Back-to-back powerful Pacific storm systems to impact the Pacific Northwest and northern California through the end of this week with heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, and higher elevation mountain snow. A strong, long-duration atmospheric river will accompany the Pacific storms, bringing excessive rainfall and flash flooding to southwest Oregon and northwest California through the week. Read More >
Overview
Mother Nature provided her own firework show this 4th of July for some, and unfortunately, severe weather as well. A few storms across southern North Dakota merged and intensified as they drifted southward from the early evening to past nightfall across/near the James River Valley. Significant damage resulted from straight-line wind gusts of 80+ mph, as well as an EF-2 tornado near Wetonka. Heavy rain, especially in Hand County, also led to flooding issues. Additional rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms developed the following day, on July 5th, mainly across and west of the James River Valley. Wind gusts of 70+ mph were associated with a complex of storms across Jones, Lyman and Buffalo Counties during the early evening. Numerous storms then developed from northern Brown to Walworth Counties, beginning around 7pm. Several funnel clouds were spotted with this activity, particularly around the Long Lake and Bowdle/Hoven areas. Strong winds and some hail, as well as localized flooding, also accompanied this activity at times before it all diminished in intensity by around 10pm. |
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July 4th surface weather map at 4pm | July 4th storm reports across the area | July 5th surface weather map at 4pm | July 5th storm reports across the area |
July 4th Tornado:
Tornado - 3 NNW Wetonka
Track Map
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The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
EF0 Weak 65-85 mph |
EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph |
EF2 Significant 111-135 mph |
EF3 Severe 136-165 mph |
EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph |
EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph |
July 4th Overview:
Images
Severe storm south of Forbes, ND at 6:15 pm, courtesy of Quincy Vagell | Severe storm north of Aberdeen near the ND/SD border, courtesy of Steven Fleegel | Photo taken at 382nd/Brown County Road 13 near Richmond Lake, courtesy of Zachary Nelson | View from Elm Lake at 6:17 pm, courtesy of Michelle Wiesner |
Photo taken near Ipswich at 8:35 pm, courtesy of Alesha Thayer | Storm bearing down on Mina Lake, courtesy of Brad Peterson | Storm engulfing Mina Lake at 8:15 pm. An 85 mph wind gusts was recorded here 15 minutes after the above photo. Time lapse here. | Storm approaching the Aberdeen area, courtesy of Becky Desens |
Lightning over Wylie Park at 9:15 pm, courtesy of Mike Scott | Wind damage in Ipswich at 8:35 pm, courtesy of Alesha Thayer | Wind damage 4 miles north of Craven Corner, courtesy of Gerald Ray Noble | Wind damage 4 miles north of Craven Corner, courtesy of Gerald Ray Noble |
Wind damage at Mina Lake, courtesy of Brad Peterson | Wind damage at Mina Lake, courtesy of Brad Peterson | Wind damage at Mina Lake, courtesy of Brad Peterson | Wind damage at Mina Lake, courtesy of Joe @xqzmepleeze |
Wind damage at Mina Lake, courtesy of Joe @xqzmepleeze | Wind damage at Mina Lake, courtesy of Joe @xqzmepleeze |
Radar Loop
Radar reflectivity animation over the course of the event, from 4:50 pm CDT to 1:50 am CDT. |
Preliminary Storm Reports
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0947 PM Hail 7 NNW Tolstoy 45.31N 99.66W 07/04/2020 M1.75 inch Edmunds SD Trained Spotter 0933 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 17 W Polo 44.78N 99.45W 07/04/2020 M56 MPH Hyde SD Mesonet Mesonet station 215 JCT SD47/SD26 (SDDOT). 0930 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 6 SSE Miranda 44.89N 98.94W 07/04/2020 Hand SD Public Wind was strong enough to knock down limbs and trees in the area. Time estimated. 0930 PM Hail 7 SW Bowdle 45.39N 99.78W 07/04/2020 E1.00 inch Walworth SD Public Time estimated. Strong winds and heavy rain as well. 0920 PM Hail 5 SSE Java 45.44N 99.84W 07/04/2020 M1.00 inch Walworth SD Public 0917 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 4 SW Chelsea 45.13N 98.81W 07/04/2020 M70 MPH Faulk SD Mesonet 0910 PM Hail 4 NNW Chelsea 45.22N 98.78W 07/04/2020 E1.75 inch Faulk SD Public TIME ESTIMATED VIA RADAR. ONLY A FEW GOLFBALLS. Corrects earlier LSR. 0908 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 5 N Chelsea 45.24N 98.76W 07/04/2020 Faulk SD Public Corrects previous non-tstm wnd dmg report from 5 N Chelsea. Chemical bulk containers scattered around the farm yard. 0832 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Mina 45.44N 98.76W 07/04/2020 Edmunds SD Emergency Mngr Camper tipped over and evergreen tree snapped. Time estimated by radar. 0832 PM Hail 3 NNE Selby 45.54N 100.00W 07/04/2020 E1.00 inch Walworth SD Public pea up to quarter size. Time estimated. Via social media. 0830 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 4 NNE Cravens Corner 45.51N 98.89W 07/04/2020 Edmunds SD Public Damage to barn doors, a few limbs down. Relayed through social media. 0831 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 NE Mina 45.46N 98.73W 07/04/2020 M85 MPH Edmunds SD NWS Employee Damage was also reported at Mina Lake. 0813 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 1 ESE Bowdle 45.44N 99.64W 07/04/2020 M49 MPH Edmunds SD Mesonet Mesonet station 216 Bowdle (SDDOT). 0745 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 W Richmond Lake Rec A 45.54N 98.64W 07/04/2020 M58 MPH Brown SD Mesonet Mesonet station EW9368 Aberdeen 9 NW. 0730 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 NW Wetonka 45.64N 98.79W 07/04/2020 McPherson SD Trained Spotter Electric poles down, tree damage, partial roof off shop, bales in different pastures. 0730 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 W Wetonka 45.63N 98.80W 07/04/2020 McPherson SD Public Significant damage to machine shed. 0730 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 3 NNW Wetonka 45.67N 98.79W 07/04/2020 McPherson SD Public Relayed report via neighbor: 3 turkey barns destroyed. 0658 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 10 SW Long Lake 45.77N 99.36W 07/04/2020 M63 MPH McPherson SD Mesonet Mesonet station 184 Eureka (SDDOT). 0658 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 10 SW Long Lake 45.77N 99.36W 07/04/2020 McPherson SD Mesonet Mesonet station 184 Eureka (SDDOT). 0618 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 E SPRING CREEK COLONY 45.91N 98.84W 07/04/2020 E70 MPH McPherson SD Public TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. STRONG WINDS LASTED FOR 45 MINUTES.
July 5th Overview:
Images
Photo taken three miles east of Murdo, courtesy of Rich Sylva. A semi truck would be blown off I-90 around 5:20 pm, near this location and shortly after this photo was taken. | Photo of a supercell taken from Tulare at 6:58 pm, courtesy of Derek Thompson | Building storms 5 miles west of Leola, courtesy of Colin Hoffman | Funnel cloud 5 miles west of Leola, courtesy of Colin Hoffman |
Funnel cloud spotted by Darvin Fischer | Funnel Cloud spotted by Ethan Helfenstein | Funnel cloud seen from Elm Lake, looking west |
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Radar Loop
Radar reflectivity animation over the course of the event, from 4:00 pm CDT to 10:00 pm CDT. |
Preliminary Storm Reports
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0922 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 ESE Aberdeen 45.45N 98.42W 07/05/2020 M59 MPH Brown SD ASOS ASOS station KABR Aberdeen Rgnl AP. 0816 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 7 S Bowdle 45.35N 99.65W 07/05/2020 E75 MPH Edmunds SD Emergency Mngr 0806 PM Hail 6 SSE Long Lake 45.78N 99.15W 07/05/2020 E0.88 inch McPherson SD Public Just a few nickle sized, mostly smaller. 0804 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 ESE Bowdle 45.44N 99.64W 07/05/2020 M58 MPH Edmunds SD Mesonet Mesonet station 216 Bowdle (SDDOT). 0804 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 N GANN VALLEY 44.08N 98.99W 07/05/2020 M73 MPH Buffalo SD Mesonet MESONET STATION 201 GANN VALLEY (SDDOT). 0800 PM Funnel Cloud 4 N Hoven 45.30N 99.78W 07/05/2020 Walworth SD Fire Dept/Rescue 0800 PM Funnel Cloud 2 S JAVA 45.47N 99.89W 07/05/2020 Walworth SD Fire Dept/Rescue 0754 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 N GANN VALLEY 44.08N 98.99W 07/05/2020 M67 MPH Buffalo SD Mesonet MESONET STATION 201 GANN VALLEY (SDDOT). 0744 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 N Gann Valley 44.08N 98.99W 07/05/2020 M61 MPH Buffalo SD Mesonet Mesonet station 201 Gann Valley (SDDOT). 0718 PM Funnel Cloud 1 W Long Lake 45.86N 99.22W 07/05/2020 McPherson SD Public Brief touchdown possible. 0718 PM Funnel Cloud 1 ESE Long Lake 45.85N 99.19W 07/05/2020 McPherson SD Public 0715 PM Funnel Cloud 2 WNW Long Lake 45.87N 99.23W 07/05/2020 McPherson SD Public 0710 PM Funnel Cloud 8 NE Long Lake 45.94N 99.10W 07/05/2020 McPherson SD Public Brief touchdown possible, but not confirmed. Location estimated based off picture. Time is radar estimated (between 7pm and 735pm). 0704 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 SE RELIANCE 43.85N 99.56W 07/05/2020 M60 MPH Lyman SD Mesonet MESONET STATION 54 RELIANCE (SDDOT). 0704 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 NE Stephan 44.26N 99.44W 07/05/2020 M59 MPH Hyde SD Mesonet Mesonet station 183 Mac''s Corner (SDDOT). 0654 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 SE RELIANCE 43.85N 99.56W 07/05/2020 M72 MPH Lyman SD Mesonet MESONET STATION 54 RELIANCE (SDDOT). 0618 PM Hail 2 SE Blunt 44.50N 99.95W 07/05/2020 M0.75 inch Hughes SD Storm Chaser 0555 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 8 SW Vivian 43.85N 100.41W 07/05/2020 E60 MPH Jones SD Trained Spotter 0538 PM Hail 7 SSW Harrold 44.43N 99.80W 07/05/2020 M1.25 inch Hughes SD Storm Chaser 0522 PM Hail 7 NNE Murdo 43.99N 100.67W 07/05/2020 E1.25 inch Jones SD Public Estimated over 70 mph winds. Winds stayed strong for around 30 minutes. 3 foot diameter tree downed. 0520 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 4 ENE Murdo 43.91N 100.63W 07/05/2020 Jones SD Emergency Mngr Semi truck blown over. 0520 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 NE Murdo 43.91N 100.69W 07/05/2020 Jones SD Public Cornfield completely destroyed due to wind damage. 0519 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 3 E Murdo 43.89N 100.65W 07/05/2020 M70 MPH Jones SD Emergency Mngr pea sized hail also reported. 0515 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Murdo 43.89N 100.71W 07/05/2020 M90 MPH Jones SD Storm Chaser
July 4th Precipitation Reports
24 hour totals ending during the morning of July 5th
July 5th Precipitation Reports
24 hour totals ending during the morning of July 6th
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