McLean County Tornadoes August 15 2022

THREE TORNADOES OCCURRED IN THE RUSO AREA OF MCLEAN COUNTY
NORTH DAKOTA ON MONDAY AUGUST 15 2022

The first tornado occurred 4 miles east of Ruso at about 508 PM.
It was short lived, lasting about one minute. It impacted no
structures and so by National Weather Service policy was rated
EF-U (EF-Unknown).

The second tornado developed about two miles south of Ruso at
about 510 PM and traveled slowly south. Shortly after developing
it snapped hardwood trees in a shelterbelt and blew over and
destroyed an animal shelter. The tornado then dissipated about
four miles south of Ruso at about 535 PM. Based on the damage
done this tornado was rated EF-1 and from that wind speeds were
estimated to be around 110 mph.

The third tornado developed while the second one was still
ongoing, at about 530 PM. This was about five miles south of Ruso.
This third tornado also moved south and about six miles south of
Ruso it destroyed three small wooden granaries, damaged farm
equipment by flipping over a large seed cart attached to an air
seeder, tossed round hay bales and flipped anhydrous tanks. The
tornado then dissipated at about 550 PM about 8 miles south of Ruso.
Based on the damage done this tornado was rated EF-2 and from
that wind speeds were estimated to be around 120 mph.

The National Weather Service extends great appreciation to the
Mclean County Emergency Manager and other county and city
officials, and area residents. Their photos, videos and event
details were very valuable in determining what happened in this
multi-tornado event.

The information in this statement is PRELIMINARY and subject to
change pending final review of the events of August 15 and
publication in NWS Storm Data.


..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0508 PM     TORNADO          4 E RUSO                47.84N 100.85W
08/15/2022                   MCLEAN             ND   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            REPORT FROM MONDAY AUGUST 15. LASTED ONE
            MINUTE UNTIL 509 PM. NO STRUCTURES IMPACTED
            SO RATED EFU (EF UNKNOWN) BY NWS POLICY.

0510 PM     TORNADO          2 S RUSO                47.81N 100.93W
08/15/2022                   MCLEAN             ND   EMERGENCY MNGR

            REPORT FROM MONDAY AUGUST 15. SECOND OF
            THREE TORNADOES IN THIS AREA. TORNADO MOVED
            SOUTH AND ENDED 4 MILES SOUTH OF RUSO AT 535
            PM. HARDWOOD TREES SNAPPED AND ANIMAL
            SHELTER DESTROYED SOON AFTER IT DEVELOPED.
            DAMAGE RATING EF-1 WITH WINDS FROM THAT
            ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 110 MPH.

0530 PM     TORNADO          5 S RUSO                47.77N 100.93W
08/15/2022                   MCLEAN             ND   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            REPORT FROM MONDAY AUGUST 15. THIRD OF THREE
            TORNADOES IN THIS AREA. THIS THIRD TORNADO
            STARTED WHILE THE SECOND ONE WAS ONGOING.
            THE TWO TORNADOES WERE ONGOING TOGETHER FOR
            5 MINUTES (530 PM TO 535 PM). TORNADO MOVED
            SOUTH AND ENDED 8 MILES SOUTH OF RUSO AT 550
            PM. 6 MILES SOUTH OF RUSO THREE SMALL WOODEN
            GRANARIES WERE DESTROYED, FARM EQUIPMENT WAS
            DAMAGED INCLUDING THE FLIPPING OF A LARGE
            SEED CART ATTACHED TO AN AIR SEEDER, TOSSED
            HAY BALES AND FLIPPED ANHYDROUS TANKS.
            DAMAGE RATING EF-2 WITH WINDS FROM THAT
            ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 120 MPH.


SCHILD / MARTIN