This weekend, a large storm cell passed over the American Midwest, pelting inhabitants with ‘golf ball-sized’ hail and howling winds as they braced for more severe weather.
The video was filmed just after officials issued a severe thunderstorm notice for the area on Friday just before 9 p.m. local time, warning of the possibility of tornadoes and big hail.
The announcement sent residents into a frenzy and caused closures across the state, but storm chaser Shelly Heinrichs, who is located in the adjacent Canadian province of Manitoba, was unfazed and tried to get a glimpse of the magnificent monster nonetheless.
The storm cell is seen in the resulting film in all of its spectacular splendour, taking up nearly the entire frame of the clip, which has received close to 200,000 views.
Thousands of others pointed out the amazing mass’ resemblance to a spacecraft, and The Weather Channel likened it to “a UFO poised to land on Earth.”
As the video gained popularity online, meteorologists issued warnings about the potential risks of these supercell storm systems, which may generate powerful winds, enormous hail, and even tornadoes.
Following that, the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm advisory for the region, warning residents of a cyclonic storm with wind gusts of up to 70 mph and “golf ball-sized hail.”
Despite these warnings, the storm failed to produce a tornado in the end, but it did hit several areas with large hail and strong winds that caused damage to homes and uprooted trees as it proceeded eastward across the state.
Communities in the northeast and central parts of the state, including Grand Forks, Bismarck, and Pekin, were especially at risk.
Homes in these areas were pummelling by hail that was approximately the size of a person’s fist, which virtually indiscriminately destroyed vehicles and other structures.
After the storm system dissipated late on Saturday morning, local insurance adjusters told NBC and Fox affiliate KFYR-TV that they had gotten “plenty” of calls, especially on the north and east sides of Bismarck, claiming losses.
Alex Weigel, a resident of North Bismarck, claimed that his residence was among those damaged and that he intends to file a claim.
Weigel stated, “On the north side of our house, we do have some damage to the siding and to the fascia, gutters, downspouts, and stuff like that,” adding that he had a claim for both his home and pickup, which was also harmed.
Similar weather was experienced in Grand Forks, about 200 miles to the east, where the storm came in full force overnight.
There, residents experienced 1.13 inches of overnight rainfall and 70 mph gusts that brought down multiple trees and powerlines.
In the area, where residents awoke to tornado sirens at around one in the morning alerting them to the impending storms, the National Weather Service has not yet reported any damaged structures.
However, according to the National Weather Service, trees were fallen in the region as well as in neighbouring communities to the south and west, including Crookston, Pekin, Webster, and Edmore.
Nearly 100 miles to the north, hundreds of people experienced overnight power disruptions in a section of the nearby Cavalier County, which is located just south of the Canadian-American border.
According to Jill Nelson of the Grand Forks Park District, there was only “little debris for quick removal” on this day and no substantial damage was done to any public facilities.
Less severe storms plagued much of the state throughout the remainder of the weekend and into Monday as the line of storms gradually dissipated.
According to NWS meteorologist Brad Hopkins, the phenomena was essentially a line of thunderstorms that moved quickly across the state after developing in the west.
It was moving forward because to strong upper-level winds.
More severe weather hit the region on Monday, with 60 mph gusts and smaller, penny-sized hail in towns including Beulah, Hazen, and New Salem in the state’s centre region.
The fiercest storms, which are expected to reach the communities of Bottineau, Rugby, Garrison, and Bismarck through 1am, could produce winds of up to 40 mph and small hail.
The broken line storms will continue to sweep through central parts of the state Tuesday night.
Although severe weather isn’t predicted in general, officials issued a warning that wind gusts might exceed 55 mph.