BREAKING: Rare EF-5 Tornado Strikes North Dakota Amid Powerful Derecho

Listeners, we have breaking news this week about one of the most destructive windstorms in recent memory. On June 20, North Dakota and the north central United States were hit by a massive derecho—a long-lived, widespread windstorm associated with violently fast-moving thunderstorms. This derecho swept across more than 400 miles, bringing wind gusts of 70 to over 105 miles per hour, and left hundreds of thousands of households without power overnight. According to WeatherNation, the region saw repeated gusts well above hurricane strength, even topping 106 mph at the Bemidji Regional Airport in Minnesota. A wake-low formed behind the leading edge and kept severe winds blowing for more than an hour in some spots.

Embedded within this powerful derecho, something extraordinary happened: a tornado near Enderlin, North Dakota was initially measured as an EF-3, but just this week, after months of forensic surveys and collaboration with wind damage experts, the National Weather Service upgraded its rating to a rare EF-5. For context, EF-5 tornadoes represent the absolute maximum on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, packing winds over 200 mph and causing what meteorologists call "incredible damage." This marks the first EF-5 tornado in the United States in more than twelve years, ending a drought that began in 2013 after the Moore, Oklahoma tornado. According to Fox 13 News and AccuWeather, the Enderlin tornado was confirmed to have winds exceeding 210 mph, flipping fully-loaded rail cars, tossing one empty tanker nearly 500 feet, and sweeping entire farmsteads off their foundations.

The magnitude of this event cannot be overstated. The National Weather Service’s analysis makes it clear: several heavy train cars were lifted and thrown great distances. This not only confirmed the EF-5 classification but also showed just how powerful this tornado was—a finding only possible because of the unique damage indicators present. Meteorologist Melinda Beerends explained to the Associated Press that it's rare for a tornado to strike such objects and provide proof of EF-5 strength. Without those train cars, the true intensity might never have been documented.

Across northern South Dakota, Minnesota, and North Dakota, the derecho’s path left widespread devastation, with peaks of 60 percent of local power customers without electricity the following morning. Bemidji, Minnesota, in particular, was hammered with widespread building and tree damage, and authorities continue to assess the full impact on communities, farms, and infrastructure.

Listeners should know that derechos of this scale are not annual events in this region, but they do occur every few years. This one stands out not only for its duration and wind speeds, but for being linked to an EF-5 tornado—a combination not seen since the mid 2000s. The upgraded National Weather Service report, finalized on October 6, brings renewed attention to storm safety and preparation for future events.

Thanks for tuning in. Come back next week to stay informed about the most significant weather stories around the country. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for more, check out Quiet Please Dot A I.

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