Enderlin tornado

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Enderlin tornado
Clockwise from top: The tornado captured by storm chasers near its peak intensity southeast of Enderlin; An unofficial contour map showing the tracks of the two tornadoes produced by the Enderlin supercell; NEXRAD radar imagery of the tornado near its peak, displaying a hook echo and an extremely powerful tornado vortex signature
Meteorological history
FormedJune 20, 2025, 11:02 p.m. CDT (UTC–05:00)
DissipatedJune 20, 2025, 11:21 p.m. CDT (UTC–05:00)
Duration19 minutes
EF5 tornado
on the Enhanced Fujita scale
Path length12.10 miles (19.47 km)
Highest winds
Overall effects
Fatalities3[2]
Injuries0
Areas affectedAreas near Enderlin, North Dakota
Part of the tornado outbreak and derecho of June 19–22, 2025 and tornado outbreaks of 2025

In the late-night hours of June 20, 2025, a large and extremely violent EF5 tornado moved through areas near Enderlin, North Dakota. Part of a larger outbreak and derecho sequence that occurred across the northern Great Plains between June 19–22, the tornado, internally referred to by the National Weather Service (NWS) as Enderlin Tornado #1,[1][b] was the first to be rated EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita scale since the Moore, Oklahoma tornado on May 20, 2013, ending a 12-year-long period without tornadoes rated EF5. It was the deadliest tornado to occur in North Dakota since the F4 tornado that struck Elgin in 1978, and had the shortest duration of any EF5 tornado. It was additionally the first tornado of such intensity to have struck North Dakota since the 1957 Fargo tornado, which occurred on the same day 68 years prior. The tornado traveled 12.10 miles (19.47 km) in 19 minutes and reached a peak width of 1.05 miles (1.69 km).[3]

The tornado first touched down at 11:02 p.m. CDT approximately 3.8 miles (6.1 km) south of Enderlin. After causing damage to trees and a grain elevator facility, the tornado became extremely violent southeast of Enderlin, derailing and tossing several train cars at EF5 intensity. The tornado continued northeast, damaging or destroying farmhouses and outbuildings before causing extreme damage to a forest along the Maple River. The tornado crossed ND 46 in this area and leveled a couple of homes, killing two people. For the remainder of the path, numerous trees were snapped, multiple metal truss towers were toppled, and more homes were damaged, including one that was mostly leveled, resulting in another fatality. The tornado dissipated at 11:21 p.m. In total, three people were killed. The tornado's parent supercell almost immediately produced another strong EF2 tornado just east of the track of the EF5 tornado.

The tornado was given a preliminary rating of EF3, with the highest wind speeds estimated at 160 mph (260 km/h).[4] However, this rating was upgraded to EF5 following additional surveys and forensic damage analysis for the tipping of several fully-loaded grain hopper cars and the lofting of an empty tanker car, conducted in association with wind damage experts and researchers at the Northern Tornadoes Project.[5] Multiple other damage indicators, including tree damage along the Maple River and two farmsteads, also received upgrades to EF4 after reanalysis. After the tornado, a statewide disaster was declared by the Governor of North Dakota following the tornado outbreak and derecho that impacted the state. In September, federal disaster relief was approved, but was delayed amid the 2025 United States federal government shutdown. Locals and other organizations volunteered to help with the recovery efforts.

Meteorological synopsis

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The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center outlined a moderate risk (oval colored in red) area for severe weather over portions of North Dakota and Minnesota on this map.
This version of the map shows a 10% probability of a tornado within 25 miles of a given point in the highest risk area, and a 10% chance of a significant tornado.
SPC outlooks issued at 01Z, about three hours before the tornado touched down. A wind-driven moderate risk was issued for the area, although the possibility of a strong tornado was mentioned.[6]

On June 15, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) noted on its Day 6 outlook that a shortwave, mid-level ridge was forecasted to traverse into the upper Mississippi River valley and remain over the region as mid-level heights increase. Beneath the ridge, a moist and unstable airmass was expected to be in place from the lower to mid-Missouri Valley, northeastward into the western Great Lakes regions. Instability and deep-layer shear were sufficient for a localized severe threat, though uncertainties remained on where the greatest potential for convection would be.[7]

A seasonally strong mid-level trough was forecast to eject over the Northern Plains on June 20, which featured moderate upper-level divergence to promote lift and shear support.[7] This trough brought high to extreme convective available potential energy (CAPE) to the Dakotas and Minnesota, on the order of 3000 to 4000 J/kg, as well as seasonally strong winds aloft, as demonstrated by the 00z Aberdeen sounding. With a strong nocturnal low-level jet forecast to emerge past dusk, low-level shear would also be more than sufficient for strong tornadoes. These combined factors resulted in significant tornado parameters exceeding 10. However, before the event, the level of convection in the prime parameter space was dubious, as forcing for ascent was low and temperatures were forecast to be 14°C (57.2°F) or higher, which would set up a warm nose and severely inhibit any nascent updrafts. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) Day 2 outlook mentioned that "the nose of the low-level lapse rate plume should result in at least a small area of uncapped and very unstable air mass, perhaps over northeast SD and southeast ND. Here, a conditional supercell and tornado risk will exist. Should storms form in this area around or after 00Z, very large hail and tornadoes appear likely."[8]

Supercells began developing across eastern North Dakota, around the Jamestown area, in the evening hours of June 20. Although they were initially elevated, the strengthening low-level jet and isentropic/geostrophic ascent contributed to eroding the convective inhibition that was in place, allowing them to become more surface-based.[9] Additionally, a nearby frontal boundary provided extreme storm-relative helicity which further supported surface-based shear and streamwise vorticity as well as development of rotation or mesocyclogenesis within the supercells.[9] Continuing to strengthen in response to these factors, a few tornadoes touched down before the Enderlin tornado, including an EF3 tornado near Spiritwood and two EF2 tornadoes near Valley City and Fort Ransom, respectively; both moved in a southeasterly direction towards the Enderlin area.[10][11] The SPC released a mesoscale discussion concerning this with the potential for EF2/EF3 strength-tornadoes to occur as a result.[10]

Tornado summary

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Formation and peak intensity

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A map with several polygons and lines showing the tornado's strength at a given location
Official track and intensity map of the tornado released by the National Weather Service
Key
  EF0 65–85 mph
  EF1 86–110 mph
  EF2 111–135 mph
  EF3 136–165 mph
  EF4 166–200 mph
  EF5 >200 mph
An aerial photograph of a field, with a tipped-over train car being visible.
EF5-rated damage to several full grain train cars and empty tank cars tossed and derailed near Enderlin.

The tornado initially touched down at 11:02 p.m. CDT along 58th Street SE, 3.8 mi (6.1 km) south of Enderlin in Ransom County. After snapping tree branches at EF0 intensity at its touchdown point, the tornado intensified and widened as it moved east-northeastward across County Road 55 through open fields. The tornado then impacted the ADM Edible Bean Specialties grain elevator facility at the corner of 136th Avenue SE and County Road 136 at EF2 strength, snapping large trees and destroying an outbuilding.[12] The tornado then began a dramatic, rapid intensification and widening phase as it turned northeastward. It peaked in intensity as it crossed a CPKC rail line southeast of Enderlin, derailing numerous train cars on a stopped freight train.[12]

Initially, this damage was unrated since train cars are not standard damage indicators. However, forensic evidence suggested that the tornado was extremely violent at this location, which led the National Weather Service (NWS) in Grand Forks, North Dakota, to conduct a more extensive review of the damage. In all, 33 cars on the train derailed; 19 of them were fully loaded grain hopper cars weighing up to 286,000 lb (130,000 kg) that were all tipped over, with one of them being pulled off the tracks and into an adjacent field. The other 14 cars were empty tanker cars weighing up to 72,000 lb (33,000 kg). Four of the cars were thrown out into the field, including one that was tossed 600–1,000 ft (180–300 m), landing 475.7 ft (145.0 m) away from the previous tank car it was attached to. Wheel sets from the derailed cars detached at the locations where the cars came off the rails. Collaborating with wind damage experts, the NWS determined that winds of 230 mph (370 km/h) were needed to tip over a fully loaded grain car and winds of over 266 mph (428 km/h) to throw the tank car 475.7 ft (145.0 m). Based on this, an EF5 damage rating was applied to this location.[1] In addition, extreme radar measurements were observed around the time that EF5-rated damage was being inflicted. It was also determined that the train cars were lofted twice as far as the EF5 threshold distance and four times heavier than the heaviest object model in the reanalysis.[13] A home that was on the edge of the path sustained minor EF0 damage to its roof as well.[12]

Continuation and dissipation

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EF4-rated root ball displacement caused by the tornado.

The tornado then turned north-northeastward, weakening to EF3 strength, but also growing to its peak width of over a mile. The tornado blew over a cell tower that was anchored by four cables into the ground, completely scoured crop fields, and snapped large trees, debarking some of them. It also leveled an unoccupied farmhouse, shifted another house off its foundation, and damaged or destroyed outbuildings.[12] The tornado then began to narrow some, but became violent again, moving along the Maple River and approaching ND 46 at EF4 intensity. An entire forest of trees along the river was leveled, with only stubs of the trees left behind. Severe debarking of trees was also noted, with some of them being "sandpapered," and some trees were lofted with the root ball attached, including one whose original location could not be determined.[12] The violent tornado then crossed ND 46 into Cass County, and devastated two homes, with two deaths occurring in this area. The first home, along with a well-built detached garage nearby, was obliterated and swept away with all the debris scattered downwind of both structures. It was acknowledged that the tornado may have been even stronger at this location, but insufficient anchoring prevented a rating higher than mid-range EF4.[12] The second house, located approximately 300 yd (270 m) to the west of the first along 140th Avenue SE, along with nearby outbuildings, were leveled.[12][14] The tornado then crossed over the Maple River, leveling another swath of trees. All the damage along the Maple River had previously been rated EF3 before being upgraded to EF4.[4]

A black-and-white security camera still of a large cylindrical cloud above trees and a row of homes
The tornado's parent mesocyclone seen during a lightning flash as it was near Enderlin

The tornado then weakened as it turned due north, paralleling 140th Avenue SE at EF2 strength, snapping trees and damaging crops, along with shattering the windows of a home and inflicting roof damage to a mobile home along 52nd Street SE.[12] The tornado then turned north-northwestward and reintensified to high-end EF3 strength, leveling another farmhouse and snapping numerous trees; one person was killed in the house.[4][14] After snapping more trees and scouring additional crop fields at EF2 strength, the tornado turned northwestward and toppled four tall steel electrical transmission towers at low-end EF3 strength; it also snapped wooden power poles in this area as it crossed County Road 38.[12] The tornado then quickly narrowed and weakened as it sharply looped back to the south along the southern end of the Utke Waterfowl Production Area, crossing County Road 16 twice, and snapping some additional hardwood tree trunks at EF2 strength before dissipating just west of the 50th Street SE and 138th Avenue SE intersection at 11:21 p.m. CDT, approximately 5 mi (8.0 km) southwest of Alice.[4][15]

Overall, the tornado was on the ground for 19 minutes, had a path length of 12.10 miles (19.47 km), and reached a peak width of 1.05 miles (1.69 km). According to the Enderlin–Sheldon Fire Department, 10 homes sustained some form of damage from the storm.[16][17] Shortly after the dissipation of the Enderlin tornado, a second large tornado formed just east of the first tornado's path at 11:22 p.m. CDT. Moving southeast, this second tornado caused EF2 damage to trees and outbuildings across a 6.82 mi (10.98 km) path before dissipating at 11:34 p.m. CDT.[12]

Aftermath

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Casualties and recovery efforts

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National Weather Service publication announcing the tornado's upgrade from an EF3 to EF5 rating

Governor of North Dakota Kelly Armstrong declared a statewide disaster following the tornado, activating the state's "Emergency Operations Plan".[16] On June 24, over 150 volunteers joined in a joint cleanup operation.[18][19] The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement sent disaster teams to Enderlin to aid in recovery efforts,[20] and volunteers from the Northern Plains UAS Test Site deployed an Unmanned Aerial System to help residents find personal items that had been lost as a result of the tornado.[21][22] North Bank set up a fund for victims of the tornado.[23]

The town of Enderlin was not affected by the tornado itself, although it lost power due to the storm.[24] Debris from the tornado was found as far away as Moorhead, Minnesota, 40 miles (64 km) from where the tornado had occurred.[25]

The 2025 United States federal government shutdown, which was ongoing at the time of the tornado's upgrade to an EF5 rating, makes disaster assistance unavailable until the shutdown ends;[26][27] President Donald Trump had approved Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster relief to assist the month prior.[28]

The tornado killed three people, all in the vicinity of Enderlin.[29][15] The three deaths occurred at two different locations along the tornado's path.[30] It was the deadliest tornado to strike the state since 1978, when an F4 tornado killed five people in Elgin.[31][32][2]

Rating upgrade

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In the preliminary National Weather Service survey taken after the event, the Enderlin tornado was assigned a rating of EF3 with winds of 160 mph (260 km/h).[33][34][35] On October 6, 2025, the National Weather Service in Grand Forks, with assistance from several engineers including Timothy P. Marshall,[36] upgraded the Enderlin tornado to EF5 with winds of over 210 mph (340 km/h) based on the lofting of several train cars,[1][37] and the tipping of 33 more.[38] Researchers at the Northern Tornadoes Project in Canada assisted the National Weather Service's Grand Forks office with calculating the estimated wind speed required to loft the train car based on procedures established in a 2024 paper.[39] The tornado also caused high-end damage in other areas, although construction limitations restricted said damage points from being rated EF5. The strong winds correlated to the indicated winds on the WSR-88D Storm-Relative Velocity data from KMVX.[1]

Melinda Beerends, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service office in Grand Forks, stated that "In the last kind of 12 years, there's been several strong tornadoes that have come close, but there haven't been known damage indicators at that time to support the EF5 rating … it's hard sometimes to get tornadoes to hit something."[40] The upgraded rating ended the EF5 drought that had begun following the May 2013 Moore, Oklahoma, tornado.[41][42][43]

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2025 Enderlin tornado.

Notes

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  1. ^ While the Damage Assessment Toolkit (DAT) and the official NWS statement announcing the upgrade list the damage indicator as >210 mph, commentary by the National Weather Service in collaboration with the Northern Tornadoes Project at the University of Western Ontario's Canadian Severe Storms Laboratory mentioned that winds of >266 mph (428 km/h) were needed to loft the empty tanker car 475.7 ft (145 m).[1]
  2. ^ The National Weather Service identified a second tornado, rated EF2, in the Enderlin area, which was designated as Enderlin Tornado #2.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "...Enderlin Tornado #1 Upgraded to EF-5..." Iowa Environmental Mesonet. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Enderlin tornado that claimed 3 lives is North Dakota's deadliest since 1978". The Dakotan. June 24, 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  3. ^ Raza, Sarah (October 6, 2025). "EF5 tornado that killed 3 in North Dakota was the nation's first in 12 years". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d National Weather Service in Grand Forks, North Dakota (June 23, 2025). NWS Damage Survey for 6/20/2025 Enderlin Tornadoes (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  5. ^ "CSSL/NTP assists NWS with rating historic EF5 tornado in US". Northern Tornadoes Project. October 6, 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  6. ^ "Storm Prediction Center Jun 21, 2025 0100 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook". Storm Prediction Center. June 21, 2025. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Mesoscale Analysis Archive". Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  8. ^ "Storm Prediction Center Jun 19, 2025 1730 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook". Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  9. ^ a b Moore, Andrew (June 20, 2025). "Storm Prediction Center Mesoscale Discussion 1386". Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  10. ^ a b Moore, Andrew (June 20, 2025). "Storm Prediction Center Mesoscale Discussion 1390". Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  11. ^ "June 20, 2025 Summary; Updated: 7/18/2025 12:00pm". National Weather Service Grand Forks, North Dakota. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Damage Assessment Toolkit (DAT)". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  13. ^ "EF-5 tornado drought comes to an end after June North Dakota tornado gets an upgrade". WQAD. October 6, 2025. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  14. ^ a b "At least 3 dead in North Dakota after severe weather swept across region". ABC News. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  15. ^ a b "The U.S.'s strongest tornado in 12 years hit North Dakota in June, National Weather Service says". CBS News. October 6, 2025. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  16. ^ a b Froslie, Erin Hemme (June 25, 2025). "Governor pledges state support for storm victims while touring eastern North Dakota damage". North Dakota Monitor. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  17. ^ Schneider, Clare Marie (June 21, 2025). "At least three people dead from a tornado in North Dakota". New Hampshire Public Radio. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  18. ^ "'We all come together': Over 150 volunteers clean up Enderlin farms after deadly tornadoes". AgWeek. June 25, 2025. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  19. ^ Ballweber, Anna (June 24, 2025). "Volunteers clean up farm fields after deadly Enderlin tornado". KVLY-TV. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  20. ^ "American Red Cross Responding to Storm Disaster". News Dakota. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  21. ^ Kelly, Sav (June 25, 2025). "Northern Plains UAS Test Site team assists Enderlin residents with recovery efforts following June 20 storm". Grand Forks Herald. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  22. ^ Webster, Danielle (June 24, 2025). "Drones assisting in tornado recovery". Prairie Public. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  23. ^ Larson, Chris (June 23, 2025). "Local bank sets up fund for Enderlin tornado victims". WZFG. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  24. ^ Raza, Sarah. "EF5 tornado that killed 3 in North Dakota was the nation's first in 12 years". WIVT. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  25. ^ Biggs, Tracy (July 11, 2025). "Debris from Enderlin tornado victims lands in two Moorhead yards". WDAY-TV. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  26. ^ Gall, Payton. "Federal Shutdown Delays $16M in Disaster Relief for ND June Storms, EF-5 Tornado". KSJB. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  27. ^ "Armstrong says government shutdown could stall disaster aid". WDAY-TV. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  28. ^ Steurer, Mary (October 7, 2025). "Government shutdown could stall disaster aid for North Dakota". North Dakota Monitor. Retrieved October 8, 2025.
  29. ^ "Enderlin tornado that claimed 3 lives is North Dakota's deadliest since 1978". North Dakota Monitor. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  30. ^ "A tornado that swept through a rural town in North Dakota left at least 3 people dead". AP News. June 21, 2025. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  31. ^ Morse, Jacob (July 4, 2025). "Grant County resident describes destruction of 1978 July 4 F4 tornado". KFYR-TV. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  32. ^ Zatz, Sydney (June 22, 2025). "Cass County Sheriff's Office identifies victims in deadly Enderlin tornado". KVLY-TV. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  33. ^ "3 who died in Enderlin tornado named". Grand Forks Herald. June 22, 2025. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  34. ^ Nelson, T. J. (June 24, 2025). "Enderlin saw two tornadoes hit on Friday night, the first one was the strongest at a preliminary F3". KVRR. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  35. ^ Williams, Chris (June 23, 2025). "Watch: Doorbell camera captures glimpse of giant wall cloud". KMSP-TV. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  36. ^ Sanders, Brendan (October 7, 2025). "First EF5 tornado in 12 years confirmed in North Dakota, here's a history". Laredo Morning Times. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  37. ^ Rice, Doyle (October 6, 2025). "USA's record tornado 'drought' ends with 210 mph monster in Dakotas". USA Today. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  38. ^ Sandoval, Tadeo Ruiz (October 8, 2025). "Enderlin tornado earns rare EF-5 category after derailing 33 train cars". MPR News. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  39. ^ "Research assists with rating historic EF5 tornado in northern United States". Western News. October 6, 2025. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  40. ^ "North Dakota tornado was the first at EF5 strength in a dozen years". WLNS. October 6, 2025. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  41. ^ Kaiser, Caitlin; Shackelford, Rob (October 6, 2025). "North Dakota Tornado Gets Upgraded, Ending EF5 Drought". The Weather Channel. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  42. ^ Lagrange, Jobie (October 6, 2025). "NWS upgrades Enderlin Tornado to EF-5, ending U.S. "EF-5 Drought" since Moore 2013". KATC. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
  43. ^ Ferrell, Jesse (October 7, 2025). "The first EF5 tornado since 2013 has been confirmed in North Dakota". AccuWeather. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
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Further reading

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