On March 15, 1995, severe straight-line windstorms with gusts reaching up to 70 mph struck Fargo, North Dakota, causing significant damage to the Fargodome roof and disrupting power for approximately 9,000 residents. The high winds resulted in property damage, downed trees, and power lines, but officials confirmed there were no tornadoes reported in the area.
The National Weather Service in Fargo issued severe thunderstorm warnings beginning at 2:47 a.m., continuing until 5:10 a.m.. Al Voelker, a spokesperson for the agency, noted that the storms moved across North Dakota at an unusually rapid pace of 60 mph, significantly faster than average severe thunderstorm cells. At 3:30 a.m., a gust of 70 mph was recorded at Fargo’s Hector International Airport.
Extent of Damage and Response
The storms caused over $100,000 in damage to the Fargodome, according to Paul Johnson, the facility’s executive director. Winds peeled away a 50-foot-by-120-foot section of the roof, which landed on the east side of the building, bringing with it about 3 inches of insulation and sheetrock. Damage was first discovered by security personnel shortly after 3:30 a.m.
Jeff Kossow, the dome’s operations director, stated that construction of a temporary roof was set to begin immediately. Officials planned to meet with the facility’s insurance adjuster to assess the full extent of the damage. Notably, North Dakota State University’s wrestling training camp was taking place at the dome during the storm, reminiscent of the heavy rains that flooded the facility nearly two years earlier.
Across Fargo, the storm’s winds caused additional damage. A sign outside the Days Inn motel was severely bent, requiring two cranes for removal. The West Fargo Airport experienced approximately $5,000 in damage to a hangar when winds tore off a 20-foot-by-5-foot strip of sheet metal. Fortunately, the remaining hangars at the airport remained intact.
Community Impact and Restoration Efforts
City crews worked diligently to clear debris, with operations manager Dennis Walaker reporting that they collected “hundreds and hundreds” of branches from trees that had fallen across the city. An estimated 30 to 50 large trees were either uprooted or severely damaged, primarily in the area between 15th Avenue South and 32nd Avenue North.
Power outages affected around 9,000 residences and businesses in Fargo, particularly in the southern regions of the city. Bob Thompson, electric operations manager for Northern States Power Co., indicated that most outages occurred due to trees striking power lines. Restoration efforts were underway, with crews working throughout the day to address scattered outages.
Residents reported experiencing the storm’s intensity firsthand. One man in north Fargo recounted how he found his second-story bedroom window screen missing and his box fan blown outside. Another resident, Laurie Nielson, described the noise as resembling a freight train and rushed her family to the basement as the storm raged outside.
Despite assertions from her insurance company that no tornado occurred, Nielson remained convinced of the storm’s ferocity, recalling the sound from her childhood. “It just seemed to divide our two places,” she said, emphasizing the storm’s unusual behavior.
As cleanup efforts continue, the community remains vigilant in the face of such unpredictable weather events, reflecting on the long-lasting impacts of nature’s power.
