What was the cause of the intense weather conditions that led to the formation of the EF5 tornado in North Dakota?

The EF5 tornado was caused by a combination of warm, moist air within a thunderstorm-prone area, supported by a seasonally strong midlevel trough and high convective available potential energy (CAPE) levels.

What significant damage or incidents resulted from the tornado?

The tornado caused extensive damage, including derailing train cars, destroying farmsteads, and snapping large trees. It also resulted in three fatalities.

How did meteorologists determine the tornado to be an EF5 classification?

Meteorologists determined the tornado to be an EF5 based on forensic damage analyses, including the tipping of fully loaded grain hopper cars and the throwing of an empty tanker car over 475 feet, as well as tree damage.

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Rare EF5 Tornado Strikes North Dakota, Ending 12-Year Drought of Top-Scale Storms

An EF5 tornado, the nation's first in 12 years, tore through southeastern North Dakota this summer, causing three fatalities and widespread destruction with winds up to 210 mph.

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Weather service upgrades deadly tornado in North Dakota to an EF5, the nation's first in 12 years

PBS NewsHour

US Sees Rare EF5 Tornado For First Time In Over Decade, Experts Confirm

Daily Caller

E5 Tornado That Killed 3 in N.D. Was Nation's First in 12 Years

Newsmax

First EF5 tornado to strike the US in over a decade just confirmed by experts

CNN

EF5 tornado that killed 3 in North Dakota was the nation's first in 12 years

Associated Press

Overview

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An EF5 tornado, with winds estimated at 210 mph and a width of 1.05 miles, struck southeastern North Dakota this summer, causing significant devastation.
This powerful storm resulted in three fatalities and marked the nation's first EF5 tornado in 12 years, ending the longest gap since 1950 for such top-of-the-scale ratings.
The tornado caused extensive damage, including tossing train cars and destroying farmsteads, though the nearby city of Enderlin primarily experienced power loss.
Meteorologists and experts confirmed the tornado's EF5 rating after thoroughly studying the severe building and tree damage across the affected region.
The rare and destructive tornado was generated by warm, moist air within a thunderstorm-prone area, leading to its extreme intensity and impact.

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Center-leaning sources cover this story neutrally, focusing on factual reporting of the EF5 tornado's classification and impact. They present expert meteorological analysis, historical context, and damage assessments without employing loaded language or biased emphasis, ensuring an objective account of the event and its significance.

"The June 20 twister near the town of Enderlin killed three people and at its largest was 1.05 miles wide (1.7 kilometers), carving a path across the prairie for just over 12 miles (19 kilometers)."

Associated Press

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EF5 tornado that killed 3 in North Dakota was the nation's first in 12 years

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: The EF5 tornado was caused by a combination of warm, moist air within a thunderstorm-prone area, supported by a seasonally strong midlevel trough and high convective available potential energy (CAPE) levels.
Wikipedia
: The tornado caused extensive damage, including derailing train cars, destroying farmsteads, and snapping large trees. It also resulted in three fatalities.
11Alive
: Meteorologists determined the tornado to be an EF5 based on forensic damage analyses, including the tipping of fully loaded grain hopper cars and the throwing of an empty tanker car over 475 feet, as well as tree damage.
11Alive

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