Alert archive / North Dakota / Blizzard Warnings in 2017

Blizzard Warning 1, NWS Grand Forks, ND

January 12, 201713 counties in North Dakota; Kittson County, Marshall County, Polk County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this blizzard warning at Jan 12, 2017, 9:35 AM CST for 13 counties in North Dakota; Kittson County, Marshall County, Polk County, Minnesota. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jan 12, 2017, 9:35 AM CST (15:35 UTC)
Expired
Jan 12, 2017, 1:00 PM CST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND

Counties Kittson County, MN, Marshall County, MN, Polk County, MN, Barnes County, ND, Benson County, ND, Cavalier County, ND, Eddy County, ND, Grand Forks County, ND, Griggs County, ND, Nelson County, ND, Pembina County, ND, Ramsey County, ND, Steele County, ND, Towner County, ND, Traill County, ND, Walsh County, ND

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 72 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:39 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Bismarck Municip, ND (KBIS), launched 12:00Z, 3.6 hours before the alert went out and 254 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Bismarck Municip, ND at 12:00Z on 2017-01-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Bismarck Municip, ND at 12:00Z on 2017-01-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -9 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1125 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
67 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-9 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
128 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

795 
WWUS43 KFGF 121535
WSWFGF

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
935 AM CST THU JAN 12 2017

MNZ001-004-007-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-038-054-122100-
/O.UPG.KFGF.WW.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-170112T2100Z/
/O.NEW.KFGF.BZ.W.0001.170112T1535Z-170112T1900Z/
WEST POLK-KITTSON-WEST MARSHALL-TOWNER-CAVALIER-PEMBINA-BENSON-
RAMSEY-EASTERN WALSH COUNTY-EDDY-NELSON-GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-
TRAILL-BARNES-WESTERN WALSH COUNTY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CROOKSTON...EAST GRAND FORKS...
HALLOCK...KARLSTAD...LANCASTER...WARREN...STEPHEN...ARGYLE...
CANDO...LANGDON...CAVALIER...WALHALLA...DRAYTON...PEMBINA...
NECHE...ST. THOMAS...FORT TOTTEN...MADDOCK...LEEDS...
MINNEWAUKAN...DEVILS LAKE...GRAFTON...PARK RIVER...NEW ROCKFORD...
LAKOTA...MCVILLE...ANETA...TOLNA...GRAND FORKS...COOPERSTOWN...
FINLEY...HOPE...MAYVILLE...HILLSBORO...HATTON...PORTLAND...
VALLEY CITY...EDINBURG...ADAMS...LANKIN
935 AM CST THU JAN 12 2017

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON. THE
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. 

* TIMING...EXPECT GROUND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS TO
  CONTINUE...DIMINISHING AROUND 1 PM.

* WINDS / VISIBILITIES...WINDS GUSTING AS HIGH AS 50 MPH WILL
  CAUSE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS IN BLOWING SNOW. SIGNIFICANT DRIFTING
  OF THE SNOW IS LIKELY...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS. 

* WIND CHILL VALUES...EXPECT WIND CHILLS TO RANGE FROM 25 BELOW 
  ZERO TO 40 BELOW ZERO UNTIL 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON...WITH THE 
  COLDEST WIND CHILLS OCCURRING AROUND 11 AM THIS MORNING. 

* IMPACTS...VISIBILITY IN TOWNS WILL BE RELATIVELY GOOD HOWEVER
  TRAVEL IN OPEN COUNTRY WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE IN
  GROUND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. EAST-WEST ROADS WILL HAVE THE LOWEST
  VISIBILITY AND WORSE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE COLD WIND CHILLS
  WILL CAUSE FROSTBITE IN AS LITTLE AS 30 MINUTES TO EXPOSED SKIN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS
AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT
CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF
YOU MUST TRAVEL...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET
STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE. THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR
THE STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.

&&

$$

MNZ002-003-005-008-013>015-029-NDZ039-049-052-053-122100-
/O.CON.KFGF.WW.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-170112T2100Z/
NORMAN-CLAY-ROSEAU-EAST MARSHALL-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-EAST POLK-
WILKIN-CASS-RANSOM-SARGENT-RICHLAND-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ADA...TWIN VALLEY...HALSTAD...
MOORHEAD...ROSEAU...WARROAD...GREENBUSH...NEWFOLDEN...
MIDDLE RIVER...GRYGLA...THIEF RIVER FALLS...RED LAKE FALLS...
FOSSTON...FERTILE...MCINTOSH...ERSKINE...BRECKENRIDGE...FARGO...
LISBON...ENDERLIN...GWINNER...MILNOR...FORMAN...RUTLAND...
WAHPETON
935 AM CST THU JAN 12 2017

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON...

* TIMING...EXPECT TO CONTINUE...DIMINISHING AROUND 3 PM. 

* WINDS / VISIBILITIES...WINDS GUSTING AS HIGH AS 45 MPH WILL
  CAUSE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN
  AREAS. PLAN ON AREAS OF POOR VISIBILITIES AND SLICK ROADWAYS TO
  CREATE DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS AT TIMES.

* WIND CHILL VALUES...EXPECT WIND CHILLS TO RANGE FROM 20 BELOW 
  ZERO TO 30 BELOW ZERO UNTIL 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON...WITH THE 
  COLDEST WIND CHILLS OCCURRING AROUND 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON. 

* IMPACTS... THE COLD WIND CHILLS WILL CAUSE FROSTBITE IN AS 
  LITTLE AS 30 MINUTES TO EXPOSED SKIN. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BLOWING SNOW MEANS PERIODS OF
BLOWING SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE
PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND
USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE
STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.

&&

$$

MNZ006-009-017-024-030>032-040-121800-
/O.CON.KFGF.WC.Y.0006.000000T0000Z-170112T1800Z/
LAKE OF THE WOODS-NORTH BELTRAMI-SOUTH BELTRAMI-HUBBARD-
WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-GRANT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BAUDETTE...RED LAKE...REDBY...PONEMAH...
BEMIDJI...PARK RAPIDS...FERGUS FALLS...PERHAM...NEW YORK MILLS...
PARKERS PRAIRIE...HENNING...BATTLE LAKE...WADENA...MENAHGA...
ELBOW LAKE...HOFFMAN...ASHBY...HERMAN...BARRETT
935 AM CST THU JAN 12 2017

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY...

* WIND CHILL VALUES...EXPECT WIND CHILLS TO RANGE FROM 20 BELOW 
  ZERO TO 25 BELOW ZERO UNTIL NOON...WITH THE COLDEST WIND 
  CHILLS OCCURRING AROUND 10 AM THIS MORNING. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT COLD AIR AND THE WIND WILL
COMBINE TO CREATE LOW WIND CHILLS. FROST BITE AND HYPOTHERMIA CAN
OCCUR IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND
GLOVES.

&&

$$

MNZ016-022-023-027-028-121800-
/O.CON.KFGF.WC.Y.0005.000000T0000Z-170112T1800Z/
NORTH CLEARWATER-MAHNOMEN-SOUTH CLEARWATER-WEST BECKER-
EAST BECKER-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BAGLEY...CLEARBROOK...MAHNOMEN...
NAYTAHWAUSH...WAUBUN...ALIDA...EBRO...LAKE ITASCA...
LONG LOST LAKE...LOWER RICE LAKE...ROY LAKE...UPPER RICE LAKE...
DETROIT LAKES...WOLF LAKE
935 AM CST THU JAN 12 2017

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY...

* WIND CHILL VALUES...EXPECT WIND CHILLS TO RANGE TO 25 BELOW
  ZERO UNTIL NOON...WITH THE COLDEST WIND CHILLS OCCURRING AROUND
  10 AM THIS MORNING.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT COLD AIR AND THE WIND WILL
COMBINE TO CREATE LOW WIND CHILLS. FROST BITE AND HYPOTHERMIA CAN
OCCUR IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND
GLOVES.

&&

$$
1 follow-up statement
913 
WWUS43 KFGF 121855
WSWFGF

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
1255 PM CST THU JAN 12 2017

MNZ001-004-007-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-038-054-122000-
/O.EXP.KFGF.BZ.W.0001.000000T0000Z-170112T1900Z/
WEST POLK-KITTSON-WEST MARSHALL-TOWNER-CAVALIER-PEMBINA-BENSON-
RAMSEY-EASTERN WALSH COUNTY-EDDY-NELSON-GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-
TRAILL-BARNES-WESTERN WALSH COUNTY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CROOKSTON...EAST GRAND FORKS...
HALLOCK...KARLSTAD...LANCASTER...WARREN...STEPHEN...ARGYLE...
CANDO...LANGDON...CAVALIER...WALHALLA...DRAYTON...PEMBINA...
NECHE...ST. THOMAS...FORT TOTTEN...MADDOCK...LEEDS...
MINNEWAUKAN...DEVILS LAKE...GRAFTON...PARK RIVER...NEW ROCKFORD...
LAKOTA...MCVILLE...ANETA...TOLNA...GRAND FORKS...COOPERSTOWN...
FINLEY...HOPE...MAYVILLE...HILLSBORO...HATTON...PORTLAND...
VALLEY CITY...EDINBURG...ADAMS...LANKIN
1255 PM CST THU JAN 12 2017

...BLIZZARD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 1 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON...

GROUND DRIFTING AND AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW WILL CONTINUE IN OPEN
AREAS HOWEVER CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON AS WINDS SUBSIDE.  

$$

MNZ002-003-005-008-013>015-029-NDZ039-049-052-053-122100-
/O.CON.KFGF.WW.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-170112T2100Z/
NORMAN-CLAY-ROSEAU-EAST MARSHALL-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-EAST POLK-
WILKIN-CASS-RANSOM-SARGENT-RICHLAND-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ADA...TWIN VALLEY...HALSTAD...
MOORHEAD...ROSEAU...WARROAD...GREENBUSH...NEWFOLDEN...
MIDDLE RIVER...GRYGLA...THIEF RIVER FALLS...RED LAKE FALLS...
FOSSTON...FERTILE...MCINTOSH...ERSKINE...BRECKENRIDGE...FARGO...
LISBON...ENDERLIN...GWINNER...MILNOR...FORMAN...RUTLAND...
WAHPETON
1255 PM CST THU JAN 12 2017

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON...

* TIMING...EXPECT TO CONTINUE...DIMINISHING AROUND 3 PM.

* WINDS / VISIBILITIES...WINDS GUSTING AS HIGH AS 40 MPH WILL
  CAUSE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IN OPEN AREAS. PLAN ON
  AREAS OF POOR VISIBILITIES AND SLICK ROADWAYS TO CREATE
  DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS AT TIMES.

* WIND CHILL VALUES...EXPECT WIND CHILLS TO RANGE FROM 20 BELOW 
  ZERO TO 30 BELOW ZERO UNTIL 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON...WITH THE 
  COLDEST WIND CHILLS OCCURRING AROUND 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS...DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS MAY QUICKLY PRODUCE FROSTBITE 
  ON EXPOSED SKIN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BLOWING SNOW MEANS PERIODS OF
BLOWING SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE
PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND
USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE
STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.

&&

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Grand Forks, ND issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 12, 2:49 PM CSTWind Chill WarningFGFBarnes, Benson, Cass, Cavalier, Eddy, Grand Forks and 8 more21 hr
Jan 12, 2:49 PM CSTWind Chill AdvisoryFGFRansom, Richland, Sargent21 hr

Nearby

Blizzard Warnings in North Dakota, 2017Blizzard Warnings in Minnesota, 2017Every blizzard warning in 2017

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.