Central North Dakota Supercells Set to Unleash Large Hail, Tornadoes This Afternoon — SevereWX

Central North Dakota Faces Imminent Severe Threat

Storms are firing up across central North Dakota this afternoon, with the Storm Prediction Center highlighting a high risk for supercells packing all hazards. A mesoscale discussion flags an 80% chance of a tornado watch soon, as surface-based thunderstorms develop near a stationary front.

Key Threats:

• Very Large Hail: Up to 2.50 inches, with potential for baseball-sized stones.
• Tornadoes: A few possible, peaking at 100-125 mph (EF2 strength).
• Damaging Winds: 55-70 mph gusts, especially if storms bow out.

Rich moisture (dewpoints in the 70s) and moderate instability (1000-2000+ J/kg MLCAPE) meet strong shear (50-60 kt), priming the area for rotating storms by 2-3 PM CDT. This builds on recent Dakotas activity, with initial cells possibly evolving into wind-producing segments.

Stay tuned to local NWS offices (FGF, BIS) for watch updates. Radar shows early development west of the front in northwest SD edging closer.

Preparedness: Review your severe weather plan, ensure mobile alerts are on, and know your safe spot. If a warning hits, take cover immediately.