Parts of downtown Grand Forks lost power, and the roof of an East Grand Forks business was damaged by winds in excess of 50 miles an hour during a sudden storm that descended on Grand Forks at about 8:45 p.m.
East Grand Forks Police dispatch reported the roof of George's Quick Printing had been damaged, and trees branches had fallen on vehicles and were blocking roads on both sides of the Red River.
The dark, ominous skies, striking lightning and sheets of rain were part of a system that had earlier prompted thunderstorm and tornado warnings in southern Pembina and north central Walsh counties, yet no warning was issued for Grand Forks County.
"We issued a significant weather advisory at 8:51 p.m.," said Mark Frazier, meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Grand Forks. "What we're trying to do as a storm moves along is trying to determine its severity."
That advisory was issued as the weather service was tracking the storm hitting Grand Forks and East Grand Forks. It covered southeastern Grand Forks County plus Polk, southwestern Red Lake and northeastern Norman counties in Minnesota. That advisory became a warning at 9:23 p.m. The system continued east, triggering additional warnings in Beltrami and Clearwater counties before 10 p.m.
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Frazier said the top wind gust from the storm hit 47 knots, about 55 mph, at the Grand Forks International Airport.
"That's slightly below severe criteria," Frazier said.
Fire and rescue crews in Fisher, Minn., reported a gust of 59 miles per hour at 9:15 p.m.
Eighteen counties in northern North Dakota, including Grand Forks, and six in northwestern Minnesota were under severe thunderstorm watches until midnight while 10 counties in southern North Dakota were under a watch until 11 p.m.
The public in Cavalier County reported 1.25-inch hail fell five miles west of Walhalla, N.D., at 5:38 p.m.
Trained spotters said one-inch hail struck Concrete, N.D., in Pembina County at 6:10 p.m.
The weather service said the forecast for the final day of Cats Incredible is unsettled. There is a slight risk of severe weather in eastern North Dakota and northwest and west central Minnesota, according to the Storms Forecast Center, but activity is not expected to be widespread.
The weather service said daytime heating will be a factor and temperatures will be affected by early cloud cover from storm systems Saturday night.
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The high temperature Saturday reached 88 degrees at the airport, 87 degrees at the weather service office. Sunday's high is forecast to reach 85 degrees.
Reach Johnson at (701) 780-1262; (800) 477-6572, ext. 262; or send e-mail to jjohnson2@gfherald.com .
