EF2 tornado in Barnes County, North Dakota

This tornado developed in central Barnes County 5 miles southwest of Valley City and tracked southeast, caused EF-0 and EF-1 damage to trees and several homes. It continued over a ridge crossing the Sheyenne River, then caused EF-1 and EF-2 damage to several homes eventually crossing 117th Ave SE before lifting 3 miles south of Valley City. This tornado was almost 6 miles long.

During the evening of Friday, June 20th into the early morning hours of June 21st, much of the region was affected by severe weather. Supercell thunderstorms developed across southeast North Dakota ahead of an approaching convective complex, producing multiple strong, destructive, and fatal tornadoes. This was followed by a powerful line of severe thunderstorms categorized as a derecho, which tracked across much of the region resulting in widespread straight line wind damage. After the derecho passed through the region, there was a period of prolonged destructive winds that affected portions of central and east central North Dakota, as well as adjacent portions of Minnesota. This was a unique event due to the combination of the violent tornadoes ahead of the derecho, and the long duration of significant winds that followed the derecho. Based on estimates provided by North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, the state lost anywhere from 50 to 80 million bushels of grain storage capacity from these storms.