Blizzard, Cavalier
- When
- February 10, 10:00 AM CST to February 11, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Cavalier forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.772, -98.465 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard in North Dakota, February 10 to 11, 1996
Rain changing to snow, combined with a sustained 35 to 40 mph wind created dangerous conditions across the area. Interstates 29 and 94 were both closed in North Dakota, along with US Highway 2 from the Grand Forks Air Force Base to the Minnesota line.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 13 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 13
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 FGF wrote it up.
Rain changing to snow, combined with a sustained 35 to 40 mph wind created dangerous conditions across the area. Interstates 29 and 94 were both closed in North Dakota, along with US Highway 2 from the Grand Forks Air Force Base to the Minnesota line. The blizzard stranded many travellers in motels, local high schools, and public facilities.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
13 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Blizzard, Pembina
- When
- February 10, 10:00 AM CST to February 11, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Pembina forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.768, -97.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Eastern Walsh
- When
- February 10, 10:00 AM CST to February 11, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Eastern Walsh forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.370, -97.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Nelson
- When
- February 10, 10:00 AM CST to February 11, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Nelson forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.922, -98.192 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Grand Forks
- When
- February 10, 10:00 AM CST to February 11, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Grand Forks forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.922, -97.457 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Griggs
- When
- February 10, 10:00 AM CST to February 11, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Griggs forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.457, -98.237 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Steele
- When
- February 10, 10:00 AM CST to February 11, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Steele forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.456, -97.725 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Traill
- When
- February 10, 10:00 AM CST to February 11, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Traill forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.454, -97.162 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Barnes
- When
- February 10, 10:00 AM CST to February 11, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Barnes forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.936, -98.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Cass
- When
- February 10, 10:00 AM CST to February 11, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Cass forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.933, -97.248 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Ransom
- When
- February 10, 10:00 AM CST to February 11, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Ransom forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.456, -97.657 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Sargent
- When
- February 10, 10:00 AM CST to February 11, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Sargent forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.108, -97.631 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Richland
- When
- February 10, 10:00 AM CST to February 11, 1:00 AM CST
- Where
- Richland forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.265, -96.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Blizzard
- Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- High Wind in Iowa, February 10 to 11, 1996
- High Wind in South Dakota, February 10, 1996
- High Wind in Minnesota, February 10, 1996
- High Wind in South Dakota, February 10, 1996
- High Wind in Ohio, February 10 to 11, 1996
- High Wind in Nebraska, February 10, 1996
- High Wind in Iowa, February 10, 1996
- High Wind in Minnesota, February 10 to 11, 1996
- Blizzard in North Dakota, February 10, 1996
- High Wind in North Dakota, February 10, 1996
- High Wind in Nebraska, February 10, 1996
- Blizzard in Minnesota, February 10 to 11, 1996
More
Every storm in North Dakota in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 5576396, 5576397, 5576398, 5576399, 5576400, 5576401, 5576402, 5576403, 5576404, 5576405, 5576406, 5576407, 5576408.