Early Tornado Season in North Dakota Prompts Safety Warnings

Western North Dakota has already had three tornadoes in June, and a meteorologist warns that severe weather might be the norm this summer.

Patrick Ayd of the National Weather Service tells the Forum News Service that last week’s tornado touchdowns near Bowman and Billings County could just be the start of a wild weather summer.

Ayd said that without the drought the region endured last year, “we are probably going to see more severe weather than we did see last year.”

He says the odds of a tornado hitting southwest North Dakota again are high.

Stark County Emergency Manager Bill Fahlsing encourages residents to develop a family action plan in case of tumultuous weather.