Bemidji sustains "extensive" storm damage; tornado kills 3 in North Dakota, officials say
Three people are dead in North Dakota, and tens of thousands are without power in northern Minnesota after powerful winds swept across the upper Midwest Friday and overnight Saturday
100+ mph wind gusts in Bemidji area, officials say
The National Weather Service in Grand Forks reported wind gusts of up to 106 mph at Bemidji Regional Airport early Saturday. An emergency manager there reported extensive damage from falling trees and cars with people trapped inside.
Beltrami County Emergency Management said the damage to the Bemidji area is "extensive" and that scores of power lines were down.
"Please do not travel unless it is an emergency. Many roads are blocked and there are a ton of power lines down. Unfortunately there is significant structure damage as well. We are responding to many gas leaks," the agency said in a Facebook post early Saturday.
As of Saturday at 10:30 a.m., nearly 30,000 customers in northern Minnesota are still without power, according to poweroutage.us.
Tornado kills three in North Dakota town
Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner said at a press conference Saturday that two men and a woman were killed at two separate locations in the town of Enderlin, North Dakota, late Friday.
Enderlin is about 57 miles southwest of Fargo.
About 22,000 customers are also without power in North Dakota as of Saturday morning.
This story will be updated.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
Summer's First Heat Wave: High Temps Blister The Midwest, Head East
States in the Midwest will face high temperatures in the coming days during the summer's first 'dangerous' heat wave, according to the National Weather Service, which said the warm weather will bear down on the East Coast by Sunday and last well into next week. The heat wave will begin this weekend and last well into next week. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty ... More Images) Getty Images An expanding heat wave hitting the Southwest and Rockies will shift by the weekend to produce 'the most oppressive heat of the season to date' from the Midwest to the Northeast this weekend and next week, according to a Thursday statement from the NWS. Widespread maximum temperatures will likely be tied or broken across the Upper/Middle Mississippi Valley to the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic over the next several days, the NWS said in a Saturday update. Major and/or extreme heat risks will spread further into the Midwest and East Coast come Sunday, 'where anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration will be affected,' the NWS added. By Saturday: The heat wave will begin in Minneapolis, Kansas City, Mo., Des Moines, Iowa, Memphis, Tenn., St. Louis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Indianapolis and Detroit. By Sunday: The heat wave should reach Cleveland, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, N.Y., Nashville, Tenn., Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C., Richmond, Va., Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York and Albany, N.Y. By Monday: The heat wave will hit Boston, Hartford, Conn., and Concord, Mass. The NWS reported sunny skies, light winds and little overnight cooling will contribute to the heat wave and 'significantly increase the danger' of extreme heat, the number one cause of weather-related deaths. Although the hottest temperatures are expected during the weekend, there is a moderate risk extreme heat will persist into later next week for parts of the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic states and the Carolinas. Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts : We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here . What To Watch For Record temperatures. The NWS said several daily record highs and warm lows are likely this weekend into next week. Chicago and Detroit's daily high temperature records are both 105, while the highest temperature ever observed in New York City is 106. Much of South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas felt the heat Friday and are still seeing 90-degree temperatures. By Saturday, temperatures in the low 90s are forecast to reach Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. Cities with major or extreme heat risks over the weekend include Chicago, Omaha, Neb., Kansas City, Mo., Indianapolis and Louisville, Ky. Those heat risks are forecast for Detroit, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, N.Y., Washington D.C., Richmond, Va., New York City and Albany, N.Y. Will 2025 Top 2024—the Hottest On Record—as Climate Change Heats Up Planet? 2024 was the hottest year on record, with the average land and ocean surface temperatures reaching 2.32 degrees above the 20th-century average, according to NOAA. The World Meteorological Organization said in an outlook there is an 80% chance that at least one year between 2025 and 2029 will be warmer than 2024 as the planet continues to warm. Key Background The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported an above-average temperature outlook for most of the U.S. in June. The Mid-Atlantic has a 40% to 50% chance to experience above average temperatures, while states in the northeast have a 50% to 60% chance of above normal temperatures, according to NOAA's outlook. Extreme heat and humidity is a leading weather-related killer in the U.S., killing hundreds every year, according to the NWS, which notes the elderly, small children and people on medication are most exposed to heat related stresses. People living in areas with high heat are encouraged to reduce outdoor activities, drink water and spend time indoors. 'Virtually Certain' 2024 Will Be The Hottest Year On Record, EU Climate Body Says (Forbes)
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Derecho Devastates In North Dakota With 100 MPH Winds
At least three people were reported dead in North Dakota after a derecho swept across the state, producing multiple tornados and wind gusts as high as 106 miles per hour. The thunderstorm complex is said to have torn roofs off homes and apartment complexes, flipped vehicles, and leveled thousands of trees. The National Weather Service is sending out crews to assess the damage.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Deadly derecho leaves trail of damage as tornadoes, 100+ mph winds sweep across Northern Plains
ENDERLIN, N.D. -- A powerful derecho brought tornadoes and 100+ mph wind gusts across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday night into Saturday morning, leaving at least three dead and a trail of damage and power outages. What Is A Derecho? Three people were killed when a tornado swept through the rural town of Enderlin, North Dakota, according to the Cass County Sheriff's Office. Deputies received word that a home suffered significant damage from a tornado strike around 11:40 p.m. Friday. As emergency responders arrived at the scene, storm chasers notified them that they had found two people dead inside the home. Enderlin firefighters found the tornado had left a third person dead at another location. Another tornado was observed near Eckelson and Urbana. The supercell stayed north of Interstate 94, but some damage was reported by storm chasers. In addition, the squall line brought wind gusts well over hurricane-force strength. The NWS says a private weather station near Luverne, North Dakota clocked a gust of 111 mph around 12:45 a.m. Saturday and gusts reached 80-90 mph for more than an hour in Jamestown. Farther east as the storm crossed into Minnesota, the airport in Bemidji recorded a gust of 106 mph. An emergency manager there reported extensive damage from falling and uprooted trees on roofs and cars with people trapped. "There is extensive damage around the Bemidji area and much of southern Beltrami County," emergency managers wrote on Facebook. "Please do not travel unless it is an emergency. Many roads are blocked and there are a ton of power lines down. Unfortunately there is significant structure damage as well. We are responding to many gas leaks." Torrential rain resulted in flash flooding downtown Bemidji with vehicles becoming stalled, said Beltrami County emergency management spokesperson Christopher Muller. "Additional damage was reported in southeastern Beltrami County with thousands of trees blocking roadways." However, no injuries have been reported, Muller said. Over 80% of the county was without power at 8:30 a.m. CT, according to "Residents should plan for long-term power outages as significant infrastructure damage has occurred," Muller said. Overall, data from indicated that over 57,000 customers were without electricity in Minnesota at the peak of the outages, with another 30,000 people lost power in North article source: Deadly derecho leaves trail of damage as tornadoes, 100+ mph winds sweep across Northern Plains
