Home / States / North Dakota
Williams County, North Dakota
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1953 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
25
Tornado reports
231
Hail reports
12
Floods since 1996
681
All events
8
Deaths
$38.6M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Williams County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 23 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated
Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
Tornado F3 Tornado
There was a complex of two main fires in Williams County, referred to as the Ray-Tioga Fire and the Highway 85 Fire. Both of these fires crossed US Highway 2, and the Highway 85 fire nearly entered the town of Ray. Nearly 90,000 acres were burned by these fires, which resulted in…
The combination of winds and cold Arctic air resulted in wind chill temperatures of 40 below to near 50 below zero. One fatality (direct) occurred due to the extreme cold. The body of an adult female was found one mile from her car near Tioga, in Williams County. The woman left t…
Strong winds and heavy snow combined to produce a blizzard. In addition, periods of freezing rain occurred which accreted on power lines. This, combined with strong winds, led to extensive damage to power lines, cross arms, and poles, and thus widespread power outages.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Buford NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 67 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Significant storm damage caused by powerful thunderstorm wind gusts across nearly a mile in a neighborhood west of Williston. Emergency manager reported debris in a southwest to northeast orientation, consistent with straight line winds. Notable damage includes two homes with roo…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Pioneer NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 72 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station reported wind gusts up to 60 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Williston Airport ASOS reported wind gusts up to 69 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Emergency manager reported damage from strong wind gusts in Williston. Power lines are down in the city and there was damage to the top of a tall car dealership sign.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station reported wind gusts up to 60 mph.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Personal weather station reported wind gusts up to 65 mph.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
High Wind High Wind
Tioga AWOS reported wind gusts up to 66 mph. Sustained winds were up to 49 mph.
High Wind High Wind
Williston Airport ASOS reported wind gusts up to 68 mph.
Dust Storm Dust Storm
Widespread blowing dust with visibility down to a quarter mile.
High Wind High Wind
Ray NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 71 mph.
High Wind High Wind
Hofflund NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 59 mph.
High Wind High Wind
Williston Airport ASOS reported wind gusts to 59 mph.
High Wind High Wind
NDAWN station 12 SSE Ray reported wind gusts up to 68 mph.
High Wind High Wind
Williams County had estimated gusts to 60 mph.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Grenora received eight inches of snow.
High Wind High Wind
Williston ASOS reported wind gusts to 64 mph.
High Wind High Wind
Williston ASOS reported wind gusts to 68 mph.
Blizzard Blizzard
Strong winds and snow combined to produce a blizzard.
High Wind High Wind
Williston ASOS reported wind gusts to 60 mph.
High Wind High Wind
Williston ASOS measured sustained winds to 41 mph.
Tornado EFU Tornado
The tornado touched down in an open field southeast of Wheelock and impacted no structures. There was no damage to evaluate. By National Weather Service policy the tornado is rated EF-U (Unknown).
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A camper-trailer flipped on Highway 2.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 20 | 0 |
| 2025 | 29 | 1 |
| 2024 | 19 | 0 |
| 2023 | 14 | 0 |
| 2022 | 31 | 0 |
| 2021 | 40 | 1 |
| 2020 | 18 | 0 |
| 2019 | 12 | 0 |
| 2018 | 31 | 0 |
| 2017 | 6 | 0 |
| 2016 | 20 | 0 |
| 2015 | 10 | 1 |
| 2014 | 36 | 0 |
| 2013 | 22 | 0 |
| 2012 | 34 | 0 |
| 2011 | 23 | 0 |
| 2010 | 39 | 0 |
| 2009 | 16 | 0 |
| 2008 | 22 | 0 |
| 2007 | 12 | 1 |
| 2006 | 8 | 0 |
| 2005 | 16 | 0 |
| 2004 | 15 | 0 |
| 2003 | 11 | 1 |
| 2002 | 8 | 0 |
| 2001 | 14 | 1 |
| 2000 | 13 | 0 |
| 1999 | 18 | 0 |
| 1998 | 10 | 0 |
| 1997 | 7 | 0 |
| 1996 | 14 | 0 |
| 1995 | 9 | 1 |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1993 | 4 | 3 |
| 1991 | 11 | 0 |
| 1990 | 8 | 0 |
| 1989 | 6 | 0 |
| 1988 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986 | 5 | 0 |
| 1984 | 2 | 0 |
| 1983 | 3 | 0 |
| 1982 | 2 | 1 |
| 1981 | 4 | 0 |
| 1979 | 2 | 2 |
| 1978 | 4 | 0 |
| 1977 | 6 | 3 |
| 1976 | 1 | 1 |
| 1975 | 5 | 1 |
| 1974 | 2 | 1 |
| 1972 | 2 | 0 |
| 1971 | 4 | 1 |
| 1966 | 2 | 1 |
| 1965 | 2 | 1 |
| 1963 | 2 | 0 |
| 1960 | 1 | 0 |
| 1957 | 2 | 1 |
| 1955 | 1 | 1 |
| 1953 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Williams County, measured to its path.
We couldn’t get your location. Check that location access is allowed for this site, or type an address.