NWS Confirms EF-0 Tornado During July 12 Storm

Areas throughout Valley County saw severe weather July 12 and 13. On July 12, the first round of storms hit north of Glasgow, where the National Weather Service Glasgow (NWS) confirmed multiple tornadoes had touched down 13 miles south of Opheim. The second round of storms hit on July 13, mostly affecting the Fort Peck area and the Governor's Cup awards. Though no tornado was confirmed during this storm, residents of the area saw downed tree limbs, damage to their campers, damage to vehicles and downed road signs as well as debris throughout the town.

The first Tornado Warning was issued at 6:47 p.m., July 12, for the northern part of Valley County with the last Tornado Warning expiring at 8:15 p.m. During this 88-minute period, warnings were in effect for northeastern Valley County, southwestern Daniels County and northwestern Roosevelt County.

National Weather Service (NWS) – Glasgow Warning Coordination Meteorologist Scott Rozanski traveled to where the tornadoes touched down for a site survey on July 14 to determine the extent of damage the tornadoes did on the land. It was determined, after the first tornado began to dissipate, a second tornado formed under the same storm.

It was noted during this survey that damage occurred approximately from Baylor through Larslan, starting 4.3 miles east-southeast of Baylor and ended approximately 7.5 miles east of Larslan. The average path width was 20 to 25 yards and the peak wind was between 80 to 85 miles per hour.

During the survey, two separate debris paths were found, with one spawned from a farm, with a debris path running northeast for about 250 yards. The second debris field spread southeast and continued through neighboring fields. The rest of the damage was relatively minor, with fence damage and an uprooted small tree as the storm passed through.

After surveying the area and the damage, the NWS stated the tornado was rated as an EF-0, which is the lowest level of tornado on the EF scale. Tornadoes are categorized on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale from EF-0 to EF-5, based on their destructive power. EF-0 tornadoes are the weakest, while EF-5 tornadoes are the most powerful.

Thankfully there were no injuries associated with this storm. In addition to the tornadoes, the storm also brought torrential rainfall, strong winds and large hail.

During the storm that came through Fort Peck on July 13, wind speeds went as high as 89 miles an hour, throwing anything that was loose and even though those things that weren't. The storm pulled road signs down to the ground and moved heavy objects, such as a generator off its concrete pad. The storm hit the area before the Governor's Cup final scores were posted and prizes were awarded but thankfully participants were off the water. Volunteers quickly shifted the location from Kiwanis and utilized the Fort Peck Marina to announce final scores, winners and prizes after the storm passed through.