A severe thunderstorm developed northwest of Grand Forks, ND near Mekinock, ND during the late afternoon.
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The episode as NWS FGF wrote it up.
A severe thunderstorm developed northwest of Grand Forks, ND near Mekinock, ND during the late afternoon.
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 Jun 3, 1:39 PM CST, 3 hours 39 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 239 PM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - There is a level 2 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening over the central and southern Red River Valley as well as portions of southeastern North Dakota. A level 1 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms for northeastern North Dakota and parts of northwestern and west central Minnesota. - Heat returns for the weekend. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 239 PM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 ...Synopsis... The main upper low continues to slowly rotate over southern Saskatchewan, eventually pulling into southern Manitoba tonight. The slow forward progression of the upper system will help move the surface trough axis currently over the Dakotas off into MN overnight. The upper low will continue to push off into Ontario tomorrow, with many ensemble members showing a weak embedded shortwave near the SD/ND border. Best instability will be well to our south thanks to the surface trough axis moving into eastern MN into SD. Could see some edges of convection straying into our far south tomorrow, but think most of the severe risk will be in SD and MN. Similar story on Friday with a weak shortwave trailing behind the main upper low, but most of the best instability will be to our south. Upper ridging builds back into the Plains on Saturday and moves a bit east into the Great Lakes on Sunday. Sunday night into the first part of next week, southwesterly flow aloft returns to the Northern Plains, with various weak shortwaves and some instability returning. A warm and active pattern is likely, although mesoscale details are impossible to resolve at this point. ...Severe potential this afternoon and tonight... A weak shortwave/vort max continues to move into south central ND, with showers/weak thunderstorms progressing towards southeastern ND. Most of the activity is behind the surface trough axis, but could see something pop in the warmer air ahead of the feature. With the forcing moving into 1000-1500 J/kg of ML CAPE and some 30 kts of shear, expect some intensification as the system pushes east. Instability is not quite as high as yesterday with clouds and recent rainfall, but there is some clearing along the Red River Valley and daytime heating will continue. Machine learning models have backed off a bit on the tornado threat for this afternoon and evening, although CAMs like the HRRR still try and develop some random supercells before 00Z. By the time the trough axis/cold front pushes into our area, there is some indication of storms becoming linear, although a few models keep cells fairly discrete. Still getting some 70 percent probabilities of strong updraft helicity tracks nosing into our far southwestern counties, and severe is possible even as models have been trending down a bit with the tornado threat. ...Heat into the weekend... With upper ridge building back north and southerly winds returning ahead of the surface trough over the High Plains, temps will warm back up over the weekend. The ECMWF EFI has 70 to 80 percentile signal for above average temperatures, and by Sunday the NBM probabilities of over 90 degrees in the Red River Valley are over 60 percent. Dew points currently in the upper 50s to low 60s, so heat index doesn't look too bad yet but will continue to monitor as some of the other heat risk indicies are creeping upward. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 1231 PM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 Some ceilings at the VFR/MVFR cutoff at KDVL early this afternoon, but the rest of the TAF sites remain VFR. That could change as showers and thunderstorms push into eastern ND later this afternoon and then off into MN this evening. Kept most locations Prob30 for thunderstorms that could bring vis and even ceilings down to MVFR for a short time as they move through. Storms are expected to consolidate into a complex as they move east, so left KBJI at VCTS as they should get something later this evening into the early overnight. Have some MVFR ceilings at the MN airports after the convective activity moves through later tonight into tomorrow morning, but that should improve by the end of the period. ND airports should remain VFR outside of convective impacts. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...None. MN...None. && DISCUSSION...JR AVIATION...JR
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 606 AM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026-054-041115- Towner-Cavalier-Pembina-Benson-Ramsey-Eastern Walsh-Eddy-Nelson- Western Walsh- 606 AM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North Dakota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight There is a level 1 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms this afternoon. The main hazards will be hail larger than 1 inch and winds to 60 mph. There will be numerous thunderstorms this morning with locally heavy rain. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be required today. MNZ001>003-014-015-022-027-029-030-040-NDZ027>030-038-039-049-052- 053-041115- West Polk-Norman-Clay-Red Lake-East Polk-Mahnomen-West Becker- Wilkin-West Otter Tail-Grant-Grand Forks-Griggs-Steele-Traill- Barnes-Cass-Ransom-Sargent-Richland- 606 AM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North Dakota, west central and northwest Minnesota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight There is a level 2 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening over the central and southern Red River Valley. The main hazards are hail to golf balls, winds to 60 mph and possibility a tornado. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be required today. MNZ004>009-013-016-017-023-024-028-031-032-041115- Kittson-Roseau-Lake Of The Woods-West Marshall-East Marshall- North Beltrami-Pennington-North Clearwater-South Beltrami- South Clearwater-Hubbard-East Becker-East Otter Tail-Wadena- 606 AM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of west central and northwest Minnesota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight There is a level 1 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms this afternoon. The main hazards will be hail larger than 1 inch and winds to 60 mph. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be required today.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 349 PM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 NDZ029-030-032115- Steele ND-Traill ND- 349 PM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT WEST CENTRAL TRAILL AND EAST CENTRAL STEELE COUNTIES THROUGH 415 PM CDT... At 349 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Roseville, or 35 miles southwest of Grand Forks, moving northeast at 15 mph. HAZARD...Nickel size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible. Locations impacted include... Mayville, Portland, and Roseville. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. && LAT...LON 4758 9747 4752 9725 4737 9749 4742 9760 TIME...MOT...LOC 2049Z 209DEG 15KT 4747 9748 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH Perroux
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 412 PM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 NDZ027-032145- Grand Forks ND- 412 PM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL GRAND FORKS COUNTY THROUGH 445 PM CDT... At 411 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over mainly rural areas of central Grand Forks County, moving northeast at 20 mph. HAZARD...Nickel size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible. Locations impacted include... Grand Forks AFB, Emerado, and Mekinock. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. && LAT...LON 4785 9747 4790 9750 4806 9736 4789 9716 TIME...MOT...LOC 2111Z 232DEG 16KT 4792 9740 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH Perroux
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
453 PM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026
MNZ001-NDZ027-032230-
West Polk MN-Grand Forks ND-
453 PM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN GRAND FORKS COUNTY
THROUGH 530 PM CDT...
At 453 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm
southwest of Grand Forks, moving northeast at 30 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 hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, Thompson, Merrifield, Mallory, and
Bygland.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 4772 9721 4784 9735 4809 9710 4780 9683
TIME...MOT...LOC 2153Z 232DEG 25KT 4785 9719
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
PerrouxSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 524 PM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 MNZ001-NDZ027-032300- West Polk MN-Grand Forks ND- 524 PM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN POLK AND EAST CENTRAL GRAND FORKS COUNTIES THROUGH 600 PM CDT... At 524 PM CDT, the public reported a strong thunderstorm near Merrifield, or 7 miles west of Grand Forks, moving east at 20 mph. HAZARD...Half inch hail. SOURCE...Public. IMPACT...Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible. Locations impacted include... Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, Merrifield, and Mallory. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. && LAT...LON 4779 9734 4789 9737 4811 9698 4782 9682 TIME...MOT...LOC 2224Z 258DEG 19KT 4788 9722 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH Perroux
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 617 PM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 MNZ001-NDZ027-032345- West Polk MN-Grand Forks ND- 617 PM CDT Wed Jun 3 2026 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL GRAND FORKS COUNTY THROUGH 645 PM CDT... At 617 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Grand Forks AFB, or 14 miles west of Grand Forks, moving east at 15 mph. HAZARD...Nickel size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible. Locations impacted include... Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, Grand Forks AFB, Emerado, Manvel, Arvilla, and Mekinock. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. && LAT...LON 4787 9751 4802 9751 4810 9699 4782 9692 TIME...MOT...LOC 2317Z 264DEG 15KT 4795 9736 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH Perroux
The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 54 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:19 UTC.
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Quarter size hail reported 1 mile east of Mekinock, ND. Report relayed by media.
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: 1347880.