Thunderstorm Wind in McLean County, North Dakota

A National Weather Service storm damage survey was completed 0715 CST to 1500 CST the day following the event, July 13, 2006. NWS meteorologist was accompanied by the Mclean County Emergency Manager. Damage was extensive and severe. Nearly every building in the town of about 80 people was damaged. The degree of damage varied with heavier damage to structures and trees on the west side of the town, including to a school built in 1916 and used until the mid 1960s. Just across highway 83, on the west side of town, an empty railroad coal car was off the tracks and on its side. The structural and tree damage pattern, coupled with comments from eye witnesses and 88D RADAR data, led to the determination that the event was a wet microburst with wind speeds in excess of 100 mph. Storms were multicellular in structure. Witnesses described a shelf cloud approaching, followed by the high wind, and then very heavy rain. There were two very minor injuries and no fatalities. The two injuries were in a camper that was rolled by the wind and destroyed. Coleharbor covers an area about 1/4 mile by 1/4 mile. Damage covered an area just under 4 km or just under 2 1/2 miles on a side. Outside of town the damage included a barn, many trees, and moved straw or hay bales. The ND Department of Transportation had weather instrumentation along highway 83 on the west side of Coleharbor. The Environmental Sensor Station had an engineered wind resistance of 120 mph and was lying on the ground following the storm. See photo. See entry for Mclean County 1 E Coleharbor 1828 CST to 1837 CST July 12, 2006.