Hurricane-force wind gusts blast across northern Plains, Upper Midwest with more severe weather expected
A severe thunderstorm complex blew through North Dakota early Friday morning, producing a radar-confirmed tornado with wind speeds clocked at 91 mph at Grand Forks Air Force Base.
Radar-confirmed tornado in Grand Forks, ND as severe storms sweep across state
FOX Weather Meteorologists Craig Herrera and Stephen McCloud tracked a severe storm complex that produced a radar-confirmed tornado as storms swept across North Dakota early Friday morning
BISMARCK, N.D. – A frontal boundary slowly pushing through the northern tier of the country will be the focus of severe thunderstorms over the next couple of days, with thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, hurricane-force wind gusts and very large hail.
A severe thunderstorm complex blew through North Dakota early Friday morning, producing a radar-confirmed tornado with wind speeds clocked at 91 mph at Grand Forks Air Force Base.
A second round of severe storms is expected to develop Friday afternoon with the area under greatest threat shifting east slightly covering Minnesota.
Severe thunderstorms sweep through Grand Forks, North Dakota Friday
Severe thunderstorms sweep through Grand Forks, North Dakota Friday morning.
Storms initially developed during the late-afternoon Thursday and evening hours, with thunderstorms continuing into the overnight period.
Police in Jamestown, North Dakota reported storm damage Friday morning that created traffic hazards.
Eastern parts of the Dakotas, most of Minnesota, and parts of northwestern Wisconsin are under a Level 2 out of 5 risk area for severe thunderstorms, according to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center. The Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area is included in this threat.
Damaging wind gusts, large hail and potentially tornadoes will once again be the main severe weather hazards.
(FOX Weather)
Over the weekend, storm chances will extend farther east into cities such as Minneapolis, Chicago and Green Bay, Wisconsin, but the intensity and coverage of these storms will largely depend on the availability of atmospheric instability.
While general thunderstorm activity is expected to impact much of the Midwest on Saturday, most of the precipitation is expected to remain below severe weather criteria.
(FOX Weather)
Thunderstorms don’t need to reach severe limits to be considered dangerous and produce problems.
Heavy rainfall can lead to localized flash flooding and cloud-to-ground lightning remains a significant cause of storm-related fatalities.