000
ABUS34 KFAR 202336
PNSFAR

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA/GRAND FORKS 
635 PM CDT TUE JUL 20 2004

...DAMAGE FROM SUNDAY EVENINGS TORNADO IN SOUTHWEST BARNES COUNTY 
OFFICIALLY RATED FUJITA SCALE 4...

GRAND FORKS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PERSONNEL FINALIZED THE 
INVESTIGATION OF TORNADO DAMAGE IN MEADOW LAKE AND GREENLAND 
TOWNSHIPS OF SOUTHWEST BARNES COUNTY NORTH DAKOTA. THE TORNADO 
DAMAGE IS APPROXIMATELY 22 MILES SOUTHWEST OF VALLEY CITY. DAMAGE 
WAS QUITE SEVERE AND RATED AT FUJITA SCALE 4 OR F4. F4 MEANS THE 
TORNADO LIKELY PRODUCED WINDS AS STRONG AS 260 MPH.

THE TORNADO CUT A PATH TO THE SOUTH SOUTHEAST. IT WAS 6 MILES LONG 
AND ONE QUARTER MILE WIDE FROM NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF 46TH STREET 
SOUTHEAST AND 97TH AVENUE SOUTHEAST TO ABOUT 1/2 MILE SOUTHEAST OF 
51ST STREET SOUTHEAST AND 98TH AVENUE SOUTHEAST. 

THE DAMAGE WAS ESPECIALLY SEVERE AT A FARM LOCATED AT 51ST STREET 
SOUTHEAST AND 98TH AVENUE SOUTHEAST. ALL BUILDINGS, VEHICLES AND 
POSSESSIONS AT THE FARM APPEARED TO BE A TOTAL LOSS. THE HOME WAS 
LEVELED AND SWEPT AWAY. VEHICLES WERE THROWN THROUGH THE AIR FOR 
SOME DISTANCE, TWISTED, AND WRAPPED AROUND TREES. METAL TRUSSES FROM 
OUTBUILDINGS WERE WRAPPED AROUND MACHINERY. GRAIN BINS WERE TORN 
APART AND PIECES LODGED AND TWISTED IN TREES. THIS WAS A POWERFUL 
AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO. 

$$

SCHURR