A low pressure over the Northern Plains, combined with a moist and unstable air mass, led to a conditional threat of severe thunderstorms as an upper level jet streak moved over North Dakota. Thunderstorms developed in the early afternoon along a quasi-stationary surface trough that was placed across central North Dakota.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
A low pressure over the Northern Plains, combined with a moist and unstable air mass, led to a conditional threat of severe thunderstorms as an upper level jet streak moved over North Dakota. Thunderstorms developed in the early afternoon along a quasi-stationary surface trough that was placed across central North Dakota. Numerous large hail and damaging thunderstorm wind gusts were reported across southwest and central North Dakota through the afternoon and evening as storms moved through. The largest hail reported was 2.25 inches in diameter in Max in McLean County. The strongest wind gust was also measured in McLean County, with a 77 mph wind gust reported at a US Air Force Weather station just south of Max.
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 Jun 29, 12:07 PM CST, 2 hours 22 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Bismarck ND 107 PM CDT Mon Jun 29 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Isolated to scattered severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening, especially in central to eastern portions of the state. Main hazards will be hail up to 2 inches in diameter and wind gusts up to 70 mph, with an isolated tornado threat. - A gradual warming trend is expected through Friday with above average highs favored. A cooling trend back to near average highs is then favored for the holiday weekend. - Scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible as early as Thursday lasting through the holiday weekend. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 104 PM CDT Mon Jun 29 2026 An impressive upper level trough sat over Montana and Wyoming early this afternoon with a jet rounding the base into the northern high plains. A surface low is centered over the central to eastern Dakotas, which will lift northeast as the upper jet continues to eject out over the plains through the evening. A lower level moisture gradient is a highlight of today's setup with 17Z surface dew points sitting at around 70 degrees in the warm sector, mainly near and east of a line that cuts north- south through the state (roughly going through Bismarck and just east of Minot). West of this line low level moisture is notably lower with a few non-severe thunderstorms rolling through this morning. Scattered convection is expected to redevelop this afternoon under the influence of the ejecting upper jet/trough. This incoming jet aloft will provide strong shear in the 50-60kt range with the wwarm sector's rich moisture bringing a conditional opportinity for adequate instability for severe weather. Early morning convection made the instability potential somewhat uncertain, though satellite trends at 17Z show pockets of clearing which should allow for an increasing trend in surface based instability. Supercells with the threat of very large hail and damaging wind gusts will be the primary threat, at least initially until some clustering and upscale growth likely occurs. A tornado threat will also accompany thunderstorms, especially towards the eastern portions of the state. The intensity of the overall wind shear cannot be understated and will allow for any storm that can tap into richer low level moisture to produce hail exceeding 2 inches in diameter or wind gusts exceeding 70 mph. As mentioned before the coverage may partially depend on how well earlier stratus can clear, with lingering clouds preventing full destabilization. Several rounds of severe convection will be possible as the upper level trough swings through late this evening. The thunderstorm threat will likely linger longest across the far north before exiting around or just after midnight. On Tuesday the upper low will be well over the southern Canadian plains with drier westerly flow across North Dakota. Windy west winds of 20-30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph will be common with highs from the mid 70s northwest to mid 80s far southeast. Flow on Wednesday remains westerly, though less windy than Tuesday. There is rising confidence among deterministic and machine learning guidance in convection and severe weather potential returning as early as Thursday, though where the strongest storms set up in the state is still dependant on uncertain moisture return. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 1242 PM CDT Mon Jun 29 2026 Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected today through the evening, with severe thunderstorms possible across central and eastern North Dakota. Thunderstorm threat should taper off from south to north through the evening. IFR stratus should gradually lift somewhat at KJMS through the afternoon but this may be a slow process. Otherwise, IFR ceilings/visibility and erratic winds possible with any thunderstorm, with severe weather possible near and east of a KMOT-KBIS line. Surface winds turn west/southwest through the evening then increase after 09Z. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && DISCUSSION...Edwards AVIATION...Edwards
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Bismarck ND 113 PM CDT Mon Jun 29 2026 NDZ003>005-012-013-019-020-022-023-025-033-035>037-041-042-044- 046>048-050-051-056>062-301815- Renville-Bottineau-Rolette-McHenry-Pierce-Mercer-Oliver-Sheridan- Wells-Foster-Stark-Burleigh-Kidder-Stutsman-Hettinger-Grant-Adams- Emmons-Logan-La Moure-McIntosh-Dickey- Central and Southern Ward/Minot Area-Western McLean- Eastern McLean-Western Morton-Eastern Morton-Western Sioux- Eastern Sioux- 113 PM CDT Mon Jun 29 2026 /1213 PM MDT Mon Jun 29 2026/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central North Dakota, south central North Dakota, southeast North Dakota, and southwest North Dakota. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Isolated to scattered severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening. Main hazards will be hail up to 2 inches in diameter and wind gusts up to 70 mph, along with an isolated tornado threat. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are asked to provide reports to the NWS using standard procedures, including through our social media accounts. NDZ001-002-009-010-017-018-031-032-040-043-055-301815- Divide-Burke-Williams-Mountrail-McKenzie-Dunn-Golden Valley- Billings-Slope-Bowman-Northwest Ward- 113 PM CDT Mon Jun 29 2026 /1213 PM MDT Mon Jun 29 2026/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central North Dakota, northwest North Dakota, and southwest North Dakota. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are asked to provide reports to the NWS using standard procedures, including through our social media accounts.
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
1217 PM CDT Mon Jun 29 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0900 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 5 NNW Trenton 48.14N 103.87W
06/27/2026 Williams ND Emergency Mngr
Emergency manager reports a nearly mile wide
neighborhood west of Williston with
significant storm damage. Notes debris in a
southwest to northeast orientation. Notable
damage includes two home with roofs uplifted
and partially blown off. One roof blown 100
yards away. Other damage includes sheds,
enclosed trailers, and campers damaged or
destroyed. Some tree damage also noted.
Winds estimated at 97 mph based indicated
damage. Time estimated based on radar.
&&
JAAPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
1224 PM CDT Mon Jun 29 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1230 AM Hail 6 SSW Orrin 48.02N 100.24W
06/29/2026 E2.00 Inch McHenry ND Trained Spotter
Time estimated by radar.
&&
JAAThe Bismarck radar (KBIS), 11 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:29 UTC.
14 hail, 8 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Mandan NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 63 mph.
One window on house was broken.
Garrison ASOS reported wind gusts up to 62 mph.
Max NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 70 mph.
US Air Force weather station reported wind gusts up to 77 mph.
Sawyer NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 59 mph.
Personal weather station measured wind gusts up to 60 mph.
Multiple sources reported a funnel cloud west of Mott. Photo showed funnel about halfway to the ground. Exact location estimated from radar.
Rugby AWOS station reported wind gusts up to 63 mph.
Rolla AWOS station reported wind gusts up to 60 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, June 2026
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: 1351912, 1351913, 1351925, 1351926, 1351927, 1351928, 1351929, 1351931, 1351932, 1351936, 1351939, 1351941, 1351943, 1351944, 1351945, 1351930, 1351946, 1351947, 1351948, 1358014, 1351949, 1351951, 1351954.