Wadena-Deer Creek School District Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Wadena-Deer Creek School District is about the same as Minnesota average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Wadena-Deer Creek School District is about the same as Minnesota average and is about the same as the national average.
Earthquake Index, #53
| Wadena-Deer Creek School District | 0.01 |
| Minnesota | 0.01 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| Wadena-Deer Creek School District | 0.0000 |
| Minnesota | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #307
| Wadena-Deer Creek School District | 135.33 |
| Minnesota | 135.90 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 1,812 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Wadena-Deer Creek School District were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 4 | Cold: | 17 | Dense Fog: | 0 | Drought: | 11 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 72 | Hail: | 898 | Heat: | 1 | Heavy Snow: | 10 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 1 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 8 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 681 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 0 | Winter Storm: | 27 | Winter Weather: | 0 |
| Other: | 82 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Wadena-Deer Creek School District.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Wadena-Deer Creek School District.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Wadena-Deer Creek School District.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 39 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Wadena-Deer Creek School District.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 1.9 | 2010-06-17 | 4 | 46°24'N / 95°10'W | 46°25'N / 95°09'W | 2.00 Miles | 1936 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0K | Otter Tail |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This tornado touched down in Otter Tail County and tracked northeastward for about 2 miles before crossing into Wadena County just southwest of the Wadena city limits. The tornado developed rapidly into a multi-vortex wedge type tornado as it approached Wadena. The tornado continued in Wadena County another 8 miles and ended about 516 PM CDT. Otter Tail County received mainly extreme tree damage with peak winds estimated at 170 mph. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Conditions were ripe by the afternoon of the 17th for a major severe weather outbreak. A surface low had moved into east central North Dakota with an occluded front extending to the southeast. Warm and humid air was in place ahead of the front, with a much drier airmass pushing in behind it. The 500mb low was located over northwest North Dakota with a nice southwest to northeast upper jet pushing into eastern North Dakota. Two lines of convection formed by late afternoon, one from Roseau County down toward Eastern Otter Tail County and the other over east central North Dakota. Nearly all the cells that formed took on a classic hook shape with rotation very evident on radar imagery. Multiple tornado warnings were issued before the event wound down by mid evening. The strongest tornadoes were determined to be EF4 tornadoes, two in west central Minnesota and one in northeast North Dakota. | |||||||||||
| 2.9 | 2005-06-20 | 2 | 46°25'N / 95°14'W | 46°26'N / 95°13'W | 0.30 Mile | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Otter Tail |
| Brief Description: A potato warehouse was completely torn apart by the tornado and debris was scattered several hundred feet downwind (east). Other nearby structures were not seriously damaged. A turkey barn roof was also partially removed. Estimated wind speeds were around 150 mph. | |||||||||||
| 4.5 | 2010-06-17 | 4 | 46°25'N / 95°09'W | 46°31'N / 95°01'W | 8.00 Miles | 1936 Yards | 0 | 20 | 0K | 0K | Wadena |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This multi-vortex wedge tornado began in Otter Tail County about 3 miles southwest of the city of Wadena at 459 PM CDT. It tracked for about 2 miles in Otter Tail County, then it continued for another 8 miles in Wadena County. The tornado ravaged the western half of the community of Wadena. Numerous homes were flattened to the ground and at least one was completely swept from its foundation and destroyed. Public and industrial buildings were wrecked, the fairgrounds were damaged, and headstones in the cemetery were overturned. School buses and vehicles were propelled through the air for hundreds of yards. The tornado hit on the day of the Wadena all-school reunion, so many additional people were in the area. Roughly 100 people were displaced from their homes. Peak winds were estimated at 170 mph. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Conditions were ripe by the afternoon of the 17th for a major severe weather outbreak. A surface low had moved into east central North Dakota with an occluded front extending to the southeast. Warm and humid air was in place ahead of the front, with a much drier airmass pushing in behind it. The 500mb low was located over northwest North Dakota with a nice southwest to northeast upper jet pushing into eastern North Dakota. Two lines of convection formed by late afternoon, one from Roseau County down toward Eastern Otter Tail County and the other over east central North Dakota. Nearly all the cells that formed took on a classic hook shape with rotation very evident on radar imagery. Multiple tornado warnings were issued before the event wound down by mid evening. The strongest tornadoes were determined to be EF4 tornadoes, two in west central Minnesota and one in northeast North Dakota. | |||||||||||
| 6.3 | 1966-07-10 | 2 | 46°26'N / 95°07'W | 46°20'N / 95°00'W | 8.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Wadena |
| 9.6 | 1977-08-26 | 2 | 46°26'N / 95°10'W | 46°28'N / 94°46'W | 19.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Wadena |
| 9.9 | 2010-06-17 | 4 | 46°06'N / 95°25'W | 46°36'N / 95°15'W | 38.00 Miles | 2288 Yards | 1 | 5 | 0K | 0K | Otter Tail |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This tornado began in Douglas County, Minnesota. It moved northward into Otter Tail County and produced an additional 38 miles of continuous damage path. The tornado destroyed numerous homes and farmsteads along its path, completely sweeping 7 homes from their foundations. At times, this multi-vortex tornado complex consisted of multiple tornadic tubes pivoting around a common center. Peak winds were estimated at 175 mph. EPISODE NARRATIVE: Conditions were ripe by the afternoon of the 17th for a major severe weather outbreak. A surface low had moved into east central North Dakota with an occluded front extending to the southeast. Warm and humid air was in place ahead of the front, with a much drier airmass pushing in behind it. The 500mb low was located over northwest North Dakota with a nice southwest to northeast upper jet pushing into eastern North Dakota. Two lines of convection formed by late afternoon, one from Roseau County down toward Eastern Otter Tail County and the other over east central North Dakota. Nearly all the cells that formed took on a classic hook shape with rotation very evident on radar imagery. Multiple tornado warnings were issued before the event wound down by mid evening. The strongest tornadoes were determined to be EF4 tornadoes, two in west central Minnesota and one in northeast North Dakota. | |||||||||||
| 11.2 | 2001-06-13 | 3 | 46°16'N / 95°09'W | 46°17'N / 95°07'W | 1.00 Mile | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 10K | 0 | Todd |
| Brief Description: NWS Grand Forks damage survey revealed an F3 tornado touch down in Otter Tail County, one mile NW of Parkers Prairie at 1753 CST. It tracked to just southeast of Wrightstown, for an 11 mile path in Otter Tail County. It then continued on for one mile in Todd County where it dissipated 3 WNW of Bertha. Total path length 12 miles. | |||||||||||
| 11.2 | 1996-10-26 | 2 | 46°19'N / 95°22'W | 46°31'N / 95°26'W | 17.00 Miles | 75 Yards | 0 | 1 | 400K | 0 | Otter Tail |
| Brief Description: This tornado followed a track through eastern Otter Tail county, with the first damage report along Highway 210. A man stopped his car along the road when he saw the threatening clouds. The tornado picked his car up and spun it around, with the man inside. The car windows were all broken, but the man only sustained cuts on his hands. The tornado destroyed several farm buildings, one full of dairy cows. 21 of the cows were killed. The last damage report was just west of New York Mills. Two deer hunters were in tree stands when the storm approached. One managed to get down to the ground and lay flat, but the other clung to the tree as the tornado passed. As the wind died down, the man found his tree was the only one left standing in a grove of 36 around him. Neither man was injured. | |||||||||||
| 11.5 | 2000-07-08 | 2 | 46°24'N / 95°01'W | 46°21'N / 94°52'W | 8.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 3 | 500K | 0 | Wadena |
| Brief Description: A tornado that formed near Verndale intensified as it reached the Aldrich area. A mobile home, garage, barn, and 3 vehicles were destroyed 3 miles east of Aldrich. Two people, inside the mobile home when the tornado hit, suffered cuts, bruises, and a sprained ankle. The couples' son, sitting inside a car parked outside the mobile home, also sustained cuts and bruises. A horse trailer was pushed into his car and then into some nearby trees. Quite a bit of tree damage occurred along the damage path. The tornado then passed out of Wadena county and into Todd county. | |||||||||||
| 12.4 | 1996-10-26 | 2 | 46°35'N / 95°06'W | 46°38'N / 95°06'W | 4.00 Miles | 75 Yards | 0 | 0 | 750K | 0 | Wadena |
| Brief Description: This tornado followed a path along Highway 71 and passed through the west side of Sebeka. One car dealership reported approximately 40 vehicles damaged, at a loss of $250,000. Numerous farm buildings and businesses were also damaged. | |||||||||||
| 13.1 | 1965-05-05 | 2 | 46°28'N / 95°25'W | 46°32'N / 95°26'W | 3.60 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Douglas |
| 14.9 | 2001-06-13 | 3 | 46°10'N / 95°20'W | 46°17'N / 95°09'W | 11.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 3 | 5.0M | 0 | Otter Tail |
| Brief Description: The tornado caused quite a bit of damage along its path across southeast Otter Tail county before it crossed into Todd county. At one farmstead, 9 people huddled inside a house with no basement as its roof was torn off. Nobody was injured, but another trailer home nearby was completely destroyed. Many irrigation systems were overturned, trees, power poles, and lines snapped, and grain bins destroyed by the strong wind. An estimated 100 poles were broken off leaving nearly 1,100 people without power. At another farm, a 40x80 foot pole barn was wrecked. About 6 miles northeast of Parkers Prairie, a man and his two kids rode out the storm in their minivan inside a quonset. Trees all around them and the quonset were crumpled by the wind, yet they survived. Another farmstead lost a house, trailer home, and two silos. A turkey barn containing 12,000 turkeys was also hit, with an estimated 60 percent of the turkeys perishing. | |||||||||||
| 18.2 | 2000-07-08 | 2 | 46°22'N / 94°49'W | 46°21'N / 94°47'W | 2.00 Miles | 20 Yards | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Todd |
| Brief Description: Roofs blown off homes and one business. At least one dozen homes damaged. Numerous large trees down. One minor injury in Staples due to flying glass. Tornado crossed over from Wadena county. | |||||||||||
| 20.2 | 2005-06-20 | 2 | 46°27'N / 95°38'W | 46°26'N / 95°33'W | 4.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Otter Tail |
| Brief Description: Large trees were uprooted and a roof was torn off a house. The top was torn off a wooden grain elevator in Ottertail and a nearby grain bin was bent inward. A gas pump was blown over at a convenience store, causing a fire. The tornado also tore the roof off a business in Ottertail and destroyed its sign. A delivery truck was lifted off the ground and thrown 20 feet onto a nearby car. | |||||||||||
| 21.9 | 1959-07-07 | 2 | 46°30'N / 95°37'W | 2.50 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Otter Tail | |
| 24.5 | 2004-09-05 | 2 | 46°31'N / 95°41'W | 46°34'N / 95°38'W | 4.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Otter Tail |
| Brief Description: A tornado tracked through pasture, forest, and corn fields. Numerous trees were knocked down and one farmstead received extensive barn, shed, and home damage. Twelve head of cattle were killed. Several trees were toppled onto homes near Marion Lake. Farmyard debris was carried as far as Perham, about 7 miles northeast. | |||||||||||
| 24.6 | 2008-06-06 | 2 | 46°45'N / 95°04'W | 46°49'N / 95°03'W | 5.00 Miles | 450 Yards | 0 | 1 | 5.0M | 500K | Wadena |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The tornado touched down near the south end of Stocking Lake and tracked north-northeast for nearly 14 miles. It crossed into Hubbard County about 4 miles north-northeast of Menagha by 920 am CDT. It then tracked an additional 9 miles and lifted about 3 miles northeast of Park Rapids by 934 am CDT. The maximum tornado width was about 450 yards with peak winds of 130 mph. Eight large turkey barns were destroyed and several homes damaged along with hundreds of acres of forest. One man working near a turkey barn was injured. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A vertically stacked cold-core low pressure system moved into the Red River Valley and brought ideal conditions for low topped mini supercells. A negatively tilted 500 mb trough, diffluent height field, and a strong upper level disturbance were all present. At the surface, there was even a warm front east of the low, toward Hubbard and Wadena Counties. | |||||||||||
| 25.0 | 1977-08-26 | 2 | 46°18'N / 96°12'W | 46°26'N / 95°10'W | 50.00 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 8 | 250K | 0 | Otter Tail |
| 27.4 | 1970-07-18 | 2 | 46°03'N / 95°21'W | 46°03'N / 95°16'W | 3.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 5 | 2.5M | 0 | Douglas |
| 29.1 | 1965-05-05 | 2 | 45°54'N / 95°25'W | 46°12'N / 95°25'W | 20.70 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Douglas |
| 30.0 | 1960-08-25 | 2 | 46°42'N / 95°40'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Otter Tail | |||
| 30.0 | 1977-08-26 | 2 | 46°28'N / 94°46'W | 46°31'N / 94°19'W | 21.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Cass |
| 30.1 | 1990-06-01 | 2 | 45°57'N / 95°20'W | 46°05'N / 95°21'W | 10.00 Miles | 20 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Douglas |
| 31.6 | 2008-06-06 | 2 | 46°49'N / 95°03'W | 46°57'N / 95°01'W | 9.00 Miles | 450 Yards | 0 | 1 | 5.0M | 800K | Hubbard |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This tornado originated in Wadena County, 1 mile east of Menagha, at 914 am CDT. It continued north-northeast where it crossed Hinds Lakes and passed along the east edge of Park Rapids. It lifted about 3 miles northeast of Park Rapids by 934 am CDT. Maximum tornado width was about 450 yards with peak winds of 130 mph. The tornado destroyed one home and hundreds of acres of forest. Several homes and businesses from Hinds Lake to Park Rapids received damage. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A vertically stacked cold-core low pressure system moved into the Red River Valley and brought ideal conditions for low topped mini supercells. A negatively tilted 500 mb trough, diffluent height field, and a strong upper level disturbance were all present. At the surface, there was even a warm front east of the low, toward Hubbard and Wadena Counties. | |||||||||||
| 32.7 | 1965-05-05 | 2 | 46°51'N / 95°30'W | 46°51'N / 95°30'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Becker | ||
| 36.3 | 1977-08-26 | 3 | 46°21'N / 94°30'W | 46°24'N / 94°19'W | 8.90 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Cass |
| 37.0 | 1969-08-06 | 3 | 46°43'N / 94°44'W | 46°51'N / 94°25'W | 17.30 Miles | 167 Yards | 0 | 4 | 2.5M | 0 | Cass |
| 37.1 | 2005-06-29 | 2 | 46°22'N / 95°57'W | 46°23'N / 95°56'W | 1.50 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Otter Tail |
| Brief Description: The tornado flattened an older barn and uprooted several trees. Two people narrowly escaped the tornado as it hit the barn. The landowner reported that another tornado had hit another barn on same site back in 1933. Peak winds were estimated at 130 mph. | |||||||||||
| 37.9 | 1987-08-15 | 2 | 46°03'N / 95°44'W | 1.00 Mile | 50 Yards | 1 | 8 | 2.5M | 0 | Otter Tail | |
| 38.5 | 2007-06-07 | 2 | 46°34'N / 96°00'W | 46°40'N / 95°52'W | 7.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0K | Otter Tail |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A tornado touched down near the southwest end of Lake Lida, crossed Lake Lida and Crystal Lake (moving north-northeast), and lifted around 4 miles west of Vergas. Several houses were structurally damaged on Lake Lida and Crystal Lake. Boats, docks, travel trailers, and mobile homes were lofted and completely destroyed. Numerous power poles and trees were snapped off, cutting power to nearly 400 customers. Peak winds were estimated at 130 to 135 mph. EPISODE NARRATIVE: By noon on the 7th, a surface low was located near Lake Park, Minnesota, with a trailing cold front extending back into extreme southeast North Dakota. An occluded front also extended to the northeast, toward the Bemidji, MN, area. Surface dew points pooled right around 60 F in the vicinity of the surface low with temperatures in the middle 70s. The cold front was strong for early June, with a noon temperature in Devils Lake, ND, of 48 degrees. This set up a strong surface thermal and moisture boundary along a Wahpeton-Breckenridge to Bemidji line. Storms initially fired across southeast ND and then spread into portions of west central and northwest MN. There was also strong upper level support for these storms, as one severe report north of Embden (in Cass County, ND) occurred well behind the surface boundary. | |||||||||||
| 39.3 | 1991-07-05 | 3 | 46°28'N / 94°21'W | 46°28'N / 94°20'W | 1.00 Mile | 43 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Cass |
| 40.0 | 1964-05-05 | 2 | 46°36'N / 95°59'W | 46°38'N / 95°57'W | 0 | 13 | 250K | 0 | Otter Tail | ||
| 40.5 | 1974-07-13 | 2 | 46°19'N / 96°04'W | 46°23'N / 95°57'W | 6.40 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Otter Tail |
| 41.0 | 1966-06-11 | 4 | 46°38'N / 94°22'W | 46°39'N / 94°21'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Crow Wing | ||
| 41.0 | 2008-06-06 | 3 | 46°58'N / 95°01'W | 47°04'N / 94°58'W | 7.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0K | Hubbard |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This tornado tracked for about 7 miles from the southwest edge of Big Sand Lake, across Pickerel Lake, to 1 mile northwest of Emmaville by 947 am CDT. Maximum width was around 400 yards with peak winds to 160 mph. The tornado completely destroyed two homes and damaged several others on Pickerel Lake. It flattened dozens of acres of forest. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A vertically stacked cold-core low pressure system moved into the Red River Valley and brought ideal conditions for low topped mini supercells. A negatively tilted 500 mb trough, diffluent height field, and a strong upper level disturbance were all present. At the surface, there was even a warm front east of the low, toward Hubbard and Wadena Counties. | |||||||||||
| 41.2 | 1991-07-05 | 3 | 46°28'N / 94°20'W | 46°25'N / 94°16'W | 5.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 3 | 2.5M | 0 | Crow Wing |
| 41.7 | 1996-10-26 | 2 | 45°49'N / 95°29'W | 45°56'N / 95°30'W | 9.00 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Douglas |
| Brief Description: Several homes destroyed. Car flipped over. 1 women sustained broken bones and internal injuries when a portion of her house, with her inside, was flung 200 feet onto the interstate. 500 pound fuel tank pushed over. | |||||||||||
| 43.2 | 2001-06-13 | 2 | 45°59'N / 94°32'W | 46°04'N / 94°26'W | 4.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 200K | 0 | Morrison |
| Brief Description: One home lost its roof. Several sheds and outbuildings blown down. Two additional homes sustained minor damage. | |||||||||||
| 49.4 | 1959-07-07 | 2 | 45°40'N / 95°28'W | 45°48'N / 95°16'W | 13.00 Miles | 30 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Pope |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.