Early summer for storms in the Dakotas

[QT Luong]

If you live in the Dakotas or know them well, a quick question for you: for storms with great skies and lightening, would the 2nd week of June or 1st week of July be better ? Is it that much better to make it worth it contending with more heat and crowds ?

[al olson]

Having grown up and lived in northern North Dakota for 27 years [it was in 1967 that I left] I would suggest the second week of July. The July-August time frame usually has temperatures approaching, if not exceeding, 100 degrees. There is often a spell where a humid air mass moves up from the Gulf and will be stationary for several days, which causes severe weather.

It is always a race to get the crops harvested before the hail storms commence. I have noted that harvests are beginning a little earlier than when I lived there, in part because of newer grains that have a shorter ripening period. I think though that any time during harvest season you are likely to see severe storms.

This is not to say that hail storms don't occur earlier, but I don't believe they have the same ferocity.

I don't think that you will find crowds to be a problem at any time. You should be able to get some great cloud photos with harvest going on in the foreground.

[Contest_Guru]

Having grown up and lived in northern North Dakota for 27 years [it was in 1967 that I left] I would suggest the second week of July. The July-August time frame usually has temperatures approaching, if not exceeding, 100 degrees. There is often a spell where a humid air mass moves up from the Gulf and will be stationary for several days, which causes severe weather.

It is always a race to get the crops harvested before the hail storms commence. I have noted that harvests are beginning a little earlier than when I lived there, in part because of newer grains that have a shorter ripening period. I think though that any time during harvest season you are likely to see severe storms.

This is not to say that hail storms don't occur earlier, but I don't believe they have the same ferocity.

I don't think that you will find crowds to be a problem at any time. You should be able to get some great cloud photos with harvest going on in the foreground.

I agree with you Al.. Looking forward to see your photos soon QT Luong keep posted