Blizzard, Towner
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Towner forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.686, -99.246 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard in North Dakota, March 4, 1997
As the low pressure system responsible for the snow across eastern North Dakota moved to the east, a strong north wind increased across the area. Gusts up to 45 mph whipped up the fresh snow and reduced the visibility to near zero.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 17 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
- 17
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.
As the low pressure system responsible for the snow across eastern North Dakota moved to the east, a strong north wind increased across the area. Gusts up to 45 mph whipped up the fresh snow and reduced the visibility to near zero. Numerous east-west roads were closed, including Interstate 29 from Grand Forks to the South Dakota border, Interstate 94 from Fargo to Jamestown, and US Highway 2 from Grand Forks to Lakota. Numerous motorists who attempted travel were stranded, including a bus with 15 passengers that got stuck in a snow drift near Hillsboro. These people had to wait 8 hours until they were rescued. Many schools also cancelled classes on the 3rd and 4th.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
17 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Blizzard, Cavalier
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Cavalier forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.772, -98.465 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Pembina
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Pembina forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.768, -97.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Benson
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Benson forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.069, -99.366 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Ramsey
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Ramsey forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.269, -98.720 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Eastern Walsh
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Eastern Walsh forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.370, -97.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Eddy
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Eddy forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.718, -98.902 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Nelson
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Nelson forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.922, -98.192 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Grand Forks
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Grand Forks forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.922, -97.457 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Griggs
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Griggs forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.457, -98.237 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Steele
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Steele forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.456, -97.725 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Traill
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Traill forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.454, -97.162 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Barnes
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Barnes forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.936, -98.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Cass
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Cass forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.933, -97.248 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Ransom
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Ransom forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.456, -97.657 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Sargent
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Sargent forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.108, -97.631 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Richland
- When
- March 4, 2:00 AM CST to 12:00 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
- Dense Fog in Florida, March 4, 1997
- Blizzard in Minnesota, March 4, 1997
- Dense Fog in Colorado, March 4 to 5, 1997
- Flooding in Virginia, March 4 to 6, 1997
- Flash Flood in Ohio, March 4, 1997
- Flash Flood in Ohio, March 4, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Montana, March 4, 1997
- Waterspout in Florida, March 4, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Colorado, March 4, 1997
- Hail in Texas, March 4, 1997
- Hail in Arkansas, March 4, 1997
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5589759, 5589760, 5589761, 5589956, 5589957, 5589958, 5589959, 5589960, 5589961, 5589962, 5589963, 5589964, 5589965, 5589966, 5589967, 5589968, 5589969.