North Dakota Storm Data: Hail & Wind History Since 2010
Deduplicated storm activity for North Dakota, fused from NWS warnings, storm reports, official records, and FEMA declarations.
Latest North Dakota hail and wind storms
- Last reported hail in North Dakota (0.75 in.+, screening): September 23, 2026 — 2.75 in. reported at 2 SW South Heart (Stark County), SPC storm report.
- 2026 so far in North Dakota: 31 hail days and 69 wind days statewide (days with a storm report or station gust at the screening thresholds; warnings alone never count).
| Date | Largest reported hail | Strongest gust | City pages hit |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 15, 2026 | — | 61 mph measured | — |
| September 23, 2026 | 2.75 in. reported | — | — |
| September 15, 2026 | — | 55 mph measured | — |
| September 14, 2026 | — | 60 mph measured | Bismarck |
| September 7, 2026 | 1.75 in. reported | 60 mph measured | — |
| September 6, 2026 | 1.75 in. reported | 62 mph reported | — |
| September 5, 2026 | 1.50 in. reported | — | — |
| September 3, 2026 | 1.50 in. reported | 71 mph measured | Fargo, Grand Forks |
| August 31, 2026 | — | 60 mph measured | — |
| August 30, 2026 | — | 67 mph measured | — |
North Dakota storm facts
- StormAuditor's analysis of NOAA and National Weather Service records found 2,666 deduplicated storm events (wind, hail, tornado, and flood; NWS warning products included) in North Dakota in the 12 months ending October 21, 2026.
- Storm activity touched 53 of 53 North Dakota counties over that period.
- The most impacted county in North Dakota was Williams, with 110 events.
- The busiest day by event count in North Dakota was June 7, 2026, with 146 events.
North Dakota storm activity at a glance (last 12 months)
StormAuditor's consolidated public record currently shows 2,666 storm events impacting 53 of North Dakota's 53 counties in the trailing 12 months: 1,791 wind events, 801 hail events, 53 tornado events, 21 flood events. Every count includes NWS warnings as well as observed reports, so tornado events mean tornado warnings and reports, not confirmed tornadoes.
Events are fused from National Weather Service warnings and Special Weather Statements, observed Local Storm Reports, official NCEI storm records, and FEMA disaster declarations, then consolidated into a single event table under the published methodology.
Wind covers thunderstorm and non-thunderstorm wind alike, so these counts measure something different from the NCEI entry counts in the history section below; the two are not comparable year to year. State totals also count NWS Special Weather Statements (radar-indicated hail or gusts below warning level); city pages leave those out.
Busiest days in North Dakota by event count
Ranked by the number of 12-month events, NWS warnings included, so a day with many warnings can outrank a day with larger hail.
- June 7, 2026 — 146 events incl. warnings (hail, tornado, wind)
- June 9, 2026 — 136 events incl. warnings (hail, tornado, wind)
- March 12, 2026 — 107 events incl. warnings (hail, wind)
- June 27, 2026 — 105 events incl. warnings (hail, tornado, wind)
- June 29, 2026 — 98 events incl. warnings (flood, hail, tornado, wind)
Most impacted counties
Events of every type for each county — wind, hail, tornado and flood, NWS warnings and Special Weather Statements included. City pages count wind and hail events only, so a county number on a city page is never higher than the number here.
- Williams — 110 events
- Ward — 99 events
- McLean — 97 events
- Burleigh — 91 events
- Morton — 82 events
- Stark — 76 events
- Divide — 70 events
- McKenzie — 70 events
Additional activity recorded under other NWS area names (forecast zones, tribal lands, and former census areas): Northwest Ward (2) · Central and Southern Ward/Minot Area (2) · Eastern McLean (2).
How these numbers are counted
The storm numbers on this page are counted in four different ways, plus the free address check. Each answers a different question with its own size cutoffs, area and time span, so compare numbers within one group, not across groups.
- Storm days (latest hail and wind): A day in the last 12 months when at least one report anywhere in North Dakota showed hail 0.75 in. or larger or wind of 45 mph or more (StormAuditor screening thresholds). Reports are NWS storm reports from spotters, the public and officials, plus weather-station gusts, which count from 50 mph. A warning on its own never makes a storm day. The "City pages hit" column and each city's last reported hail apply the same rule within 25 miles of the city. The statewide columns count reports inside North Dakota only. City pages count reports within 25 miles of each city, which can reach into a neighboring state; those values name the other state, so a border city's value for a day can be higher than the North Dakota value.
- Storm-date pages (NWS severe): A storm-date page is published only when at least one report or station gust within 25 miles of a city met the National Weather Service severe criteria (hail 1.00 in. or larger, or wind 58 mph or more), at least two separate observations were logged, and the day ranks among the most significant. A storm report that relays an airport weather station's reading (the same station, the same gust and the same time) counts once, as the station reading. Not every storm day gets a page; when one does, the page and the storm-day table show the same largest hail and strongest gust.
- Events (12-month counts): Events count the North Dakota storm log: NWS warnings and Special Weather Statements (a lower-level NWS alert), storm reports (wind 50 mph+, hail 0.75 in.+), station gusts, NCEI entries and FEMA disaster declarations, for each county affected, floods included. One event is one place on one day, counted separately for each type (wind, hail, tornado, flood). A weather station or storm-report point counts once a day, at that day's highest reading, however many readings it filed; a place with hail and wind on the same day is two events. NWS warnings and Special Weather Statements count once per county per day, and NCEI entries and FEMA declarations once per place per day. A storm report that relays an airport weather station's reading (the same station, the same gust and the same time) counts once, as the station reading. The same report arriving through another feed (SPC or NCEI) is one record. The most impacted counties list uses this count. City pages count only wind and hail within 25 miles and leave out floods and Special Weather Statements, so city counts do not add up to the state total, and a city page's county count is a wind-and-hail count that is never higher than the same county's number here.
- NOAA history (since 2010): The official NOAA storm record (NCEI Storm Events) in North Dakota from January 1, 2010 to the day before the 12-month window starts: hail 0.50 in.+, thunderstorm wind 40 mph+ and tornadoes. It is a separate, older record with its own "storm days" (days with any entry), so its counts are not compared with the 12-month numbers.
- Free Report Snapshot: A free YES/NO estimate for one address, from radar and wind analysis at the property rather than area reports, at the same screening thresholds: hail 0.75 in. or wind 45 mph.
Full method: Methodology and Data Sources.
North Dakota hail and wind history in NOAA NCEI records, 2010–Oct. 2025
This section covers January 1, 2010 through October 20, 2025. Storms from October 21, 2025 on are in the 12-month summary above, so no date is counted in both.
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 9,153 NCEI Storm Events entries in North Dakota for this period, on 733 separate storm days. Hail is the more common entry — 4,590 hail reports to 4,059 thunderstorm wind reports.
The most storm days came in 2018, with 54; the fewest in a full year was 36, in 2021. Across 2022–2024, North Dakota averaged 43 storm days a year, below the 15-year average of 46.
On July 13, 2010, 5.00 in. (larger than softball size) hail was reported in Sioux County — the largest in these records for North Dakota. Hail of 2 inches or more appears in 16 different years of this record, the latest being 2025 through Oct. 20.
The strongest measured thunderstorm gust was 110 mph, reached in 2023 and 2025 through Oct. 20 — most recently on June 20, 2025 in Steele County. NCEI also lists 504 tornado entries in North Dakota — one entry per county a tornado crossed.
July is the peak month for both hazards, with 36% of all hail reports. December through February accounts for 1 storm day.
- Average: 46 storm days a year (2010–2024)
- June and July: 67% of all hail reports
- Most hail reports in one year: 406 in 2016
- Hail of 1 in. or larger reported in every full year, 2010–2024
| Year | Hail reports | Thunderstorm wind reports | Tornado entries | Storm days | Largest hail | Strongest measured gust |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 377 | 255 | 66 | 50 | 5.00 in. | 93 mph |
| 2011 | 283 | 272 | 62 | 49 | 2.75 in. | 96 mph |
| 2012 | 249 | 133 | 9 | 49 | 2.75 in. | 93 mph |
| 2013 | 270 | 176 | 16 | 49 | 3.50 in. | 87 mph |
| 2014 | 203 | 121 | 15 | 38 | 4.00 in. | 85 mph |
| 2015 | 252 | 141 | 32 | 44 | 3.75 in. | 82 mph |
| 2016 | 406 | 304 | 23 | 53 | 4.00 in. | 89 mph |
| 2017 | 258 | 136 | 33 | 38 | 2.75 in. | 94 mph |
| 2018 | 305 | 263 | 29 | 54 | 3.50 in. | 96 mph |
| 2019 | 296 | 173 | 15 | 47 | 3.00 in. | 85 mph |
| 2020 | 313 | 287 | 23 | 52 | 3.75 in. | 90 mph |
| 2021 | 360 | 470 | 30 | 36 | 3.00 in. | 85 mph |
| 2022 | 376 | 578 | 32 | 45 | 3.00 in. | 87 mph |
| 2023 | 270 | 238 | 14 | 39 | 2.00 in. | 110 mph |
| 2024 | 174 | 167 | 14 | 44 | 4.50 in. | 85 mph |
| 2025 through Oct. 20 | 198 | 345 | 91 | 46 | 3.50 in. | 110 mph |
Counties with the most NCEI storm reports, 2010–Oct. 2025
| County | All entries | Hail | Thunderstorm wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Forks County | 486 | 159 | 275 |
| Cass County | 483 | 194 | 260 |
| Morton County | 442 | 236 | 188 |
| Burleigh County | 349 | 163 | 172 |
| Williams County | 285 | 153 | 128 |
| Stutsman County | 271 | 120 | 139 |
| Richland County | 250 | 101 | 127 |
| McKenzie County | 248 | 138 | 96 |
| Stark County | 243 | 125 | 111 |
| McLean County | 234 | 114 | 106 |
Download this history: CSV · JSON at https://www.stormauditor.com/downloads/storm-history/nd.json (free, open license, cite StormAuditor).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (thunderstorm wind, hail, and tornado entries; hail 0.50 in. or larger, wind 40 mph or more; wind converted from knots).
North Dakota storm history questions, 2010–Oct. 2025
How big did hail get in North Dakota, 2010–Oct. 2025?
5.00 in., larger than softball size, reported on July 13, 2010 in Sioux County, per NCEI. Hail of 2 inches or more appears in 16 years of this record in all, most recently 2023, 2024 and 2025 through Oct. 20.
Which year had the most storm days in North Dakota, 2010–Oct. 2025?
2018, with 54 storm days (305 hail reports, 263 thunderstorm wind reports, 29 tornado entries). The 15-year average is 46 storm days.
How many hail reports does North Dakota see in a typical year?
About 293 hail reports a year (2010–2024 average), with 1-inch or larger hail reported every year. Thunderstorm wind averages 248 reports a year.
What month has the most hail in North Dakota?
July has the most hail reports (1,653, 2010–Oct. 2025), followed by June (1,431) and August (850).
What is the strongest measured thunderstorm gust in North Dakota, 2010–Oct. 2025?
110 mph, reached in 2023 and 2025 through Oct. 20; most recently measured on June 20, 2025 in Steele County. Only gusts NCEI lists as measured count here; gusts measured on a date and county with a tornado entry, and entries of 120 knots or more (known entry errors), are left out.
Working storm claims? Roofing contractors, public adjusters, and insurance adjusters work from this same public storm record with statewide hail and wind maps and per-address reports — see StormAuditor for professionals.
Sources: NWS alerts (api.weather.gov) · NWS Local Storm Reports via the Iowa Environmental Mesonet · ASOS/AWOS station gusts via the Iowa Environmental Mesonet · NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database · every StormAuditor data source.
Download the North Dakota dataset (free)
The full consolidated North Dakota event list for the trailing 12 months — dates, counties, hazard types, severities, measured gusts and hail sizes, with coordinates; source records deduplicated, and each NWS warning product listed per affected county — downloads free and stays current with the live record: download CSV · JSON at https://www.stormauditor.com/downloads/storm-data/nd.json. Free to reuse under the data license; the JSON file carries a field dictionary and provenance notes.
Research a specific North Dakota address
Statewide counts tell you where activity concentrated; they do not tell you what happened at one property. For an individual address:
- Run the Free Report Snapshot — an instant YES/NO against StormAuditor's screening thresholds (wind ≥ 45 mph, hail ≥ 0.75 in., deliberately below the official NWS severe criteria).
- Use the Address Lookup for warnings, storm reports, and station observations at the address.
- Buy a full Weather Report for $2.99 covering every qualifying storm date at the address.
Browse day-by-day activity on the Storm Calendar (Pro plans and higher) or compare states on the Storm Data hub.
All values are derived from public NOAA and NWS data under StormAuditor's published methodology (see Limitations). Data last refreshed October 21, 2026.
See where recent storms tracked on the statewide North Dakota hail map and wind map (the Hail and Wind Explorers, included with Pro+ and Organization plans), or check the county impact heatmap (free with an account).
North Dakota cities A–Z: last reported hail
- Bismarck hail & wind history — last hail August 11, 2026 (2.75 in. reported)
- Fargo hail & wind history — last hail August 17, 2026 (1.00 in. reported in Minnesota)
- Grand Forks hail & wind history — last hail July 24, 2026 (1.50 in. reported in Minnesota)
Neighboring states: Minnesota storm data · Montana storm data · South Dakota storm data
Guides for reading this data
Storm-day records in North Dakota
The newest storm-date pages for North Dakota cities: a report or station gust within 25 miles of the city met NWS severe criteria (hail 1.00 in.+ or wind 58 mph+), with at least two separate observations. Each page lists the reports, station gusts and a free way to check one address:
Cite or link to this data — free
Free to quote, summarize, reuse, and link — for bloggers, journalists, researchers, contractors, and AI writing tools. No permission or credit required. A ready-made citation and link are below if they help. Terms: StormAuditor data & content license.
Citation: StormAuditor. "North Dakota Storm Data: Hail & Wind History Since 2010." Updated October 15, 2026. https://www.stormauditor.com/storm-data/nd
HTML link: <a href="https://www.stormauditor.com/storm-data/nd">North Dakota Storm Data: Hail & Wind History Since 2010 — StormAuditor</a>
About this page: built by Storm Auditor LLC from public NOAA/NWS records — deduplicated warnings, storm reports, station measurements, and official records on a rolling 12-month window, under the published methodology. See the StormAuditor Editorial Team for how content is produced.
Read more: How to Look Up a North Dakota Storm Date