A strong low pressure system brought a period of high winds to parts of the Devils Lake region in northeast North Dakota.
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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 FGF wrote it up.
A strong low pressure system brought a period of high winds to parts of the Devils Lake region in northeast North Dakota.
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 May 15, 5:21 AM CST, 5 hours 24 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
621 AM CDT Fri May 15 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Strong westerly winds will continue today over much of the
region, bringing the potential for blowing dust impacts again
through much of the afternoon.
- Dry conditions along with the winds will bring critical fire
weather conditions. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for all
counties through late this evening.
- There is a 2 of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms Sunday
afternoon and evening.
&&
.UPDATE...
Issued at 622 AM CDT Fri May 15 2026
Sustained wind speeds this morning are generally ranging from
15-20 mph along and north of Highway 200, with slightly lighter
winds to the south. The upper low passes to our north later
today, with the best support for stronger wind gusts being along
the International Border, southward to roughly the I-94
corridor. Blowing dust, along with reduced visibility, is
likely once more today, albeit a bit less widespread than
yesterday.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 307 PM CDT Thu May 14 2026
Strong upper low rotating over Saskatchewan will move east
tonight. The surface low will continue to move slowly across
southern Canada, with the trough axis currently extending down
into eastern ND moving off into MN. Pressure gradient in our
western counties is starting to relax just a bit as the trough
axis comes in, but plenty tight in northwestern ND close to the
surface low. The strong southerly winds that are bringing our
blowing dust and dropping vis close to a quarter of a mile in
some spots will decrease a bit late this afternoon. Behind the
through axis, there will be a decent pressure gradient along
with some cold air advection. Model soundings have mixing all
the way up to 700mb, and although the jet is not quite as
strong, there is plenty of momentum to mix down. Winds at least
across the northern portions of the CWA will pick up again
tonight and tomorrow, with probabilities of wind gusts over 40
mph at 50 percent along and north of I-94 and 80 to 100 percent
along and north of Highway 2. Extended wind advisory for all but
our southern and eastern counties through tonight and tomorrow.
While definitely could see another day of blowing dust this
afternoon into Friday, this time from the west instead of the
south, confidence in exactly where and how low visibility will
go is uncertain. Most likely will be expanding the blowing dust
advisory into Devils Lake Basin and upper Sheyenne in addition
to the RRV through 00Z as the west winds start coming in this
evening. Will wait and see if any more dust products are needed
beyond that tonight and tomorrow. The west winds will bring
even lower RHs, as current values are around 20 percent. There
will be a little bit of recovery tonight as RH values come up
into the 40 and 50s, but fire danger will remain high. Afternoon
RH values in all of our area should get down to 20 to 25
percent. Winds will be 20 to 25 mph even outside of the wind
advisory area. Thus, expanded the Red Flag warning to all of our
counties from now until 9 pm tomorrow.
Will finally see a break in the wind on Saturday as surface high
pressure builds in behind the departing low. Southwesterly flow
aloft sets up for Sunday with a lead shortwave trough coming
out. The main surface low seems like it will be over SD/MN/WI
Sunday into Monday, with better moisture over our area than the
current system. The ECMWF EFI has a decent signal for some
precipitation, and NBM has a over 60 percent chance CWA-wide for
over a quarter of an inch of rain. There is even 50 to 60
percent chance of over an inch of rain by 06Z Monday across
portions of southeastern ND and west central MN. Some of the
ensembles have some instability creeping into our far
southeastern counties Sunday afternoon, although others keep
even elevated CAPE under 500 J/kg. Plenty of deep layer shear
though, so will have to watch for any severe thunderstorm
chances that day.
The main upper trough finally moves out into the Plains for the
first part of next week, eventually becoming more northwesterly
again by Thursday. Temperatures will be cooling down again back
down below seasonal averages, with a few minor precipitation
chances.
&&
.AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY/...
Issued at 622 AM CDT Fri May 15 2026
West winds increase this morning into the sustained range of
15-20 knots. Gusts become more frequent heading into the late
morning and midday hours, with gusts to 40 knots at all sites
except KBJI, where gust potential will be slightly lower,
generally around or just over 30 knots. Blowing dust is expected
once more today, but should be less widespread than what was
observed yesterday. Visibility reductions are still expected,
however, and could be as low as 2SM at times. The best chances
for the lower visibility will be at KGFK and KDVL. Heading into
the late afternoon and evening, winds will begin to taper off,
with conditions improving as we head into the late evening and
overnight hours.
&&
.FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ND...Red Flag Warning until 9 PM CDT this evening for NDZ006>008-
014>016-024-026>030-038-039-049-052>054.
Wind Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for NDZ006>008-
014>016-024-026>030-038-039-054.
MN...Red Flag Warning until 9 PM CDT this evening for MNZ001>009-
013>017-022>024-027>032-040.
Wind Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for MNZ001>005-007-
008-013>015-022-027.
&&
UPDATE...Lynch/Rafferty
DISCUSSION...JR
AVIATION...LynchHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 437 AM CDT Fri May 15 2026 MNZ001-004-005-007-008-013-014-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-054- 160945- West Polk-Kittson-Roseau-West Marshall-East Marshall-Pennington- Red Lake-Towner-Cavalier-Pembina-Benson-Ramsey-Eastern Walsh-Eddy- Nelson-Grand Forks-Griggs-Steele-Traill-Western Walsh- 437 AM CDT Fri May 15 2026 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Strong westerly winds will continue today over much of the region, bringing the potential for blowing dust impacts again through much of the afternoon. Dry conditions along with the winds will bring critical fire weather conditions. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for all counties through late this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated today. MNZ006-009-160945- Lake Of The Woods-North Beltrami- 437 AM CDT Fri May 15 2026 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of northwest Minnesota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Strong westerly winds will continue today over much of the region, bringing the potential for blowing dust impacts again through much of the afternoon. Dry conditions along with the winds will bring critical fire weather conditions. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for all counties through late this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday Isolated strong thunderstorms are possible Sunday afternoon and evening. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated today. MNZ016-017-023-024-028>032-040-NDZ049-052-053-160945- North Clearwater-South Beltrami-South Clearwater-Hubbard- East Becker-Wilkin-West Otter Tail-East Otter Tail-Wadena-Grant- Ransom-Sargent-Richland- 437 AM CDT Fri May 15 2026 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North Dakota, west central and northwest Minnesota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Strong westerly winds will continue today over much of the region, bringing the potential for blowing dust impacts again through much of the afternoon. Dry conditions along with the winds will bring critical fire weather conditions. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for all counties through late this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday There is a level 2 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms across parts of southeast North Dakota and west central Minnesota Sunday afternoon and evening. All hazards are possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated today. MNZ002-003-015-022-027-NDZ038-039-160945- Norman-Clay-East Polk-Mahnomen-West Becker-Barnes-Cass- 437 AM CDT Fri May 15 2026 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North Dakota, west central and northwest Minnesota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Strong westerly winds will continue today over much of the region, bringing the potential for blowing dust impacts again through much of the afternoon. Dry conditions along with the winds will bring critical fire weather conditions. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for all counties through late this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday There is a level 1 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms across parts of southeast North Dakota and west central Minnesota Sunday afternoon and evening. All hazards are possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated today.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gust measured at ND040 ND DOT site located 2 NW of Clyde, ND.
Frequent gusts measured 58 mph or higher with a peak gust of 65 mph at ND DOT station ND041 located 5 WSW Olga, ND.
Measured wind gust at ND DOT site HMDN8 located near Hampden, ND.
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, May 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: 1333561, 1333560, 1333563.