Minnesota, 1998

Winter Storm in Minnesota, November 18 to 19, 1998

November 18 to 19, 1998 · NWS FGF · 16 events in 16 counties and zones

A low pressure system moving out of the Colorado Rockies brought the first heavy snow event of the season to northwest Minnesota. The heavy snow amounts were preceded by thunder and lightning.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 16 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
16

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 low pressure system moving out of the Colorado Rockies brought the first heavy snow event of the season to northwest Minnesota. The heavy snow amounts were preceded by thunder and lightning. 17 inches of snow fell at Thief River Falls, 16 inches at Red Lake Falls and Crookston, and 14 inches at Middle River. This prompted the closing of US Highway 2 from East Grand Forks to Crookston. Very strong winds never materialized, but visibilities and road conditions were very poor due to the high snow totals.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Clay

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Clay forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
46.892, -96.491 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, East Marshall

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
East Marshall forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
48.358, -96.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, East Polk

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
East Polk forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
47.774, -96.402 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Kittson

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Kittson forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
48.777, -96.783 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lake of the Woods

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Lake of the Woods forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
48.771, -94.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Mahnomen

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Mahnomen forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
47.325, -95.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Norman

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Norman forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
47.327, -96.455 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, North Beltrami

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
North Beltrami forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
47.974, -94.938 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, North Clearwater

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
North Clearwater forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
47.578, -95.379 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Pennington

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Pennington forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
48.066, -96.037 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Red Lake

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Red Lake forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
47.872, -96.095 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Roseau

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Roseau forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
48.775, -95.811 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, South Beltrami

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
South Beltrami forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
47.974, -94.938 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, South Clearwater

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
South Clearwater forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
47.578, -95.379 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, West Marshall

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
West Marshall forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
48.358, -96.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, West Polk

When
November 18, 6:00 AM CST to November 19, 6:00 AM CST
Where
West Polk forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
47.774, -96.402 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Minnesota in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, November 1998

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: 5670259, 5670260, 5670261, 5670262, 5670263, 5670264, 5670265, 5670266, 5670267, 5670268, 5670367, 5670368, 5670369, 5670370, 5670371, 5670372.