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Back-to-Back Pacific Storms to Impact the West Coast; Heavy Snow in the Central Appalachians

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

On Thursday, June 10, 2021, much of western and central North Dakota was under a Moderate Risk for severe weather. Initial storms moved into west central North Dakota in the late afternoon and produced multiple tornadoes southwest of Alexander. There were numerous reports of large hail up to the size of golf balls as storms expanded into northwest North Dakota in the evening. An especially strong thunderstorm moved through Williston around 9:30 PM, with hail of 2 inches in diameter. Heavy rainfall from a few rounds of storms produced flash flooding in Williston, with multiple cars submerged on Highway 2. Many locations in northwest North Dakota received heavy rainfall, with widespread amounts of 3 to 5 inches of rain in parts of Williams, Divide, and Burke Counties.

As storms moved east from Montana and northeast from South Dakota, they eventually became more linear as they moved into central North Dakota, where damaging winds were the main hazard. Widespread severe gusts were reported across the south central, with a peak gust of 79 mph at Long Lake. There were many reports from across the area of damage to trees and structures, especially from the Hebron and Glen Ullin areas. 

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Tornado near Sather Dam, ND, around 8:30 PM on June 10, 2021. Photo courtesy of Andrew Colantoni.
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