North Dakota, 1998

Winter Storm in North Dakota, February 27 to 28, 1998

February 27 to 28, 1998 · NWS FGF · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

A very strong low pressure system travelled across Minnesota, bringing rain and snow to eastern North Dakota. Temperatures started out in the 30s, much above average for February, with dew points in the 20s.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

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.

A very strong low pressure system travelled across Minnesota, bringing rain and snow to eastern North Dakota. Temperatures started out in the 30s, much above average for February, with dew points in the 20s. As the low tracked across Minnesota, the storm began with thunder and lightning. Echoes on radar almost seemed more like those seen in the summer months. As the cold air dropped south from Canada into northeast North Dakota, the rain changed to snow. 5 inches fell across most of northeast North Dakota. Strong winds picked up across the Devils Lake area, prompting law enforcement officials to close US Highway 2 west of Devils Lake.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Towner

When
February 27, 3:30 PM CST to February 28, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Towner forecast zone
Coordinates
48.686, -99.246 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Cavalier

When
February 27, 3:30 PM CST to February 28, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Cavalier forecast zone
Coordinates
48.772, -98.465 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Pembina

When
February 27, 3:30 PM CST to February 28, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Pembina forecast zone
Coordinates
48.768, -97.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Benson

When
February 27, 3:30 PM CST to February 28, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Benson forecast zone
Coordinates
48.069, -99.366 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Ramsey

When
February 27, 3:30 PM CST to February 28, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Ramsey forecast zone
Coordinates
48.269, -98.720 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Walsh

When
February 27, 3:30 PM CST to February 28, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Walsh forecast zone
Coordinates
48.370, -97.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Eddy

When
February 27, 3:30 PM CST to February 28, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Eddy forecast zone
Coordinates
47.718, -98.902 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Nelson

When
February 27, 3:30 PM CST to February 28, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Nelson forecast zone
Coordinates
47.922, -98.192 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Grand Forks

When
February 27, 3:30 PM CST to February 28, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Grand Forks forecast zone
Coordinates
47.922, -97.457 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Griggs

When
February 27, 3:30 PM CST to February 28, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Griggs forecast zone
Coordinates
47.457, -98.237 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Steele

When
February 27, 3:30 PM CST to February 28, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Steele forecast zone
Coordinates
47.456, -97.725 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Traill

When
February 27, 3:30 PM CST to February 28, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Traill forecast zone
Coordinates
47.454, -97.162 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Barnes

When
February 27, 3:30 PM CST to February 28, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Barnes forecast zone
Coordinates
46.936, -98.072 (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 North Dakota in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, February 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: 5630921, 5630922, 5630923, 5630924, 5630925, 5630926, 5630927, 5630928, 5630929, 5630930, 5630931, 5630932, 5630933.