LaMoure County

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within LaMoure County: 0.
2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Smoke overhead

1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Claims by ZIP code

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

River crests

River gauges

1. Crests are the highest and the recent crests the National Weather Service lists for each river gauge in the county that has a flood stage, not every flood. Flood categories use each gauge's current flood stages; crests from before levees, dams or channel changes may not be comparable. Crests measured on an old datum are left out of the rankings.

NOAA National Water Prediction Service gauge records, retrieved October 30, 2026.

1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Mapped landslides

Mapped by ND GS (34).

1. Landslides mapped in the USGS compilation of landslide inventories across the United States (version 3.0, 2025), rated probable or better. The compilation joins inventories made by federal and state agencies for different purposes and areas, so the number mapped in a county reflects how closely it has been surveyed as much as how often its slopes fail. An area with few records may simply not have been mapped. Deaths are as recorded in the inventories; a slide listed in two inventories is counted once.

USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0, retrieved October 27, 2026.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Mar 6, 2009Flood$1.8 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The James River did major flood damage. Overland flooding damaged state, county and township roads. Two hundred and thirty homes were flooded, five were complete losses. Flooding continued into April.

2. Jan 9, 1997Blizzard, La Moure$1.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The second blizzard in less than 1 week brought North Dakota to a virtual standstill. This blizzard didn't bring as much snow as the first storm, but the winds gusted from the northwest as high at 40 mph and they lasted for 3 days. Snowfall amounts from this storm varied from 1-2 inches in the southwest to 2-4 inches in the central. But the strong winds combined with this snow as well as the snow from the blizzard a few days earlier created widespread whiteout conditions that lasted for 3 days. There were numerous communities that halted mail delivery and cancelled school. In Emmons Co. every road was blocked by drifts, some as high as 18 feet. In McLean Co. there was a drift at…

3. Apr 4, 1997Blizzard, La Moure$1.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   a 46 yr. old man died after becoming overcom with carbon monoxide fumes in his shop. He was using a gas powered generator.

4. Dec 25, 2023Ice Storm, La Moure$1.3 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Over 400 utility poles were broken, along with multiple cross-members. Many miles of power lines throughout the county were down. At one point, 48% of services were without power. The community of Gackle was without power from early on December 26 until late evening of December 28, while Jud was without power until mid-day on December 29. Travel became nearly impossible given the icy conditions.

5. May 24, 2010Thunderstorm Wind$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Extreme straight line winds associated with a severe thunderstorm caused extensive damage north of Kulm. Visual inspection of storm survey photos indicate estimated winds of 90 to 105 mph. The worst damage and highest estimated winds occurred roughly 2 miles north-northwest of Kulm where 4 large grain bins were destroyed and heavy damage was sustained to a shop on a farmstead. Also, one wall was destroyed and the roof collapsed on a large machine shed, and several pieces of farm machinery had damage from being blown over. Preliminary damage estimates indicated one million dollars to this one location. Other areas north of Kulm also sustained damage from the straight line wind…

6. Jun 2, 2024Thunderstorm Wind$1.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Thunderstorm winds in the Marion area caused extensive damage, especially to the grain handling complex in the city of Marion. Two large steel grain bins became detached from their footings, with one moving about 100 yards. The top of the grain elevator which contained the distribution portion of the grain moving legs was blown off. Multiple roofs were damage, spruce trees were uprooted, and power lines broken. The loss of power led to a secondary impact with sump pumps shutting down and basements taking on water.

7. Jan 15, 1997Blizzard, La Moure$900,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The 3rd blizzard to hit North Dakota in less than 3 weeks affected mainly the east-central and eastern part of the state. Again, like the previous blizzard, the winds was the major weather factor. Wind gusts at times were over 50 mph. This created widespread blowing and drifting snow. All major roads in the area were closed again for the 3rd time this year. In Logan Co. the machine shed that is used by the Logan Co. Historical Society to store antiques was damaged by the roof falling in. With the severity of the blowing and drifting snow, roads that were just opened from the last storm were once again blown shut. This lead to the death of a 71 yr. old Fredonia(Logan Co.) man. He…

8. Jan 21, 1997Blizzard, La Moure$790,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The last in a string of 4 blizzards to hit North Dakota struck in the morning of the 22nd. Snow amounts with this storm ranged from 2-4 inches, but northwest winds gusted to near 45 mph. Again, east-central and eastern North Dakota were hardest hit. I-29 in North Dakota and I-94 from Bismarck to Fargo were closed again. Injuries and damage amounts estimated.

9. Jul 14, 2010Thunderstorm Wind$650,000
   National Weather Service narrative

   The most severe wind damage observed during the storm survey in LaMoure County occurred in the town of Grand Rapids. Significant and widespread tree damage was observed, including numerous mature hardwood trees uprooted or snapped in half. Damage was also sustained to buildings, which consisted of roof damage, damage to pole barns, and several grain bins destroyed. Hey bales of 1300 pounds were also blown up to 500 yards across farm fields. ||The peak estimated wind speed of 105 mph was assigned based on damage indicators from the Enhanced Fujita Scale. It was later learned that wind sensing instruments on wind towers 10 miles west of Edgeley recorded a peak wind gust of 103 mph…

10. Mar 21, 1997Flood, La Moure$600,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Warm weather toward the end of March lead to rapid snow melt across southcentral North Dakota. This in turn lead to flooding across much of the area. Near the confluence of Spring Creek and the Knife River, the town of Beulah(Mercer Co) had 150 families evacuated. Sewer lines backed up when the lift stations failed. Up to 4 feet of water flooded streets and lawns. Also in Mercer Co. 1 person was injured when he drove over a section of road that the Knife River washed out. Along the Cannonball River in Hettinger Co., 50 families in the town of Mott were evacuated. In Grant Co., 20 residents along the Cannonball River had to be evacuated. 1 farmer reported losing 50 hogs due to the…

1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

All-time high

108°F2 times, most recently Jul 5, 1989

All-time low

−37°FDec 23, 1983

Warmest night

80°FJul 6, 1988

Coldest day

−25°FFeb 1, 1996

Wettest day

6.35 inJul 15, 1993

Snowiest day

14.9 inMar 24, 1975

Hottest year

1987mean 48.2°F

Coldest year

1950mean 35.6°F

Wettest year

199330.19 in

Driest year

19769.57 in

Snowiest season

103.8 in1949-50

Station Jamestown Municipal Airport (USW00014919), 1,495 ft elevation, 36.6 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1948 to October 26, 2026; 99.9% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Neighbouring counties

• Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
• Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
• Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
• Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
• Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
• Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00014919.
• River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
• Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Landslides USGS Landslide Inventories across the United States, version 3.0 (2025).
• Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.