Grand Forks, ND

Weather Forecast Office

Summary of Severe Weather on June 8th, 2018

Overview

Thunderstorms flared up by mid afternoon on June 8th and lasted into the early evening. A total of 8 tornado warnings and 7 severe thunderstorm warnings were issued. Six tornadoes were confirmed, rated either EF-0 or EF-1, tracking across portions of rural Cass, Nelson, and Grand Forks counties.

Storm Reports
Tornado
Warnings
Photos & Video
Radar
Environment
Additional Information

Tornadoes:

Tornado #1 - 6 SE Tower City, ND
Cass County

Date	8 June 2018
Time (Local)	4:00 PM - 4:04 PM
EF Rating	EF-0
Est. Peak Winds	80 mph
Path Length	1 mile
Max Width	200 yards
Injuries/Deaths	None
Summary: Tornado tracked intermittently across Central Hill Township, mainly over open fields. It kicked up considerable dust across the south flank of the storm as indicated by spotter videos. Some large branches were reported broken down in shelter belts. Tornado ended about 5 mi SSW of Buffalo.

Tornado #2 - 2 NW Michigan, ND
Nelson County

Date	8 June 2018
Time (Local)	4:12 PM - 4:13 PM
EF Rating	EF-0
Est. Peak Winds	75 mph
Path Length	< 1/4 mile
Max Width	75 yards
Injuries/Deaths	None
Summary: A brief tornado touchdown was noted over an open field. No damage was noted though significant dust was lifted.

Tornado #3 - 3 SE Chaffee, ND
Cass County

Date	8 June 2018
Time (Local)	4:47 PM - 4:47 PM
EF Rating	EF-0
Est. Peak Winds	70 mph
Path Length	< 1/4 mile
Max Width	50 yards
Injuries/Deaths	None
Summary: Lots of rotation with the storm, sending out funnel clouds every few minutes. A couple of brief touchdowns were evident on video over an open field.

Tornado #4 - 3 WNW Niagara, ND
Nelson County

Date	8 June 2018
Time (Local)	4:54 PM - 5:06 PM
EF Rating	EF-1
Est. Peak Winds	90 mph
Path Length	3 miles
Max Width	150 yards
Injuries/Deaths	None
Summary: Tornado likely tracked intermittently to about 1 mile SW of Niagara. A few snapped or uprooted poplar trees were noted in a shelter belt north of U.S. Highway 2, west of MP 239. Large branches were also broken down in various shelter belts west of Niagara.

Tornado #5 - 2 WNW Emerado, ND
Grand Forks County

Date	8 June 2018
Time (Local)	5:12 PM - 5:14 PM
EF Rating	EF-0
Est. Peak Winds	75 mph
Path Length	<1/2 mile
Max Width	100 yards
Injuries/Deaths	None
Summary: Report of tornado touchdown from Grand Forks Warning Point. Tornado tracked eastward for less than a half mile, just south of U.S. Highway 2. No damage was noted.

Tornado #6 - 5 E Emerado, ND
Grand Forks County

Date	8 June 2018
Time (Local)	5:30 PM - 5:34 PM
EF Rating	EF-0
Est. Peak Winds	80 mph
Path Length	1 mile
Max Width	100 yards
Injuries/Deaths	None
Summary: A tornado tracked eastward from the far northeast edge of Oakville Township to far northeast Brenna Township, with brief and intermittent touchdowns, ending about 2 SSW of the Grand Forks airport. At least one poplar tree was snapped in a shelter belt, along with several small willow bushes in a nearby homestead.

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

Warnings

There were 8 tornado warnings issued. The boxes below show what the base reflectivity (Ref) and Storm Relative Motion (SRM) looked like when each warning was issued.


Tornado Warning 1 Ref	Tornado Warning 1 SRM	Tornado Warning 2 Ref	Tornado Warning 2 SRM


Tornado Warning 3 Ref	Tornado Warning 3 SRM	Tornado Warning 4 Ref	Tornado Warning 4 SRM


Tornado Warning 5 Ref	Tornado Warning 5 SRM	Tornado Warning 6 Ref	Tornado Warning 6 SRM


Tornado Warning 7 Ref	Tornado Warning 7 SRM	Tornado Warning 8 Ref	Tornado Warning 8 SRM

Photos & Video:


Flipped Semi 1 on I-29 near Reynolds	Flipped Semi 2 on I-29 near Reynolds

Radar:

Radar Loop for most of the event

Storm Reports

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

0307 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     5 N VALLEY CITY         47.00N 98.02W 
06/08/2018                   Barnes             ND   911 CALL CENTER 

            CALL FROM VALLEY CITY WARNING POINT WITH REPORT OF A 
            FUNNEL CLOUD. FUNNEL PERSISTED FOR A FEW MINUTES DUE EAST
            OF BALDHILL DAM, UNTIL AROUND 310 PM CDT. 

0319 PM     TSTM WND GST     6 WNW ORISKA            46.96N 97.91W 
06/08/2018  E60.00 MPH       Barnes             ND   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            CONSIDERABLE DUST KICKED UP BY THUNDERSTORM REAR FLANK 
            DOWNDRAFT IN NORTHWEST ALTA TOWNSHIP. 

0335 PM     HAIL             1 N ORISKA              46.95N 97.79W 
06/08/2018  E1.00 INCH       Barnes             ND   PUBLIC          

            VERY HEAVY RAIN AND INTERMITTENT LARGE HAIL. SOME SMALLER
            BRANCHES DOWN AS WELL.

0349 PM     HAIL             2 ENE TOWER CITY        46.94N 97.64W 
06/08/2018  E1.75 INCH       Cass               ND   PUBLIC          

            STRONG WINDS AND LARGE HAIL STRIPPED FIELDS AND GARDENS. 


0400 PM     TORNADO          6 SE TOWER CITY         46.86N 97.59W 
06/08/2018  F0               Cass               ND   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            THE TORNADO TRACKED INTERMITTENTLY FOR A MILE OR SO 
            ACROSS CENTRAL HILL TOWNSHIP, MAINLY OVER OPENED FIELDS. 
            IT KICKED UP CONSIDERABLE DUST ACROSS THE SOUTH FLANK OF 
            THE STORM AS INDICATED BY SPOTTER VIDEOS. SOME LARGE 
            BRANCHES WERE REPORTED BROKEN DOWN IN SHELTER BELTS. PEAK
            WINDS ESTIMATED TO 80 MPH. MAXIMUM WIDTH TO 200 YARDS. 
            THE TORNADO ENDED ABOUT 5 SSW OF BUFFALO BY 404 PM CDT.

0402 PM     TSTM WND DMG     9 W REYNOLDS            47.67N 97.30W 
06/08/2018                   Traill             ND   NWS STORM SURVEY

            SEVERAL LARGE BRANCHES AND LIMBS WERE BROKEN DOWN IN 
            SHELTER BELTS ACROSS NORTHERN MORGAN TOWNSHIP.

0406 PM     TSTM WND GST     3 SSE HOLMES            47.68N 97.27W 
06/08/2018  E90.00 MPH       Grand Forks        ND   PUBLIC          

            APPARENT THUNDERSTORM DOWNBURST DAMAGE. A LARGE SOUTH 
            FACING SHED DOOR WAS BLOWN IN AND OVER A THIRD OF THE 
            ROOFING WAS PEALED OFF OF A LARGE 40X140 POLESHED. LARGE 
            TREE BRANCHES WERE BROKEN DOWN, A SMALL CAMPER WAS 
            FLIPPED OVER AND A NEARBY SMALL SHED WAS BLOWN DOWN. SHOP
            ROOFING WAS BLOWN UP TO 300 YARDS TO THE NORTHEAST. TIME 
            ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR. ADDITIONAL BRANCH DAMAGE WAS 
            NOTED ACROSS SOUTHERN UNION TOWNSHIP. 

0408 PM     TSTM WND DMG     BUFFALO                 46.92N 97.55W 
06/08/2018                   Cass               ND   PUBLIC          

            TREES DOWN IN BUFFALO. 6 TO 10 INCHES IN DIAMETER. TIME 
            ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR.

0412 PM     TORNADO          2 NW MICHIGAN           48.05N 98.15W 
06/08/2018  F0               Nelson             ND   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            A BRIEF TORNADO TOUCHDOWN WAS NOTED OVER AN OPEN FIELD. 
            THE TORNADO TRACKED EASTWARD FOR LESS THAN A QUARTER MILE
            AN LIFTED BY 413 PM CDT. NO DAMAGE WAS NOTED THOUGH 
            SIGNIFICANT DUST WAS LIFTED. PEAK WINDS ESTIMATED TO 75 
            MPH. MAXIMUM WIDTH ESTIMATD TO 75 YARDS. 

0429 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 NE REYNOLDS           47.68N 97.09W 
06/08/2018                   Grand Forks        ND   BROADCAST MEDIA 

            TWO TRACTOR TRAILER RIGS WERE FLIPPED TO THE EAST, ON 
            THEIR SIDES, ALONG THE SOUTHBOUND LANE OF INTERSTATE 29, 
            DUE TO DOWNBURST WINDS. OCCURRED BETWEEN 429 AND 431 PM 
            CDT.

0431 PM     TSTM WND GST     3 NE REYNOLDS           47.70N 97.06W 
06/08/2018  E95.00 MPH       Grand Forks        ND   911 CALL CENTER 

            FIVE POWER POLES WERE SNAPPED AND THREE WERE LEFT LEANING
            ALONG A HALF MILE STRETCH OF HIGHWAY 81. NEARBY 
            FARMSTEADS HAD A FEW SNAPPED OR UPROOTED TREES. 

0432 PM     TSTM WND GST     4 N CHAFFEE             46.83N 97.35W 
06/08/2018  E75.00 MPH       Cass               ND   PUBLIC          

            VERY STRONG WINDS TORE STEEL ROOFING OFF OF A BARN AND 
            BLEW OUT A WINDOW. 

0447 PM     TORNADO          3 SE CHAFFEE            46.74N 97.31W 
06/08/2018  F0               Cass               ND   STORM CHASER    

            LOTS OF ROTATION WITH THE STORM, SENDING OUT FUNNEL 
            CLOUDS EVERY FEW MINUTES. A COUPLE BRIEF TOUCHDOWNS WERE 
            EVIDENT IN VIDEO OVER AN OPENED FIELD. PEAK WINDS 
            ESTIMATED TO 70 MPH. MAXIMUM WIDTH TO 50 YARDS. TRACK 
            LENGTH AND DURATION LESS THAN ONE QUATER MILE AND LESS 
            THAN A MINUTE. 

0454 PM     TORNADO          3 WNW NIAGARA           48.01N 97.93W 
06/08/2018  F1               Nelson             ND   NWS STORM SURVEY

            A TORNADO LIKELY TRACKED INTERMITTENTLY FOR ABOUT 3 MILES
            TO ABOUT 1SW NIAGRA BY 506 PM CDT. A FEW SNAPPED OR 
            UPROOTED POPLAR TREES WERE NOTED IN A SHELTER BELT NORTH 
            OF U.S. HIGHWAY 2, WEST OF MP 239. LARGE BRANCHES WERE 
            ALSO BROKEN DOWN IN VARIOUS SHELTER BELTS WEST OF NIAGRA.
            PEAK WINDS ESTIMATED TO 90 MPH. MAXIMUN WIDTH ESTIMATED 
            TO 150 YARDS. TIMING ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR.

0455 PM     TSTM WND DMG     8 SE EAST GRAND FORKS   47.85N 96.89W 
06/08/2018                   Polk               MN   PUBLIC          

            A FEW LARGE 4 TO 6 INCH DIAMETER TREE BRANCHES WERE 
            BROKEN DOWN BROKEN DOWN IN A FARM YARD. STRONG WINDS BLEW
            FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. 

0457 PM     HAIL             7 N LEONARD             46.75N 97.25W 
06/08/2018  E1.25 INCH       Cass               ND   PUBLIC          

            VERY STRONG WINDS AND WIND DRIVEN HAIL STRIPPED CORN AND 
            BEAN FIELDS ACROSS CENTRAL MAPLE RIVER TOWNSHIP, NEAR 
            LYNCHBURG. 

0504 PM     TSTM WND GST     LEONARD                 46.65N 97.25W 
06/08/2018  E60.00 MPH       CASS               ND   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            RFD WINDS NEAR LEONARD UP TO 60 MPH

0512 PM     TORNADO          2 WNW EMERADO           47.93N 97.40W 
06/08/2018  F0               Grand Forks        ND   911 CALL CENTER 

            REPORT OF TORNADO TOUCHDOWN FROM GRAND FORKS WARNING 
            POINT. TORNADO TRACKED EASTWARD FOR LESS THAN A HALF 
            MILE, JUST SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 2,AND LIFTED BY 514 PM CDT. 
            NO DAMAGE WAS NOTED. PEAK WINDS ESTIMATED TO 75 MPH. 
            MAXIMUM WIDTH ESTIMATED TO 100 YARDS. 

0514 PM     HAIL             KINDRED                 46.65N 97.02W 
06/08/2018  E1.75 INCH       CASS               ND   PUBLIC          

            VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

0514 PM     HEAVY RAIN       3 WNW CLIMAX            47.62N 96.88W 
06/08/2018  M2.25 INCH       Traill             ND   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            RAIN GAUGE TILTED BY WIND

0521 PM     TORNADO          6 WNW KINDRED           46.68N 97.14W 
06/08/2018  F0               Cass               ND   PUBLIC          

            REPORT OF BRIEF TORNADO TOUCHDOWN. NO DAMAGE NOTED. 

0527 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     10 W GRAND FORKS        47.92N 97.29W 
06/08/2018                   Grand Forks        ND   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            MULTIPLE SPOTTERS NOTED THE PERISTENT AND WELL DEVELOPED 
            WALL CLOUD STRUCTURE TRACKING EASTWARD ALONG THE HIGHWAY 
            2 CORRIDOR. A BRIEF BUT DIFFUSE FUNNEL WAS EVIDENT AT 
            TIMES.

0530 PM     TORNADO          5 E EMERADO             47.92N 97.26W 
06/08/2018  F0               Grand Forks        ND   NWS STORM SURVEY

            A TORNADO TRACKED EASTWARD FROM THE FAR NORTHEAST EDGE OF
            OAKVILLE TOWNSHIP INTO FAR NORTHWEST BRENNA TOWNSHIP, 
            WITH BRIEF AND INTERMITTENT TOUCHDOWNS ALONG A ROUGHLY 
            MILE LONG PATH... ENDING ABOUT 2 SSW OF THE GRAND FORKS 
            AIRPORT BY 534 PM CDT. AT LEAST ONE POPLAR TREE WAS 
            SNAPPED IN A SHELTER BELT ALONG WITH SEVERAL SMALL WILLOW
            BUSHES IN A NEARLY HOMESTEAD. PEAK WINDS ESTIMATED TO 80 
            MPH. MAXIMUM WIDTH TO 100 YARDS. 

0540 PM     TSTM WND DMG     6 ESE CROOKSTON         47.74N 96.49W 
06/08/2018                   Polk               MN   PUBLIC          

            LARGE TREE BRANCHES BROKEN DOWN IN SHELTER BELTS. TIME 
            ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR. 

0545 PM     HAIL             3 NNW BELTRAMI          47.58N 96.55W 
06/08/2018  E1.00 INCH       Polk               MN   PUBLIC          

            LOTS OF DIME TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY 
            RAINS.

0550 PM     HAIL             KINDRED                 46.65N 97.02W 
06/08/2018  E2.00 INCH       CASS               ND   STORM CHASER    

            PICTURE WITH HAIL TWO QUARTERS WIDE SO 2 INCHES

0600 PM     HAIL             1 NW WALCOTT            46.56N 96.95W 
06/08/2018  E1.50 INCH       Richland           ND   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            VERY HEAVY RAIN AND A FEW VERY LARGE HAILSTONES. 

0605 PM     TSTM WND DMG     WALCOTT                 46.55N 96.94W 
06/08/2018                   RICHLAND           ND   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            NUMEROUS LARGE TREE BRANCHES WERE BROKEN DOWN AROUND 
            TOWN. 

0617 PM     HAIL             CHRISTINE               46.58N 96.81W 
06/08/2018  E1.25 INCH       RICHLAND           ND   STORM CHASER    

            MOSTLY QUARTER SIZED WITH SOME LARGER HAIL STONES MIXED 
            IN, TIME ESTIMATED VIA RADAR

0625 PM     TSTM WND DMG     FERTILE                 47.53N 96.29W 
06/08/2018                   Polk               MN   PUBLIC          

            SEVERAL LARGE 4 TO 6 INCH DIAMETER TREE BRANCHES BROKEN 
            DOWN.

0642 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     2 E COLFAX              46.47N 96.83W 
06/08/2018                   Richland           ND   TRAINED SPOTTER 

0702 PM     HAIL             2 NNW GARY              47.40N 96.28W 
06/08/2018  E1.50 INCH       Norman             MN   PUBLIC          

            VERY HEAVY RAINS AND VERY STRONG WINDS ALSO NOTED. LARGE 
            TREE BRANCHES BROKEN DOWN AROND THE YARD.

0725 PM     HAIL             1 NE WAUKON             47.38N 96.12W 
06/08/2018  E1.00 INCH       Norman             MN   PUBLIC          

            VERY HEAVY RAINS AND LOTS OF DIME TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL. 
            HAIL FELL OFF AND ON THROUGH ABOUT 735 PM CDT.

Environment


1 PM Surface Map	4 PM Surface Map	7 PM Surface Map


SPC Effective Shear 4 PM	SPC Effective Shear 5 PM	SPC Effective Shear 6 PM


SPC Surface Based CAPE 4 PM	SPC Surface Based CAPE 5 PM	SPC Surface Based CAPE 6 PM


SPC Surface Based Vorticity 4 PM	SPC Surface Based Vorticity 5 PM	SPC Surface Based Vorticity 6 PM


SPC Precipitable Water 4 PM	SPC Precipitable Water 5 PM	SPC Precipitable Water 6 PM

Additional Information


Warning Loop	Mesoscale Discussion

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