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North Dakota Flood Stories

414 first-hand accounts of flood events in North Dakota, ranked by impact. Each is a NOAA-written narrative of the moment.

Flash Flood$20K damage

McIntosh, ND · Aug 5, 2025

Thunderstorms developed over parts of western and central North Dakota in an area of elevated instability as an upper level short-wave trough approached. One storm produced 60 mph wind gusts to the southeast of Mercer in Sheridan County during the mid-afternoon.

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Flood$90K damage

Ward, ND · Apr 16, 2023

The spring snow melt of 2023 saw many areas of flooding over North Dakota due to a record deep snow pack and relatively fast melt. Multiple counties experienced infrastructure damage due to the flooding.

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Flash Flood$400K damage

La Moure, ND · Jun 8, 2021

An extended period consisting of two days of continuous severe weather occurred from June 7 through June 8. Thunderstorms initially developed along a warm front over the James River Valley into parts of south central North Dakota where strong instability and deep layer shear…

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Flash Flood$350K damage

Kidder, ND · Jun 8, 2021

An extended period consisting of two days of continuous severe weather occurred from June 7 through June 8. Thunderstorms initially developed along a warm front over the James River Valley into parts of south central North Dakota where strong instability and deep layer shear…

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Flash Flood$35K damage

Pierce, ND · Sep 16, 2024

Thunderstorms formed to the north of a surface frontal zone in an area of elevated instability. Some storms became severe, producing large hail. The largest hail was the size of a tennis ball, which fell to the southwest of Voltaire in McHenry County.

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Flood$70K damage

Mercer, ND · Apr 11, 2023

The spring snow melt of 2023 saw many areas of flooding over North Dakota due to a record deep snow pack and relatively fast melt. Multiple counties experienced infrastructure damage due to the flooding.

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Flash Flood$150K damage

Wells, ND · Jun 13, 2022

Thunderstorms developed over eastern Montana into western North Dakota as a surface trough moved through the area. Although some large hail fell with these storms, strong wind gusts became the main impact.

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Flood$25K damage

Stutsman, ND · Jun 2, 2024

Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and evening hours as an inverted surface trough, extending from low pressure in western South Dakota, and a warm front, extending from far south central North Dakota into the James River Valley, moved through.

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Flood$50K damage

Dickey, ND · Apr 16, 2023

The spring snow melt of 2023 saw many areas of flooding over North Dakota due to a record deep snow pack and relatively fast melt. Multiple counties experienced infrastructure damage due to the flooding.

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Flood$40K damage

Stutsman, ND · Apr 16, 2023

The spring snow melt of 2023 saw many areas of flooding over North Dakota due to a record deep snow pack and relatively fast melt. Multiple counties experienced infrastructure damage due to the flooding.

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Flash Flood$150K damage

Grant, ND · Jun 8, 2021

An extended period consisting of two days of continuous severe weather occurred from June 7 through June 8. Thunderstorms initially developed along a warm front over the James River Valley into parts of south central North Dakota where strong instability and deep layer shear…

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Flood$30K damage

Burke, ND · Apr 16, 2023

The spring snow melt of 2023 saw many areas of flooding over North Dakota due to a record deep snow pack and relatively fast melt. Multiple counties experienced infrastructure damage due to the flooding.

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Flash Flood$500K damage

Wells, ND · Sep 20, 2019

Thunderstorms developed mid-day along and ahead of a slowly advancing cold front over northwestern North Dakota in an unseasonably moist and unstable atmosphere. The storms then spread south and east through the day.

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Flash Flood$100K damage

Burleigh, ND · Jun 8, 2021

An extended period consisting of two days of continuous severe weather occurred from June 7 through June 8. Thunderstorms initially developed along a warm front over the James River Valley into parts of south central North Dakota where strong instability and deep layer shear…

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Flash Flood$200K damage

Wells, ND · Jun 30, 2020

Multiple thunderstorms developed over central North Dakota as an upper level trough approached the area. Very strong instability was present, but thunderstorms were having trouble becoming surface based due to convection during the morning hours, which is addressed in a separate…

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Flood$20K damage

Hettinger, ND · Apr 16, 2023

The spring snow melt of 2023 saw many areas of flooding over North Dakota due to a record deep snow pack and relatively fast melt. Multiple counties experienced infrastructure damage due to the flooding.

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Flood$1.2M damage

Mercer, ND · Mar 21, 1997

Warm weather toward the end of March lead to rapid snow melt across southcentral North Dakota. This in turn lead to flooding across much of the area. Near the confluence of Spring Creek and the Knife River, the town of Beulah(Mercer Co) had 150 families evacuated.

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Flash Flood$250K damage

Traill, ND · Sep 21, 2019

By the late afternoon of the 20th, a weak area of surface low pressure set up near Devils Lake, with the warm front extending out to the east-southeast. Temperatures had risen into the mid 70s to low 80s in the warm sector, with dew points in the upper 60s to lower 70s.

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Flash Flood$250K damage

Benson, ND · Sep 20, 2019

By the late afternoon of the 20th, a weak area of surface low pressure set up near Devils Lake, with the warm front extending out to the east-southeast. Temperatures had risen into the mid 70s to low 80s in the warm sector, with dew points in the upper 60s to lower 70s.

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Flash Flood$250K damage

Grand Forks, ND · Sep 20, 2019

By the late afternoon of the 20th, a weak area of surface low pressure set up near Devils Lake, with the warm front extending out to the east-southeast. Temperatures had risen into the mid 70s to low 80s in the warm sector, with dew points in the upper 60s to lower 70s.

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Flash Flood$250K damage

Pembina, ND · Sep 20, 2019

By the late afternoon of the 20th, a weak area of surface low pressure set up near Devils Lake, with the warm front extending out to the east-southeast. Temperatures had risen into the mid 70s to low 80s in the warm sector, with dew points in the upper 60s to lower 70s.

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Flash Flood$250K damage

Ramsey, ND · Sep 20, 2019

By the late afternoon of the 20th, a weak area of surface low pressure set up near Devils Lake, with the warm front extending out to the east-southeast. Temperatures had risen into the mid 70s to low 80s in the warm sector, with dew points in the upper 60s to lower 70s.

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Flash Flood$250K damage

Steele, ND · Sep 20, 2019

By the late afternoon of the 20th, a weak area of surface low pressure set up near Devils Lake, with the warm front extending out to the east-southeast. Temperatures had risen into the mid 70s to low 80s in the warm sector, with dew points in the upper 60s to lower 70s.

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Flood$100.0M damage

Ward, ND · May 1, 2011

This was part of historic flooding in North Dakota with statewide costs estimated around 1.5 billion dollars. Flooding was the result of significant winter snows and significant spring rains, not only in North Dakota but in Saskatchewan, Canada, as well.

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