Alert archive / North Dakota / Blizzard Warnings in 2017

Blizzard Warning 3, NWS Grand Forks, ND

March 7, 2017Towner County, North Dakota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this blizzard warning at Mar 7, 2017, 6:09 PM CST for Towner County, North Dakota. 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
Mar 7, 2017, 6:09 PM CST (00:09 UTC)
Expired
Mar 7, 2017, 9:00 PM CST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND

County Towner County, ND

The radar

The Minot AFB radar (KMBX), 124 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:06 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 00:00Z, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 239 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 00:00Z on 2017-03-08Temperature 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 00:00Z on 2017-03-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 92 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
1515 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
92 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
126 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

490 
WWUS43 KFGF 080009
WSWFGF

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
609 PM CST Tue Mar 7 2017

NDZ006-080300-
/O.EXP.KFGF.BZ.W.0002.000000T0000Z-170308T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KFGF.BZ.W.0003.170308T0009Z-170308T0300Z/
Towner-
Including the city of Cando
609 PM CST Tue Mar 7 2017

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING...
...NEW BLIZZARD WARNING EXTENDS EXPIRED WARNING...

The National Weather Service in Grand Forks has issued a Blizzard
Warning, which is in effect until 9 PM CST this evening. 

* TIMING...Expect blizzard conditions to continue, diminishing 
  around 9 PM. 

* WINDS / VISIBILITIES...Winds gusting as high as 55 mph will 
  cause whiteout conditions in blowing snow. Significant 
  drifting of the snow is likely. Damage to trees and power 
  lines is possible

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...Minimal additional snow accumulation is
  expected.

* IMPACTS...Travel will be very difficult to impossible.

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.

&&

$$
1 follow-up statement
677 
WWUS43 KFGF 080302
WSWFGF

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
902 PM CST Tue Mar 7 2017

NDZ006-081500-
/O.EXP.KFGF.BZ.W.0003.000000T0000Z-170308T0300Z/
/O.NEW.KFGF.WW.Y.0007.170308T0302Z-170308T1500Z/
Towner-
Including the city of Cando
902 PM CST Tue Mar 7 2017

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST WEDNESDAY...
...BLIZZARD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 9 PM CST THIS EVENING...

The National Weather Service in Grand Forks has issued a Winter
Weather Advisory for blowing snow, which is in effect until 9 AM 
CST Wednesday. 

* TIMING...Blowing snow will continue to be an issue through 9 AM
  Wednesday.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...Minimal additional accumulations are expected.

* WINDS / VISIBILITIES...Winds gusting as high as 55 mph will 
  cause areas of blowing and drifting snow. Plan on areas of 
  poor visibilities and slick roadways to create difficult 
  driving conditions at times. Damage to trees and power lines 
  is possible 

* IMPACTS.....Poor visibility and road conditions, including    
  during the morning commute on Wednesday.

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.

&&

$$

MNZ004-007-NDZ007-008-014>016-024-054-081500-
/O.NEW.KFGF.WW.Y.0007.170308T0302Z-170308T1500Z/
Kittson-West Marshall-Cavalier-Pembina-Benson-Ramsey-
Eastern Walsh County-Eddy-Western Walsh County-
Including the cities of Hallock, Karlstad, Lancaster, Warren, 
Stephen, Argyle, Langdon, Cavalier, Walhalla, Drayton, Pembina, 
Neche, St. Thomas, Fort Totten, Maddock, Leeds, Minnewaukan, 
Devils Lake, Grafton, Park River, New Rockford, Edinburg, Adams, 
and Lankin
902 PM CST Tue Mar 7 2017

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST WEDNESDAY...

The National Weather Service in Grand Forks has issued a Winter
Weather Advisory for blowing snow, which is in effect until 9 AM 
CST Wednesday. 

* TIMING...Blowing snow will be an issue through 9 AM Wednesday.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...Minimal additional accumulations are expected.

* WINDS / VISIBILITIES...Winds gusting as high as 60 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. Damage to 
  trees and power lines is possible 

* IMPACTS.....Poor visibility at times and slick roads, including
  during the morning commute on Wednesday.

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
Mar 7, 6:14 PM CSTWind AdvisoryFGFBarnes, Benson, Cass, Cavalier, Eddy, Grand Forks and 11 more15 hr
Mar 7, 9:02 PM CSTWinter Weather AdvisoryFGFBenson, Cavalier, Eddy, Pembina, Ramsey, Towner and 1 more12 hr

Nearby

Blizzard Warnings in North Dakota, 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.