North Dakota, 1997

Heavy Snow in North Dakota, March 13, 1997

March 13, 1997 · NWS FGF · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

A band of heavy snow fell across southeast North Dakota, where Lisbon reported 12 inches of new snow. Litchville and Cayuga both reported 10 inches of snow, Havanna reported 9 inches, and Lidgerwood reported 8 inches.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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.

A band of heavy snow fell across southeast North Dakota, where Lisbon reported 12 inches of new snow. Litchville and Cayuga both reported 10 inches of snow, Havanna reported 9 inches, and Lidgerwood reported 8 inches. A north to northeast wind gusted up to 35 mph, which resulted in the closure of Interstate 94 from Bismarck to Fargo.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Barnes

When
March 13, 4:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Barnes forecast zone
Coordinates
46.936, -98.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Cass

When
March 13, 4:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Cass forecast zone
Coordinates
46.933, -97.248 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Ransom

When
March 13, 4:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Ransom forecast zone
Coordinates
46.456, -97.657 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Sargent

When
March 13, 4:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Sargent forecast zone
Coordinates
46.108, -97.631 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Richland

When
March 13, 4:00 AM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Richland forecast zone
Coordinates
46.265, -96.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Dakota in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, March 1997

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5589970, 5589971, 5589972, 5589973, 5589974.