Numerous tornado sightings were recorded in northeastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota on Wednesday, but no damage was reported from the storm.
The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings Wednesday for Cavalier, Pembina and Walsh counties in North Dakota and Kittson, Marshall, Polk and Pennington counties in Minnesota.
Funnel and wall clouds were reported as well as golf-ball sized hail, but there were no confirmed sightings of tornadoes touching down, according to Dave Kellenbenz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Grand Forks office.
"The storm has weakened considerably," Kellenbenz said at about 10 p.m. Wednesday night as the storm system was over the Thief River Falls area after moving down from Canada through northeastern North Dakota.
A few funnel clouds were reported in Pembina County, along with hail, but a dispatcher said there were no reports of damage Wednesday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Funnel clouds also were spotted in Kittson County in Minnesota along with high winds.
There were no reports of funnel clouds in Marshall County, but dispatchers reported strong wind rotations were spotted near Stephen, Minn., and Argyle, Minn.
Cavalier and Roseau counties did not have any reports of funnel clouds and a dispatcher said the storm didn't make it to Walsh County as forecasted, skipping from Pembina County into Marshall County instead.
Schuster covers business. Reach him at (701) 780-1107; (800) 477-6572, ext. 107; or send e-mail to rschuster@gfherald.com . Read his business blog at www.areavoices.com/bizbuzz .
