Tornadoes and Hail in North Dakota, June 27, 2024

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
450 PM CDT Thu Jun 27 2024

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Numerous severe thunderstorms (risk level 3 out of 5) are
  expected across the western half of the state between 4 PM CDT
  this afternoon and 2 AM CDT late tonight.

- Initial storms developing in western North Dakota during the
  late afternoon and early evening hours will be capable of
  producing very large hail up to baseball ball size, damaging
  winds up to 70 mph, and a few tornadoes. Trends are suggesting
  that the southwest will have a more favorable environment than
  the northwest.

- Storms may then develop into a line during the evening and
  overnight hours and move through western and into central
  North Dakota. Should this line develop, it will be capable of
  producing significant damaging winds as high as 80 mph.

- The threat for severe weather greatly diminishes along the
  Highway 281 corridor, but isolated severe storms (risk level 1
  out of 5) are still possible there later tonight.

&&

.UPDATE...
Issued at 450 PM CDT Thu Jun 27 2024

Update for the issuance of a Tornado Watch for most of western
North Dakota until 10 PM CDT.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 207 PM CDT Thu Jun 27 2024

The biggest forecast challenge remains the enhanced risk for severe
weather late this afternoon into tonight.

A warm frontal boundary with a NNW to SSE orientation off east
Montana surface low pressure should trigger thunderstorms late
this afternoon. Initially, this will result in a near
perpendicular orientation of the 0 to 6 km bulk shear and the
frontal boundary. As a result, there will likely be a few
supercells that develop in eastern Montana and/or western North
Dakota late this afternoon. Very quickly, trailing cold frontal
boundary will begin to occlude the front and bulk shear will
switch out of the southwest. This should result in thunderstorms
rapidly becoming clustered and then potentially linear.

All threats remain on the table during the supercell phase. As the
frontal boundary occludes, the triple point is progged to slide
from northwest to southeast mainly across southwestern North
Dakota, or rather, somewhere south and west of the Missouri
River. Or, potentially across far northwestern South Dakota.
The exact path of the triple point is uncertain, however, this
will be the area where tornadoes are most favored to occur as
highlighted by the highest sig tor parameter values. In regard
to very large hail, with a ribbon of instability potentially
reaching as high as 4000 J/kg co-located with 50 kts of 0 to 6
km bulk shear and strong anvil level winds, hail up to the size
of baseballs is entirely possible.

Of note, one major factor also favoring the southwest more so
than the northwest for discrete cells this afternoon is that
thick low level stratus is present over most of the area, except
the far southwest. This will help erode any capping that is in
place. At present, billow clouds are observable on satellite
that highlight things are presently stable with high shear. One
thing we will be watching for is when billow clouds begin to
dissipate and vertical agitation occurs. That will suggest
thunderstorms might fire within the next couple hours.

As storms begin to cluster and potentially line out during the
evening and move towards Highway 83, the tornado threat will
decrease as will the hail threat, although the straight line
wind risk may increase (up to 80 mph gusts possible). Hail up
to the size of ping pong balls and strong winds up to 80 mph are
possible mainly between areas along and east of Highway 83 and
west of Highway 281. As storms approach Highway 281 and areas
east, the threat will become mainly 70 mph winds, perhaps with
hail up to the size of quarters. All that said, there are
questions as to whether or not severe storms will have trouble
penetrating further east tonight, especially for locations east
of Highway 83, due to aforementioned thick low level stratus
that may hinder higher instability.

Conditions should be mostly dry Friday morning before another
shortwave off southern Canadian upper low pressure brings
additional showers and thunderstorms to the area on Friday.
Locations most likely to see additional rainfall Friday are
those in the north. Generally speaking, severe weather is not
anticipated, although there is a marginal risk for Rolette
County and clipping eastern Dickey and Bottineau Counties.
Saturday should then be dry and cold for this time of year with
highs mostly in the 60s. Slightly warmer temperatures are then
expected for next week with highs mostly in the low 70s to low
80s. Showers and thunderstorms are then likely to return by late
Sunday night and into early next week. A few storms may be
severe.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 1259 PM CDT Thu Jun 27 2024

MVFR ceilings are present over most of western through central
ND. A few showers, along with an occasional rumble of thunder,
persist over parts of central ND. A more organized severe threat
is still expected to develop in the west later this afternoon
and rapidly progress eastward through the day. Initial
development could see all threats on the table including hail up
to the size of baseballs, 60 kt wind gusts, and a few
tornadoes. As storms become more linear in the evening, wind
gusts up to 70 kt will become the primary threat. TSRA and very
large variable wind speeds were used in TAFs to depict the most
likely timeframe for severe weather at a particular terminal.

&&

.BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

UPDATE...Jones
DISCUSSION...Telken
AVIATION...Telken

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
218 PM CDT Thu Jun 27 2024

NDZ001>004-009>012-017>022-031>035-040>046-281930-
Divide-Burke-Renville-Bottineau-Williams-Mountrail-Ward-McHenry-
McKenzie-Dunn-Mercer-Oliver-McLean-Sheridan-Golden Valley-
Billings-Stark-Morton-Burleigh-Slope-Hettinger-Grant-Bowman-Adams-
Sioux-Emmons-
218 PM CDT Thu Jun 27 2024 /118 PM MDT Thu Jun 27 2024/

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...This Afternoon and Tonight

Numerous severe thunderstorms (risk level 3 out of 5) are expected
late this afternoon through this evening. Expected hazards
include very large hail up to baseball ball size, damaging winds
as high as 80 mph, and a few tornadoes.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will be needed this afternoon and evening.

NDZ005-013-023-025-036-037-047-048-050-051-281930-
Rolette-Pierce-Wells-Foster-Kidder-Stutsman-Logan-La Moure-
McIntosh-Dickey-
218 PM CDT Thu Jun 27 2024

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central
North Dakota, south central North Dakota, and southeast North
Dakota.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight

Isolated to scattered severe thunderstorms are expected this
evening through tonight. Expected hazards include large hail up to
quarter size and damaging winds as high as 70 mph.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will be needed tonight.

Telken