Cold in North Dakota, February 1, 1996

Name: Cold in North Dakota, February 1, 1996
Start: 1996-02-01T00:00
End: 1996-02-01T23:59
Location: North Dakota

February 1, 1996 · NWS BIS · 53 events in 53 counties and zones

Dangerously cold weather once again hit North Dakota. ) in north central North Dakota reported a morning low of 53 below.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 49 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 53

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS BIS wrote it up.

Dangerously cold weather once again hit North Dakota. The town of Rolette(Rolette Co.) in north central North Dakota reported a morning low of 53 below. Many places reported lows from 35 to 45 below. Fargo tied its record low of 39 below. The temperature at Fargo remained at or below zero for 11 straight days(1/23/96-2/3/96). This ties the second longest subzero period, previously set in 1899. Daytime highs faired no better, as Bismarck reached a high of 26 below. Northwest winds up to 30 mph created wind chills to 100 below. Electric companies reported peak loads, while natural gas companies had trouble keeping gas flowing through pipelines. Numerous schools closed and many water main breaks occurred. There were also shortages of #1 diesel fuel.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

53 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Divide

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Divide forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.815, -103.487 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Burke

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Burke forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.791, -102.518 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Renville

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Renville forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.719, -101.658 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Bottineau

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Bottineau forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.792, -100.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Rolette

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Rolette forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.772, -99.841 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Towner

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Towner forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.686, -99.246 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Cavalier

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Cavalier forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.772, -98.465 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Pembina

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Pembina forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.768, -97.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Williams

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Williams forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.344, -103.480 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Mountrail

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Mountrail forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.201, -102.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Ward

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Ward forecast zone

Cold/Wind Chill, McHenry

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: McHenry forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.235, -100.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Pierce

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Pierce forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.250, -99.972 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Benson

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Benson forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.069, -99.366 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Ramsey

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Ramsey forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.269, -98.720 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Eastern Walsh

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Eastern Walsh forecast zone
Coordinates: 48.370, -97.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, McKenzie

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: McKenzie forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.740, -103.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Dunn

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Dunn forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.357, -102.618 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Mercer

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Mercer forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.309, -101.831 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Oliver

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Oliver forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.115, -101.340 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, McLean

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: McLean forecast zone

Cold/Wind Chill, Sheridan

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Sheridan forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.575, -100.346 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Wells

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Wells forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.588, -99.661 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Eddy

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Eddy forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.718, -98.902 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Foster

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Foster forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.457, -98.883 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Nelson

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Nelson forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.922, -98.192 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Grand Forks

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Grand Forks forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.922, -97.457 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Griggs

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Griggs forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.457, -98.237 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Steele

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Steele forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.456, -97.725 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Traill

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Traill forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.454, -97.162 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Golden Valley

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Golden Valley forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.940, -103.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Billings

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Billings forecast zone
Coordinates: 47.023, -103.376 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Stark

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Stark forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.811, -102.655 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Morton

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Morton forecast zone

Cold/Wind Chill, Burleigh

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Burleigh forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.977, -100.469 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Kidder

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Kidder forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.980, -99.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Stutsman

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Stutsman forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.979, -98.959 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Barnes

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Barnes forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.936, -98.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Cass

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Cass forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.933, -97.248 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Slope

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Slope forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.447, -103.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Hettinger

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Hettinger forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.433, -102.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Grant

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Grant forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.358, -101.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Bowman

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Bowman forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.113, -103.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Adams

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.097, -102.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Sioux

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Sioux forecast zone

Cold/Wind Chill, Emmons

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Emmons forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.285, -100.239 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Logan

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Logan forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.457, -99.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, La Moure

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: La Moure forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.457, -98.535 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Ransom

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Ransom forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.456, -97.657 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, McIntosh

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: McIntosh forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.112, -99.441 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Dickey

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Dickey forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.110, -98.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Sargent

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Sargent forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.108, -97.631 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Richland

When: February 1, 12:00 AM CST to 11:59 PM CST
Where: Richland forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.265, -96.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill: Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Dakota in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in North Dakota, February 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5538709, 5538710, 5538711, 5538712, 5538713, 5538714, 5538715, 5538716, 5538717, 5538718, 5538719, 5538720, 5538721, 5538722, 5538913, 5538914, 5538915, 5538916, 5538917, 5538918, 5538919, 5538920, 5538921, 5538922, 5538923, 5538924, 5538925, 5538926, 5538927, 5538928, 5538929, 5538930, 5538931, 5538932, 5538933, 5538934, 5538935, 5538936, 5538937, 5538938, and more.