The July 18, 2004 tornado
F4Barnes and LaMoure counties, North Dakota
An F4 tornado on a 12.0-mile path. It was one of 8 tornadoes recorded in the U.S. that day.
Watch how it happenedF4 tornado · July 18, 2004
How it happened
Follow the tornado’s path, minute by minute.
The tornado
- Rating
- F4
- Fujita scale
- Path length
- 12.0 mi
- Width up to 200 yards
- Killed
- 0
- Along the whole path
- Injured
- 0
- Along the whole path
- Date and time
- Sunday, July 18, 2004
- 7:25 PM CST
The National Weather Service account
Written by the local Weather Service office after its damage survey.
The tornado tracked south for about 4 miles along 97th avenue southeast, then turned to the southeast and tracked about 6 more miles before it crossed into LaMoure county about 2 miles north-northwest of Marion. One abandoned farmstead 10 miles west-northwest of Litchville was nearly swept clean of its buildings. Eight to nine buildings and 5 to 6 metal grain bins were swept away. At an occupied farmstead about 9 miles west of Litchville, the most damage was reported. The family was out baling hay at the time and were not hurt. The equipment they used to bale hay (three tractors and a baler) were the only things left unscathed by the tornado. Two houses, 5 outbuildings, a cattle barn, and miscellaneous farm equipment were all leveled. Machinery and debris were scattered across the yard and in the nearby pond and fields. A new pickup truck was demolished and sheet metal and metal support beams were wrapped around trees and vehicles. About 35 cows were killed, 20 grain bins were demolished, and a semi truck was overturned. The last F4 tornado in eastern North Dakota occurred on June 6, 1999, near Mountain, ND.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
Counties on its path
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database. Path drawn as a straight line from the recorded start to end point.