Enderlin, ND Deadly Tornado (2025-06-20)

[John Farley]

As described in the article below, two of the three people killed by this tornado were found by storm chasers. I think that if I were chasing and found dead people after a tornado, it would be my worst chase ever, regardless of how spectacular a tornado I saw. Fortunately, I have not experienced that and certainly hope I never do.

Tornado kills three people in rural Enderlin - KVRR Local News

Large destructive tornado touches down around 11 pm June 20th outside of Enderlin, ND. (Max Mueller/KVRR)ENDERLIN, N.D. (KVRR) – Three people in rural Enderlin are dead following a tornado and severe thunderstorms that moved through the region overnight. Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner says at...

www.kvrr.com

On a slightly different topic, from drone footage I have seen of the house where two of the three died, and of surrounding areas, I would be very confident in saying this tornado will be rated at least EF-4. If the house was well-built, it could be the end of that long period without any EF-5 tornadoes that has been discussed extensively in other threads.

 

[William Monfredo]

Doorbell cam (Hannah Diegel) shows Enderlin storm's come a-knockin'! The preliminary Ef-3 tornado killed two 73-year-olds & an 89-yr-old.

 

[Hannah.Taylor]

As described in the article below, two of the three people killed by this tornado were found by storm chasers. I think that if I were chasing and found dead people after a tornado, it would be my worst chase ever, regardless of how spectacular a tornado I saw. Fortunately, I have not experienced that and certainly hope I never do.

I was in Joplin after that one hit and while I didn't come across anyone deceased, it was completely traumatizing to witness the destruction. I didn't chase very much for several years because of it.

I can't imagine finding someone deceased after a tornado. How awful.

 

[Matt Zumbrunn]

Tornado has been upgraded to EF-5.

 

[Kristian K]

It’s over, it has finally happened, the twelve year EF5 drought is over

 

[Todd Lemery]

Hopefully we’re starting a new EF-5 drought now…..

 

[Randy Zipser]

Doorbell cam (Hannah Diegel) shows Enderlin storm's come a-knockin'! The preliminary Ef-3 tornado killed two 73-year-olds & an 89-yr-old.

Wow! What a photo. If Dr. Ted Fujita were alive today, he'd be really impressed with that wall cloud! He first coined the term "wall cloud" when describing another ND tornado (Fargo) on June 20, 1957. Seems those nighttime North Dakota wall clouds can't be beat for looking spectacular and photogenic!

 

[Mike Smith]

another ND tornado (Fargo) on June 20, 1957

Also, an F-5.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I think this is the first time the EF5 rating was based on impact to a train, at least I don’t know of any others.

 

[William Monfredo]

I think this is the first time the EF5 rating was based on impact to a train, at least I don’t know of any others.

I believe so. This also appears to set a record for the longest time to determine a final EF-rating for a tornado, about 3 & 1/2 months.
Trains were not part of the original 28 damage-indicators for the scale. But, there's a precedent for this that goes back more than 14 years.
The damage analysis of the EF-5 on May 24, 2011 primarily used oil-drilling equipment/pipes at Cactus 117 near Calumet, OK for that rating.
That represented a fresh way of doing things then, too, as that sort of petroleum-production equipment was not on the official list of indicators.

 

[Mike Smith]

Any masters students looking to do a thesis?

Here's a suggested topic: weather science seems to have a great of forecasting, and especially nowcasting, this breed of extremely strong tornado (Udall, Barneveld, Greensburg, Trousdale, Hopewell, Enderlin, etc., etc.). All were or were probably F-5 intensity.

A reliable and tested method of short-term forecasting is desperately needed.

 

[Tony Laubach]

Anyone have any thoughts to whether this may open a door to post-analysis of previous tornadoes... I personally imagine not, but it certainly warrants the thought... Rolling Fork, Mayfield, Bowdle to name a few... certainly many of us would argue for/against an EF-5 rating for those and other tornadoes over the last 15 years.

Again, personally, I don't feel like the effort or time would be dedicated to post-analyzing strong tornadoes of the past that certainly would make a case for an EF-5 rating based on damage (I intentionally did not include El Reno as the initial rating was measured wind speed - a whole other topic).

Also, lets not fall back on "the rating doesn't matter' argument, this is meant to be a discussion, not a 'who cares' thing.

 

[Dan Robinson]

At this point I'd just like to hear some type of update from the EF scale folks about where things are headed. I really don't understand the "classified nuclear weapon plans" level of secrecy around this. Surely tornado science isn't something that needs to be kept so under wraps. For instance, we know mobile radar measurements are going to be included in the updates. That means some progress has been made in correlating radar beam level windspeeds with damage-level (surface) windspeeds. What is the harm in telling us where the science is leaning there? Is it going to be formulaic like we do with hurricanes (surface winds assigned at 90% of flight level winds), maybe something like 60% of a 500ft measurement? I feel like I'm not going to hear anything new about this in my lifetime.

 

[William Monfredo]

People either worked really hard on this, or they weren't working hard enough to take several months for a rating, quite frankly.
The damage scale that's constantly evolving but never arriving does seem rather mysterious if not overly complicated for standard use.
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And here we are in the 21st century, the first EF-5 path-map in more than a dozen years, and I don't see quality.
The whole event wasn't an EF-5; there's no significant gradations of damage on this map...no scale of miles either.
Also, we realize that the database contains compromises, but which tornadoes get the quarter-of-a-year treatment?

 

[Peter MacDonald]

Not really sure what I think of this. The upgrade to EF5 is based on a 2024 study by the NTP creating a workable formula to estimate wind speeds required to loft and throw various large compact objects (link). I think this is very sound science, and I don't doubt that the Enderlin tornado reached EF5 strength. My main concern is that non traditional DIs have been totally ignored for the last 12 years... Why change things now? There have been a number of other tornadoes which almost certainly deserved this rating based on more traditional DIs, like Vilonia and Mayfield. Is the NWS going to go back and reassess these events? I am left feeling very underwhelmed that this is the tornado that breaks the drought.