A rainy start to Memorial Day turned into tornadoes, thunderstorms and heavy rain across the Red River Valley by the end of the night.
Tornado sirens were activated in Grand Forks and East Grand Forks at 9:17 p.m. after multiple reports of funnels and strong rotation in the immediate area, and heavy rain and thunder passed over the city. Much of the valley, including Grand Forks and Fargo, were under a tornado warning as severe thunderstorms swept through the region.
There were no immediate reports of damage in Grand Forks, although heavy rain fell in the city during the warning.
Law enforcement reported a funnel cloud six miles south of Grand Forks at 9:30 p.m., and penny-sized hail fell in southern Grand Forks a couple of minutes later.
Just after 10 p.m., a band of strong winds and heavy rain swept through the region, and water was reported running over roads in some areas in the city and along rural highways.
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The weather delayed Amtrak trains heading west into North Dakota and western Minnesota late Monday evening. Delta flights from Bismarck and Minneapolis to Grand Forks International Airport were delayed Monday night, according to the airport's website.
Jim Buckmiller, emergency operations manager for Polk County, said Crookston activated its sirens shortly before 10 p.m. because of high winds. The weather service received a report of wind gusts as high as an estimated 68 mph in Fisher, Minn., in western Polk County.
There were no immediate reports of injury or damage in the county Monday evening, but strong winds brought down medium and large tree branches in Crookston.
Several thunderstorm and tornado warnings were issued for the Red River Valley, but were set to expire by 2 a.m. across the region.
Southern storms
Stormy weather first struck the southern valley as strong winds sheared the tops off of trees and knocked down branches in Forman, N.D., about 8 p.m.
In the next half hour, the National Weather Service received several reports of wind damage and large hail in southeast North Dakota
Residents reported a tornado near Barney, N.D., located about 18 miles west of Wahpeton, just before 8:30 p.m. A funnel cloud was reported 7 miles west of Kindred, N.D., at 8:45 p.m.
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A Richland County Sheriff's Office dispatcher said trees were reportedly blown down in Barney, and a Walcott resident reported some of his shingles and siding had blown off the house.
Hector International Airport in Fargo recorded 72 mph wind gusts just after 9 p.m. The strong winds brought down large cottonwood trees in West Fargo and knocked out power to customers in the area.
Wind damage also was reported in Moorhead and Clay County at 9:13 p.m.
A semitrailer was reported tipped over on Interstate 94 east of Moorhead at mile marker 6. The driver was trapped but injuries were unknown.
A house was reported on fire at 9 p.m. at 806 7th St. S. in Fargo. It was unknown if anyone was inside.
Power outages were reported in north and south Fargo and south Moorhead.
A woman was injured when a tree fell on her vehicle. She had glass in her hands and face, according to the call to 515 5th St. S.
At 10 p.m., local law enforcement reported the thunderstorm's strong winds had blown a roof off of a building in Ottertail, Minn.
