North Dakota, 2024

Hail and Damaging Wind in North Dakota, September 16, 2024

September 16, 2024 · NWS BIS · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

Thunderstorms developed along a gradient of strong instability as the nose of a strong low level jet lifted to the north through central and western North Dakota, with some storms becoming severe. The largest hail, which was the size of golf balls, occurred to the west of Pick City in Mercer County.

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 along a gradient of strong instability as the nose of a strong low level jet lifted to the north through central and western North Dakota, with some storms becoming severe. The largest hail, which was the size of golf balls, occurred to the west of Pick City in Mercer County. The strongest wind gust of 72 mph occurred at the Hettinger Airport in Adams 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 Sep 15, 11:20 PM CST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 15, 11:20 PM CST, 1 hour 10 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 15, 11:23 PM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 15, 11:55 PM CST, 35 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
1255 AM CDT Mon Sep 16 2024

NDZ021-022-160630-
McLean ND-Sheridan ND-
1255 AM CDT Mon Sep 16 2024

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT WEST CENTRAL SHERIDAN AND
NORTHEASTERN MCLEAN COUNTIES THROUGH 130 AM CDT...

At 1255 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Turtle Lake, or 29 miles east of Garrison, moving north at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Turtle Lake and Mercer.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 4745 10068 4748 10098 4775 10089 4766 10043
TIME...MOT...LOC 0555Z 201DEG 16KT 4751 10083

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

TELKEN
Special weather statement, Sep 15, 11:57 PM CST, 33 minutes before
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The radar

The Minot AFB radar (KMBX), 81 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, McLean

When
September 16, 12:30 AM CST to 12:33 AM CST
Where
McLean County, 10.36 mi S of Butte
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
47.680, -100.670

Hail, Mercer

When
September 16, 12:30 AM CST to 12:33 AM CST
Where
Mercer County, 3.93 mi SSW of Pick City
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
Storm Chaser
Coordinates
47.470, -101.510

Hail, Mercer

When
September 16, 12:58 AM CST to 1:00 AM CST
Where
Mercer County, 6.11 mi W of Pick City
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
47.510, -101.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Adams

When
September 16, 12:30 AM MST to 12:33 AM MST
Where
Adams County, Hettinger Arpt
Measured
63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
46.020, -102.650

Hail, Mercer

When
September 16, 2:30 AM CST to 2:32 AM CST
Where
Mercer County, 18.57 mi SSW of Beulah
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
47.010, -101.880

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 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, September 2024

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1215378, 1215379, 1215381, 1215380, 1215382.