400
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
14
Direct injuries
$18.6M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Grand Forks County, North Dakota: 400 recorded events between 1955 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 99. That places the county #209 nationally and #2 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Grand Forks County, North Dakota: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Grand Forks County is the 2010s, when 123 of the county's 400 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Grand Forks County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 39.6% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #209 for this hazard and #2 within North Dakota, putting it in the 93.4 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Grand Forks County with 131 recorded events, while Jan is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 9, 2001 | GRAND FORKS | 88 | 0 | 12 | $18.0M |
| Aug 9, 2001 | GRAND FORKS AFB | 99 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Aug 19, 1994 | Emerado | 61 | 0 | 1 | $30K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 5, 2025 | (GFK)GRAND FORKS INT | 55 | $0 |
| Aug 8, 2025 | EMERADO | 64 | $0 |
| Aug 8, 2025 | (GFK)GRAND FORKS INT | 51 | $0 |
| Aug 8, 2025 | (RDR)GRAND FORKS AFB | 79 | $0 |
| Aug 8, 2025 | LARIMORE | 61 | $0 |
| Aug 8, 2025 | LOGAN CENTER | 58 | $0 |
| Aug 8, 2025 | LOGAN CENTER | 50 | $0 |
| Jul 27, 2025 | GRAND FORKS | 61 | $0 |
| Jul 27, 2025 | GRAND FORKS | 61 | $0 |
| Jul 27, 2025 | THOMPSON | 54 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Grand Forks County
- Hail 391
- Tornado 92
- Flash Flood 54
- Funnel Cloud 42
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The NWS Davis system measured a 101 mph wind gust. The strong wind resulted in many trees being blown down and a citywide state of emergency. Trees fell on vehicles, fences, and homes. The wind blew over traffic lights, signs, fences, and street lights. Over 50 streets in town were impassable as an estimated 3000 or more trees were flattened. 11,000 customers lost power with hundreds of power poles damaged. A 32 unit apartment building lost its roof and many homes had shingle damage. One home under construction was demolished and a semi truck was blown over. The city had to restrict water use because of the power loss. The University of North Dakota cancelled classes on the 9th.
Numerous trees were blown down in shelter belts and homesteads in Arvilla and Avon Townships. A small greenhouse was destroyed. Several trees fell on a home, severely damaging the roof. Report and photos received via social media, with time based on radar.
Four large grain bins were blown down and off their foundations at Drees Farming, near Merrifield. A sprayer was also wrapped around a grain bin. Debris from the grain bins was spread for several miles eastward. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted between Merrifield and the Kings Walk Golf Course on the south side of Grand Forks.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Grand Forks County, North Dakota?
400 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Grand Forks County between 1955 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Grand Forks County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Grand Forks County measured 99.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Grand Forks County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Grand Forks County, North Dakota.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/north-dakota/grand-forks-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.