EF1 tornado in Kidder County, North Dakota

The public reported damage to farms in the area. Most of the damage was caused by thunderstorm winds, however, the damage in one area was descriptive of a tornado. The farmer with the worst damage described objects scattered about in east, north, northwest, and west directions. His description of the debris field indicated that this was likely a tornado. Vehicles were damaged, along with garages, stalls, and barns. Trees were uprooted. One garage was blown to the west, while animal feeders were blown to the east. Based on the description of damage it was determined that this was an EF1 tornado. From that the estimated wind speed was around 100 mph.

A surface warm front continued to lift slowly north across southern North Dakota during the day on Monday, May 24th, in advance of a potent upper level trough racing northeast across the Rocky Mountains and towards the Northern Plains. Tornado Watch number 215 was issued by mid afternoon in anticipation of rapid thunderstorm development and intensification once mass divergence associated with the upper wave spread across the region. An elevated threat for tornadoes existed along the warm front due to favorable low level vertical shear parameters.

Numerous severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings were issued from late in the afternoon till later in the evening. Several reports of large hail, multiple reports of severe thunderstorm winds, and several reports of funnel clouds and tornadoes were received during this event. The number of confirmed tornadoes was two.