Weekend Tornadoes Kill 6 in North Dakota and New York, Toss Trees and Train Cars

Two tornadoes with wind speeds over 100 mph caused widespread damage and fatalities in North Dakota and New York. Three people in their 70s and 80s died in rural Enderlin, North Dakota, during a storm late Friday and early Saturday.

Three others, including twin 6-year-old sisters, died Sunday in a storm that hit Clark Mills in central New York. The National Weather Service gave preliminary ratings of EF-2 to EF-3, or potentially higher, for three North Dakota tornadoes–meaning wind speeds of 111 to 165 mph. EF-3 and stronger ranges are uncommon but possible in the Northern Plains, said meteorologist Jacob Spender.

The tornadoes uprooted trees, tossed train cars, and damaged houses. A derecho also crossed the state. Page, North Dakota, Mayor Jim Heidorn said half the town’s trees are gone. Cleanup may last all summer. Kylie Weber’s rural home near Oriska lost a bedroom window, a door, part of the roof, and a grain bin. Thousands lacked power Monday. Having multiple severe weather alerts, like smartphones and radios, is crucial, Spender said, especially for remote areas where nighttime storms can be dangerous.

A 105 mph tornado touched down in upstate New York before dawn Sunday, killing three people. The EF-1 tornado traveled over two miles, reaching a width of 300 yards, from Clark Mills to North Clinton. Falling trees killed the twins and another person. The tornado also destroyed a historic grist mill.