On the evening of August 24th, severe storms passed through the Devils Lake Basin causing wind damage near Devils Lake.
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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 FGF wrote it up.
On the evening of August 24th, severe storms passed through the Devils Lake Basin causing wind damage near Devils Lake.
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 Grand Forks, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 24, 5:31 PM CST, 46 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 631 PM CDT Thu Aug 24 2023 .UPDATE... Issued at 620 PM CDT Thu Aug 24 2023 Storms continue to move into the Devils Lake Basin this evening and stretch down through Bismarck. A few storms could be strong to severe, with the potential for ping pong size hail and winds up to 60mph. As the evening progresses, the hail threat decreases and we turn toward damaging winds as the main threat. Current HI Res guidance has the storms becoming more linear as they approach the Red River Valley this evening. Time frame for this is around 02-05z. We will continue to monitor through the evening. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Friday night) Issued at 257 PM CDT Thu Aug 24 2023 Key Messages: - There is high confidence in thunderstorms within our area this afternoon into evening, some of which will be strong to severe, including supercells. Main hazards with severe storms are large hail up to the size of ping pong balls and wind gusts to 60 mph. - Best chance for severe thunderstorms this afternoon resides within eastern North Dakota, particularly in Devils Lake basin, of which will initially be supercells/multicells keeping large hail and severe wind gusts at the forefront of hazards. An expected transition to to more bowing segments/linear mode into the Red River Valley and northwest Minnesota should limit hail potential while pushing severe wind gusts to the forefront of hazards. Discussion: Severe thunderstorms have developed in central North Dakota among an area of synoptic forcing via upper divergence/diffluence within a mid-upper jet streak at the base of an upper trough still within SK per water vapor imagery. While this convection is starting elevated, continued destabilization of the boundary layer ahead of a surface trough pushing west through North Dakota will help convection become more surface based, if it already hasn't. While storms do not appear to be attached or sparked by the surface trough/frontal boundary moving through the area, this forcing mechanism will still be a focus for additional convection throughout the afternoon and evening, in addition to the broader area of upper divergence. Shear vector and storm motions with respect to orientation of forcing mechanisms should initially support splitting supercells and multicells through at least 6 PM near/within the Devils Lake basin. Strong unidirectional shear, weak lowest level shear, high LCLs above 1.5 km, and steep lapse rates aloft would support large hail and local areas of damaging winds/downdrafts as main hazards. While a brief tornado cannot be ruled out solely based on the presence of mesocyclones/supercells and/or interacting cells, this is not anticipated as a main hazard given such high LCLs and the expectation of robust downdrafts to quickly whisk away residence time for sustained tornadogenesis. With the initial window for discrete supercells and multicells into Devils Lake basin generally before 6 PM CDT a Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for this area during this timeframe. We will continue to monitor the potential for continued severe thunderstorms east and south of Devils Lake basin within the Red River Valley into Minnesota after 6 PM CDT. After around 6 PM CDT, anticipation is for storm mode to transition from discrete supercells and multicells to more bowing segments/linear complex as storms interact with each other to promote cold pool merging, as well as further increasing synoptic forcing as the main upper trough approaches closer to our area, turning main hazards away from hail and gusty winds toward mostly gusty winds late this afternoon into evening within the rest of eastern North Dakota into northwest Minnesota. Additionally ,there is a chance that strong to severe bowing segments could extend overnight tonight after 10 pm within Minnesota given recent guidance lingering instability ahead of the forcing/convection collocated within strong shear parallel to storm motions. However confidence in overnight severe potential is low due to uncertainty in storms overturning the environment beforehand. By Friday, the front moves through the area bringing milder temperatures, drier air, and breezy northerly winds. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Thursday) Issued at 257 PM CDT Thu Aug 24 2023 Ensemble guidance indicates northwesterly flow aloft, with some potential for embedded shortwave troughs to move through the flow. One shortwave trough in particular around Sunday brings a chance for showers and thunderstorms, although the chance for widespread hazardous weather associated with this trough is low, less than 10%. With this synoptic regime, anticipate near average temperatures, with brief periods of slightly above and below average temperatures ahead and behind frontal boundaries, respectively. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Friday evening) Issued at 620 PM CDT Thu Aug 24 2023 Isolated strong thunderstorms are moving through the DVL Basin this evening. A few have the potential to become severe. Storms are associated with a front that will continue to pass through the region overnight. -SHRA and possible TS for GFK and TVF around 01-03z and BJI around 04-12z. DVL will see medium chances for -SHRA and TS now through 05z. FAR will have the possible VCTS at times through 12z. Any thunderstorms that moves over a site could bring erratic winds and BKN cloud decks around 10kft. After the showers and storms pass winds will switch to the north (around 12-17z). 17-19z winds increase toward 15-20kts, with gusts approaching 25kts for TVF, DVL, and GFK. Gusts in FAR could reach 20kts. Skies will be mostly clear, with a FEW clouds post 18z. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...None. MN...None. && UPDATE...Spender SHORT TERM...CJ LONG TERM...CJ AVIATION...Spender
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 144 PM CDT Thu Aug 24 2023 MNZ001>009-013>016-022-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-038-039-054- 251845- West Polk-Norman-Clay-Kittson-Roseau-Lake Of The Woods- West Marshall-East Marshall-North Beltrami-Pennington-Red Lake- East Polk-North Clearwater-Mahnomen-Towner-Cavalier-Pembina- Benson-Ramsey-Eastern Walsh-Eddy-Nelson-Grand Forks-Griggs-Steele- Traill-Barnes-Cass-Western Walsh- 144 PM CDT Thu Aug 24 2023 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North Dakota, west central and northwest Minnesota. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Isolated to scattered severe thunderstorms are expected across the region this evening and tonight. The main hazards will be up to 60 MPH wind gusts and ping pong ball sized hail. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated. MNZ017-023-024-027>032-040-NDZ049-052-053-251845- South Beltrami-South Clearwater-Hubbard-West Becker-East Becker- Wilkin-West Otter Tail-East Otter Tail-Wadena-Grant-Ransom- Sargent-Richland- 144 PM CDT Thu Aug 24 2023 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North Dakota, west central and northwest Minnesota. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
649 PM CDT Thu Aug 24 2023
NDZ014-250015-
Benson ND-
649 PM CDT Thu Aug 24 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southwestern Benson
County through 715 PM CDT...
At 649 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Esmond, or 43 miles west of Devils Lake, moving east at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 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...
Esmond.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CDT for
northeastern North Dakota.
&&
LAT...LON 4807 9985 4814 9968 4788 9957 4785 9981
4802 9981 4802 9985
TIME...MOT...LOC 2349Z 261DEG 16KT 4795 9979
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
KentThe Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 130 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:17 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Broadcast media relayed report and pictures of a gas station canopy on a vehicle downed by thunderstorm wind gusts near Saint Michael. Time estimated from radar.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, August 2023
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: 1133087.