Thunderstorm Wind, Morton
- When
- June 9, 3:57 PM CST to 3:59 PM CST
- Where
- Morton County, 7.3 mi SSW of Hebron
- Measured
- 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 46.800, -102.080
Hebron NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 59 mph.
A surface trough and low-level jet combined with a very moist and unstable air mass that led to severe thunderstorm development along the triple point of a surface low in west central North Dakota. Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon in southwest North Dakota, with additional storms in the far northwest.
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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 BIS wrote it up.
A surface trough and low-level jet combined with a very moist and unstable air mass that led to severe thunderstorm development along the triple point of a surface low in west central North Dakota. Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon in southwest North Dakota, with additional storms in the far northwest. Storms gradually moved to the north-northeast through the evening in a primarily cluster storm mode. The area of most significant damage was in Ward and McHenry Counties. In the town of Sawyer in Ward County, the Emergency Manager reported damage from powerful thunderstorm wind gusts that resulted in power outages, trees on roads, and a large tree that fell onto a house and made a hole in the roof. Northeast of Deering in McHenry County, there was significant damage to a homestead due to thunderstorm wind gusts. A barn on the property had roof panels ripped off and some collapse of the wood frame structure for the roof. Damage in both of these locations were consistent with wind speeds around 90 mph. The largest reported hail was 3 inches in diameter, a few miles west of Fortuna in Divide County. One tornado occurred with these storms, and was reported approximately 3 miles east of Noonan in Divide County. It was a very brief tornado and caused no known damage, so has been rated EF-Unknown by NWS policy.
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 9, 1:37 PM CST, 2 hours 20 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Bismarck ND 237 PM CDT Tue Jun 9 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Numerous severe thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening. Potential exists for significant hazards, including hail up to tennis ball size, damaging winds up to 80 mph, and a few tornadoes, one or two of which could be strong. - Warm, humid, and windy today. Then cooler with near-daily shower and thunderstorm chances through the rest of this week and into early next week. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 237 PM CDT Tue Jun 9 2026 Numerous severe thunderstorms remain the expectation for this afternoon and evening with all threats on the table. Currently, elongated low pressure is analyzed over the western Dakotas. Potent shortwave energy is in the process of lifting up through the Northern Plains, while previously stationary surface frontal boundary has lifted northward into Canada as a warm frontal boundary. This warm frontal boundary has advected very warm and moist air into the state. North to south orientated cold frontal boundary off said low will rapidly slide west to east across the state this afternoon and evening. This will force widespread thunderstorm activity with numerous severe thunderstorms likely. One of the biggest questions remains in regard to storm mode. With the cold fropa, normally a more linear mode would be favored. However, with 0 to 6 km bulk shear favoring a 45 degree angle in relation to the front, it seems a more clustered mode is likely. What may wind up happening in the end is a line of embedded supercells develops. Especially as it heads east towards an even more favored severe weather environment. Therefore, the current thinking is that discrete cells may develop in western North Dakota by mid-afternoon. These will likely transition into some form of line with the question being whether it's a more traditional QLCS, or a line of embedded supercells. Should the latter wind up being the case, then a tornado and large hail threat would persist longer than otherwise would be anticipated. Besides storm mode, curved hodographs are highly favorable towards tornado genesis for any discrete cells and within any QLCS. As such, believe the SPC hatched 10 percent tornado outlook is reasonable, though the highest SigTOR parameter highlights northern ND during the middle of the afternoon and eastern, especially northeastern, ND late this afternoon and evening. Once the main line passes through, isolated to scattered showers and a few sub-severe thunderstorms are possible through Wednesday morning. After which, mostly dry conditions are expected during the afternoon and evening. Additional showers and thunderstorms are then possible from west to east late Wednesday night through Thursday as another shortwave off upper Canadian low passes through. These thunderstorms are expected to remain sub-severe at this time. A few occasional showers and thunderstorms are then periodically possible through the remainder of the week. Much cooler temperatures are expected beyond today through the remainder of the week with highs mostly in the 60s and 70s. Simultaneously, lows will also be in the 40s for most locations, most nights beyond tonight. Breezy to windy conditions are also on tap for most days to finish out the week. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 114 PM CDT Tue Jun 9 2026 Widespread severe thunderstorms are expected to develop this afternoon and evening. Initially, these thunderstorms are expected in western North Dakota by mid-afternoon before they rapidly progress eastward through the evening. The highest severe threat includes nearly all of North Dakota east of highway 85. Heavy rain will reduce visibility to IFR conditions or lower, while MFVR/IFR ceilings are possibly with any showers and thunderstorms. Very gusty and erratic winds, hail, and a few tornadoes are possible with these storms. Used PROB30s and TEMPOs as needed based on the highest confidence of severe weather timing. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && DISCUSSION...Telken AVIATION...Telken
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Bismarck ND 300 PM CDT Tue Jun 9 2026 NDZ001>005-009-010-012-013-017>020-022-023-025-031>033-035>037- 040>044-046>048-050-051-055>062-102000- Divide-Burke-Renville-Bottineau-Rolette-Williams-Mountrail- McHenry-Pierce-McKenzie-Dunn-Mercer-Oliver-Sheridan-Wells-Foster- Golden Valley-Billings-Stark-Burleigh-Kidder-Stutsman-Slope- Hettinger-Grant-Bowman-Adams-Emmons-Logan-La Moure-McIntosh- Dickey-Northwest Ward-Central and Southern Ward/Minot Area- Western McLean-Eastern McLean-Western Morton-Eastern Morton- Western Sioux-Eastern Sioux- 300 PM CDT Tue Jun 9 2026 /200 PM MDT Tue Jun 9 2026/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central North Dakota, northwest North Dakota, south central North Dakota, southeast North Dakota, and southwest North Dakota. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Numerous severe thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening. Expected hazards include hail up to tennis ball size, damaging winds up to 80 mph, and a few tornadoes, one or two of which could be strong. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday 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. Telken
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
159 PM CDT Tue Jun 9 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0921 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Hazen 47.30N 101.62W
06/07/2026 Mercer ND Emergency Mngr
*** 1 INJ ***
Emergency manager reported one injury from
Sunday storms. Man was sleeping in a tent at
John Moses Park and a tree fell on his tent.
&&
MEJThe Bismarck radar (KBIS), 101 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:55 UTC.
31 thunderstorm wind, 15 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Hebron NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 59 mph.
Halliday NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 62 mph.
Personal weather station reported wind gusts up to 65 mph.
Garrison NDAWN reported wind gusts up to 58 mph.
Garrison ASOS reported wind gusts up to 75 mph.
Emergency Manager reported wind gusts up to 60 mph.
Max AWOS reported wind gusts up to 62 mph.
Minot NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 60 mph.
Thunderstorm wind gusts knocked down tree branches in the city of Minot.
Sawyer NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 72 mph.
Ward County Emergency Manager reported damage in Sawyer due to thunderstorm wind gusts. Damage includes power outages, numerous trees down on roads, and a large tree fell onto a house and made a hole in the roof. Damage is consistent with wind speeds around 90 mph.
Genoa NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 59 mph.
Trained spotter estimated winds of 60 to 70 mph.
Bantry NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 68 mph.
Storm chaser reported brief tornado at this approximate location. No known damage to evaluate and no other information available. By National Weather Service policy the tornado is rated EF-U (Unknown).
Damage to a homestead from powerful thunderstorm wind gusts. Main area of damage is to a barn on the property, with roof panels ripped off and some collapse of wood frame structure for the roof panels. Large portions of the panels were scattered across the property, and a large branch of hardwood tree broke off. Damage is consistent with wind speeds around 90 mph.
Bottineau NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 62 mph.
J. Clark Salyer mesonet station reported wind gusts up to 64 mph.
Westhope NDDOT station reported wind gusts up to 69 mph.
Portal NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 58 mph.
Personal weather station reported wind gusts up to 60 mph.
Bowbells NDAWN reported wind gusts up to 63 mph.
Steele NDAWN reported wind gusts up to 60 mph.
Long Lake mesonet station reported wind gusts up to 73 mph.
Harvey AWOS station reported wind gusts up to 61 mph.
Storm chasers reported wind gusts up to 60 mph.
Public report of wind gusts up to 60 mph.
Personal Weather Station reported wind gusts up to 65 mph.
Streeter NDAWN reported wind gusts up to 59 mph.
Ellendale NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 69 mph.
Jamestown Airport ASOS reported wind gusts up to 70 mph.
Six inch diameter tree branch broken.
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 historyThe tornado archive for North Dakota, 2026Warnings 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: 1348717, 1348711, 1348719, 1348721, 1348722, 1348724, 1348725, 1348726, 1348715, 1348729, 1348730, 1348733, 1348734, 1348736, 1348737, 1348738, 1348741, 1348742, 1348743, 1348754, 1348755, 1348756, 1348772, 1348774, 1348775, 1348776, 1348777, 1357763, 1348778, 1348783, 1348784, 1348787, 1348788, 1348790, 1348795, 1348796, 1348797, 1348798, 1348800, 1348801, and more.