Blizzard, Cavalier
- When
- February 27, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Cavalier forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.772, -98.465 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard in North Dakota, February 27, 1996
Large snowfall totals and increasing wind speeds brought near zero visibility across the Red River Valley. A total of 10 inches of snow was reported in Grand Forks and 6 inches in Fargo.
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.
Large snowfall totals and increasing wind speeds brought near zero visibility across the Red River Valley. A total of 10 inches of snow was reported in Grand Forks and 6 inches in Fargo. Many schools closed for the day, adding to an already significant number of winter weather closures.
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 27, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Pembina forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.768, -97.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Eastern Walsh
- When
- February 27, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Eastern Walsh forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.370, -97.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Nelson
- When
- February 27, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Nelson forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.922, -98.192 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Grand Forks
- When
- February 27, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Grand Forks forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.922, -97.457 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Griggs
- When
- February 27, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Griggs forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.457, -98.237 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Steele
- When
- February 27, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Steele forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.456, -97.725 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Traill
- When
- February 27, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Traill forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.454, -97.162 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Barnes
- When
- February 27, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Barnes forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.936, -98.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Cass
- When
- February 27, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Cass forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.933, -97.248 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Ransom
- When
- February 27, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Ransom forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.456, -97.657 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Sargent
- When
- February 27, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM CST
- Where
- Sargent forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.108, -97.631 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Richland
- When
- February 27, 10:00 AM CST to 11:00 PM 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
- Heavy Snow in Michigan, February 27 to 28, 1996
- Cold in New Hampshire, February 27, 1996
- Damaging Wind in Illinois, February 27, 1996
- Lightning Strike in Ohio, February 27, 1996
- Lightning Strike in Illinois, February 27, 1996
- Damaging Wind in Mississippi, February 27, 1996
- Heat in West Virginia, February 27, 1996
- Damaging Wind in Arkansas, February 27, 1996
- Lightning Strike in Alabama, February 27, 1996
- Blizzard in Minnesota, February 27, 1996
- Hail in West Virginia, February 27, 1996
- Tornado in Texas, February 27, 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: 5576422, 5576423, 5576424, 5576425, 5576426, 5576427, 5576587, 5576588, 5576589, 5576590, 5576591, 5576592, 5576593.