EF1 tornado in Burke County, North Dakota

A tornado was reported west of Portal near the Canadian border where it blew out the windows of two vehicles and blew the vehicles into the ditch. The tornado continued east-southeast towards the southern side of the town of Portal, uprooting 12 inch in diameter trees, snapping several power poles, and destroying an old oak barn. The tornado then continued east of Portal, uprooting several more large trees, downing more power lines, and destroying a granary, before dissipating. The damage corresponded to low end EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Tornado Scale. From that it was determined that wind speeds were around 90 mph. No injuries and no deaths were reported.

In the mid afternoon hours of Wednesday, July 8th, Tornado Watch 563 was issued for all of western and parts of central North Dakota, due to the expected widespread and dangerous development and rapid intensification of thunderstorms near a surface trough along the western North Dakota border. Destabilization along the surface trough, coupled with the approach of a strong upper level trough and an intensifying late afternoon/early evening low level jet, all contributed to the watch issuance. Later Wednesday evening, Severe Thunderstorm Watch 565 was issued for much of central North Dakota to replace the expiring Tornado Watch, and specifically to account for a developing bow echo which was expected to push east across the watch area into the early morning hours of Thursday, July 9th.

The end result was a large severe weather outbreak experienced across much of west and central North Dakota, lasting from the late afternoon hours of the 8th, into the early morning hours of the 9th. Multiple severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings were issued. Numerous reports of large hail and severe thunderstorm wind gusts were received throughout this event. Several tornadoes occurred, including an EF3 within city limits on the south side of Dickinson. That tornado alone resulted in over twenty million dollars in damage.