Severe Weather Pummels Dakotas, Minnesota | WeatherBug
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Severe Weather Pummels Dakotas, Minnesota

June 25, 2022
By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Christian Sayles
The northern Plains continues to be rocked this evening as a wave of severe thunderstorms makes its way through the Dakotas and into Minnesota. Main threats include damaging wind gusts and large hail, but a few tornadoes are also possible.

A cold front making its way through the Canadian Prairies and into the northern Plains is the trigger for these storms. With temperatures soaring into the 90s ahead of the front, there is plenty of fuel for storm development. The threat is significant enough that that the national Storm Prediction Center considers it an Enhanced Risk for severe thunderstorms over the Dakotas and parts of Minnesota.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch stretches from southwestern South Dakota to northern Minnesota, including International Falls and Alexandria, Minn., Aberdeen and Pierre, S.D., and Fargo and Grand Forks, N.D.

Possible tornadoes have been reported across parts of eastern North Dakota, although these tornadoes have been quite brief, lasting less than 5 minutes apiece on the ground. Hail to the size of baseballs was reported near Draper, S.D., while hen egg sized hail was reported near Goodridge, Minn. A storm near East Grand Forks, Minn., produced an 88 mph gust.

Although those are the main concern regions, stray thunderstorms capable of being briefly severe will be possible over the Rockies and Missouri Valley thanks to this developing system. A watchful eye will be needed on the activity today as storms begin to ignite.

Make sure you know the difference between a watch and a warning should they be issued for your location. A watch means that conditions are favorable for severe weather to take place and you need a plan in place for acting. A warning means that severe weather has been indicated by radar or report and danger is imminent and you need to act fast to stay protected. 

Regardless of the region, storms will be capable of producing heavy rainfall which could produce flash flooding. If you encounter a flooded area, remember to “Turn Around, Don’t Drown!” and “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!”