Fortuna, ND Hail Storm – August 2025

What Happened

A severe hail storm crossed the Fortuna, ND area on August 18, 2025, with confirmed 1.5-inch hail and later field reports reaching 1.75 inches. The storm produced multiple warning updates from 8:15 PM CDT through 9:49 PM CDT.

The first alert at 8:15 PM CDT cited 1.5-inch hail with dual-polarization radar confidence. By 9:30 PM CDT, the warning carried radar and spotter verification at the same size. A third update at 9:49 PM CDT kept the hail size at 1.5 inches and again showed radar and spotter support.

Ground reports came in at 9:50 PM CDT. One delayed report relayed through broadcast media said multiple farmers saw penny to golf ball size hail and major crop damage. The same report described an entire field of canola as lost. The report was repeated in the storm record with the same details and the same 1.75-inch estimate.

The sequence shows a storm that held its hail threat into the evening and maintained verified severe intensity over the Fortuna area. The warning path included repeated hail calls before the ground reports arrived.

Damage Assessment

The field reports point to crop loss first, with canola named directly in the reports from 9:50 PM CDT. The same reports described damage to multiple farms and hail ranging from penny size up to golf ball size. No tree or structural damage was listed in the ground-truth record provided here, but the crop impact was specific and severe.

The reports also pushed the observed hail size above the warning threshold. A 1.75-inch estimate was attached to the delayed farmer report, which was relayed by broadcast media. That puts the surface impact above the 1.5-inch size first carried in the warnings.

The timing matters for field checks. The hail reports arrived just after the last warning update, which suggests the storm was still capable of producing large stones at the end of its track through the Fortuna area. For agriculture, the canola loss matters more than the headline size alone. The report names a field-level failure, not just leaf or stem bruising.

For contractors, the likely work is not limited to one building type. Crop loss, siding strikes, and roof hits can occur in the same hail swath when stones are this size. The record here gives the strongest evidence for farm-related losses, so any inspection plan should include rural properties, bin sites, outbuildings, and machine sheds near the storm path.

What Contractors Should Know

Start with the farms and edge-of-town properties tied to the warning area around Fortuna. The confirmed reports are rural, and the damage language points to open-field exposure. That means the first pass should not focus only on homes in town. Check outbuildings, pole barns, metal roofs, soft metal trim, and equipment yards.

Use the report timing to narrow the canvass. The main field reports landed at 9:50 PM CDT, shortly after the final warning update at 9:49 PM CDT. That puts the highest confidence on properties in the later part of the storm path. If you are setting crews, work the downstream side of the warning area first and move back through the track in a methodical line.