Fargo no stranger to big tornado

By Wendy Reuer

May 21, 2013 at 10:30 PM

FARGO - While the Red River Valley has been immersed in flood flights the past few years, it too is no stranger to tornadoes.

Ted Fujita, a meteorologist who created the scale to measure tornadoes, used much data from the historic 1957 tornado in Fargo, said John Wheeler, WDAY-TV chief meteorologist.

The EF-5 tornado in Fargo took out 369 homes and killed 10 on June 20, 1957.

While the Red River Valley sits north of "Tornado Alley," tornadoes can develop at any time throughout the severe weather period of May through August, Wheeler said.

Wheeler said more and larger tornadoes appear in Tornado Alley, which stretches north from Texas, but usually only in spring.

"We can have tornadoes anytime during that (severe weather) season. We don't get as many tornadoes and we don't get any of those big tornadoes, but they can happen."

By Wendy Reuer

As the West Fargo editor, Wendy Reuer covers all things West Fargo for The Forum and oversees the production of the weekly Pioneer.

Fargo no stranger to big tornado

FARGO - While the Red River Valley has been immersed in flood flights the past few years, it too is no stranger to tornadoes. Ted Fujita, a meteorologist who created the scale to measure tornadoes, used much data from the historic 1957 tornado in...