter hail. The tornado touched down in an open field southeast of Landa. The tornado impacted no structures and so there was no damage to evaluate, thus rated EF-Unknown.
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 May 17, 5:42 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Bismarck ND 642 PM CDT Tue May 17 2022 .UPDATE... Issued at 642 PM CDT Tue May 17 2022 Scattered thunderstorms have been developing on a line from western Sioux up through Bottineau counties. Some of these storms may become strong in nature producing hail up to nickel size. Present expectation is that storms will weaken and dissipate as they head further east over the next few hours. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday) Issued at 355 PM CDT Tue May 17 2022 The main concern for the short term period is a slight chance of strong to possibly severe thunderstorms across central North Dakota late this afternoon and evening. At 2030 UTC, radar and satellite imagery showed scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms developing along a meridional surface trough in southwest North Dakota. SPC mesoanalysis shows a corridor of mostly uncapped SBCAPE around 1000 J/kg along the surface trough, with effective bulk shear around 25-30 kts. This parameter space combined with a relatively dry moisture profile could support large hail and strong wind gusts approaching severe criteria. While this threat exists from the Canadian to South Dakota borders, current trends would suggest that the most likely location for a marginally severe storm is along and south of Interstate 94, between Highway 85 and the Missouri River. Both satellite observations and rapid refresh guidance suggest stronger boundary layer stability along and east of the Missouri River over south central North Dakota, so think that the threat for stronger storms should greatly diminish if they approach this area. With the loss of diurnal heating, showers and thunderstorms are forecast to diminish by the overnight hours. However, the base of a mid level wave crossing southern Canada could prolong a few showers north of Highway 2 through the night. Overall, a quiet night is expected, with lows in the mid 40s to lower 50s. The mid level energy over southern Canada is forecast to dig into North Dakota on Wednesday. Isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible across north central into eastern North Dakota Wednesday morning and afternoon. Strong deep layer shear could allow a few storms to become strong, but both instability and buoyancy are forecast to decrease from west to east through the afternoon. The other concern for Wednesday will be windy conditions during the day. A strong pressure gradient combined with steep low level lapse rates could mix mean BL winds around 30-35 kts down to the surface, but weak cold air advection and pressure rises should preclude higher gusts from occurring. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Tuesday) Issued at 355 PM CDT Tue May 17 2022 Highlights for the long term period include well below normal temperatures Thursday through the weekend, and widespread precipitation Thursday through Friday. Daily minimum temperatures near freezing could allow snow to mix with rain late Thursday night and Friday morning, and widespread frost to develop during the overnight and early morning hours this weekend. A closed upper low is forecast to move across the Northern Plains on Thursday, with strong Q-vector convergence and DCVA generating widespread rain showers. Cold air advection associated with the lowering heights may cause thermal profiles to sufficiently cool enough for snow to mix with the rain across higher terrain areas of western and north central North Dakota late Thursday night into Friday morning. A dusting of snow may accumulate on grassy surfaces, but would quickly melt by late morning. Cyclonic flow trailing the main trough axis could prolong some lighter showers through Friday, and this pattern could repeat itself on Saturday as well. Anomalously low heights, cloud cover, and precipitation will keep daytime highs well below normal through the end of the week. This is especially the case on Friday when highs will struggle to reach 50, and could be limited to the lower 40s in the Turtle Mountains. The NBM displays high confidence in overnight temperatures dropping into the lower and mid 30s both Friday and Saturday nights, although the potential for cloud cover stemming from persistent cyclonic flow does introduce a layer of uncertainty. It still seems likely that widespread frost and a possible freeze will need to at least be considered for potential hazards this weekend. An active pattern looks to continue into next week, with temperatures slowly moderating back to near normal. A couple of deeper troughs are apparent in deterministic data, but there is considerable ensemble spread, as can be expected at these time ranges. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Wednesday evening) Issued at 642 PM CDT Tue May 17 2022 VFR ceilings and visibilities are expected through the TAF period. A line of thunderstorms just west of KBIS are heading in a southeastward direction and are likely to pass through the area over the next couple hours. While any thunderstorms are ongoing, reductions in ceilings and visibility are to be expected, as well as erratic wind gusts. Otherwise, gusty northwest winds will develop over the area Wednesday afternoon. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && UPDATE...Telken SHORT TERM...Hollan LONG TERM...Hollan AVIATION...Telken
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Bismarck ND 537 PM CDT Tue May 17 2022 NDZ002>004-010>012-018>022-033>035-041-042-044>046-182245- Burke-Renville-Bottineau-Mountrail-Ward-McHenry-Dunn-Mercer- Oliver-McLean-Sheridan-Stark-Morton-Burleigh-Hettinger-Grant- Adams-Sioux-Emmons- 537 PM CDT Tue May 17 2022 /437 PM MDT Tue May 17 2022/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central North Dakota, northwest North Dakota, south central North Dakota, and southwest North Dakota. .DAY ONE...Tonight Isolated thunderstorms are possible through early evening. The strongest storms could become severe, with large hail up to the size of quarters and wind gusts as high as 60 mph. The overall coverage of thunderstorms is expected to remain low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected. NDZ001-005-009-013-017-023-025-031-032-036-037-040-043-047-048- 050-051-182245- Divide-Rolette-Williams-Pierce-McKenzie-Wells-Foster- Golden Valley-Billings-Kidder-Stutsman-Slope-Bowman-Logan- La Moure-McIntosh-Dickey- 537 PM CDT Tue May 17 2022 /437 PM MDT Tue May 17 2022/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central North Dakota, northwest North Dakota, south central North Dakota, southeast North Dakota, and southwest North Dakota. .DAY ONE...Tonight The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. Telken
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
601 PM CDT Tue May 17 2022
NDZ004-172330-
Bottineau ND-
601 PM CDT Tue May 17 2022
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL
BOTTINEAU COUNTY THROUGH 630 PM CDT...
At 601 PM CDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Antler, or 21
miles northeast of Mohall, moving east at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts to 40 mph and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Westhope.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 4900 10089 4883 10093 4895 10128 4900 10128
TIME...MOT...LOC 2301Z 277DEG 19KT 4898 10119
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
TELKENSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
710 PM CDT Tue May 17 2022
NDZ004-180100-
Bottineau ND-
710 PM CDT Tue May 17 2022
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PORTIONS OF NORTHEASTERN
BOTTINEAU COUNTY THROUGH 800 PM CDT...
At 710 PM CDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Souris, or 15
miles northwest of Bottineau, moving east at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts to 40 mph and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
This strong thunderstorm will be near...
Souris around 720 PM CDT.
Other locations in the path of this storm include Bottineau and Lake
Metigoshe State Park.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 4900 10028 4877 10035 4890 10095 4900 10094
TIME...MOT...LOC 0010Z 277DEG 16KT 4893 10076
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
TELKENThe Minot AFB radar (KMBX), 52 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:49 UTC.
4 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
The tornado touched down in an open field southeast of Landa. The tornado impacted no structures and so there was no damage to evaluate. By National Weather Service policy the tornado is rated EF Unknown.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for North Dakota, 2022Warnings in North Dakota, May 2022
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: 1022860, 1022861, 1022862, 1022863, 1022864.