Storm of a lifetime!! Size of cat. 4 hurricane

I’ve been in this business for 30 years and I have NEVER seen a storm like this.  Why?  Well, for many reasons.   First off, the dynamics that came together to form this storm was incredible.  Let’s set the stage.  A very moist and unstable airmass was in place.   We had a warm front draped over the area which provided the focus for severe storms with tornadic potential.    We had turning winds with height (ie: SE surface winds and SW upper level winds)  When a meteorologist sees this, ALARM BELLS go off.  Perfect set up for tornadoes or severe storms.   However, one  thing the models didn’t pick up until the morning of was what we call a “meso low”

Now, a derecho event was unfolding with this “meso low” from McClusky to Carrington to Jamestown down to Ashley.  With a derecho event, you can get quick moving line of storms producing quick wind damage which we had.  However the center of this “meso low” as it moved eastward kept intensifying.  Central pressure dropped to 942mb.  This is equivalent to a CAT 4 hurricane!!!!  So in other words we had a CAT 4 hurricane strength storm over central and eastern ND.  What added fuel to this was strong winds just off the surface of about 120 mph (inflow jet) that was feeding into this meso low and maintaining it’s strength producing SUSTAINED 100mph winds for around 1 hour from Bismarck to Mayville to Jamestown.  I’ve never seen ANYTHING like this in my career and thus the WIDESPREAD damage in central and eastern ND.   We lucked out here in Fargo.  If this would have hit Fargo, the devastation would have been horrible.

Here’s a look at the damage from our partners at Valley News Live:

This falls on the anniversary of the 1957 tornado which struck Fargo with massive damage.  Thoughts and prayers go out to the 3 fatalities from Enderlin and to all those with widespread damage just outside of Fargo.