Winter Storm in Minnesota, March 8 to 9, 2002

Name: Winter Storm in Minnesota, March 8 to 9, 2002
Start: 2002-03-08T15:35
End: 2002-03-09T16:00
Location: Minnesota

March 8 to 9, 2002 · NWS FGF · 24 events in 24 counties and zones

Strong winds and snow combined to produce visibilities as low as a quarter mile to a half mile. The strongest wind was reported at Halstad, where a MNDOT RWIS site reported a 47 mph wind gust.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 24 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: 24

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.

Strong winds and snow combined to produce visibilities as low as a quarter mile to a half mile. The strongest wind was reported at Halstad, where a MNDOT RWIS site reported a 47 mph wind gust. Fergus Falls also gusted up to 42 mph and Bemidji gusted up to 43 mph. Four to six inches of new snow was common across the area.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Grand Forks, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 8, 2:30 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 8, 2:30 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes before

FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
230 PM CST FRI MAR 8 2002

FCST CONCERNS THE UPCOMING STORM AND HEADLINES.  COORD WITH
MPX/DLH/ABR/BIS.

.CURRENT...
WATER VAPOR SHOWS 50H VORT MAX MOVING NNE INTO WRN NE...WITH
ENHANCED SNOWS JUST TO ITS NORTH AND WEST FROM ERN WY...ACROSS WRN
SD INTO SCNTRL ND.  THIS AREA UNDERNEATH 70H TROUGH AS WELL.  MODELS
HAVE HAD A GOOD HANDLE ON THIS SYSTEM SINCE THE 12Z RUNS.

MAJOR CONCERN IS HOW MUCH SNOW TO EXPECT WITH THIS SYSTEM AND THEN
WIND AND BLOWING SNOW/VSBY PROBLEMS EXPECTED LATER TONIGHT INTO
SATURDAY MORNING AS SFC LOW CRANKS UP OVER WISCONSIN.

.SHORT TERM...
WILL USE BLEND OF ETA/AVN THIS FCST.  PREFER STRONGER AND MORE
NORTHERLY DIRECTION SFC WINDS FROM AVN VERSUS WEAKER ETA.  ETA
INITIALIZED 5 MB TOO WEAK ON HIGH IN SRN ALBERTA AT 12Z.  THUS THINK
ETA WINDS NOT STRONG ENOUGH.  AVN 85H WINDS OF 40-45 KTS WITH COLD
ADVECTION SAT AM SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO BRING BLOWING SNOW PROBLEMS TO
THE VALLEY...SPCLY WITH ENHANCED NORTHERLY VALLEY COMPONENT.  ALL
MODELS FROM MESO ETA (12Z AND 18Z) ...MM5...GGEM...NGM AND ETA ALL
BRING IN 0.10 TO 0.20 LIQUID EQUIV OVERNIGHT.

WILL HOIST WINTER STORM WARNINGS ALL CWFA...EXCEPT DEVILS LAKE AREA
WHERE ADVISORIES WILL BE ISSUED.  EXPECT 2-4 DVL...3-5 GFK/FAR TO
4-6 BJI-FFM.  4 INCH/24 HR WITH 25 MPH SUSTAINED/FREQ GUSTS CRITERIA
FOR WARNINGS IN OUR CWFA.  SOME OF WARNING AREA TO BE BORDERLINE
WITH SNOW AMTS (MAY NOT GET 4 INCHES)...BUT FEEL JUSTIFICATION TO GO
WARNINGS DUE TO POTENTIAL BLIZZARD CONDITIONS EARLY SATURDAY.

.LONGER TERM...
SNOW TO QUICKLY MOVE EAST ON SATURDAY...ENDING IN ERN ZONES BY
AFTN.  THEN CLEARING.  WINDS WILL DIMINISH SLOWLY. WILL EXTEND
WARNINGS INTO SATURDAY FOR VALLEY INTO MN AS WINDS WILL BE HOWLING
AT LEAST THROUGH MIDDAY/EARLY AFTN.  LATER SHIFTS CAN REFINE TIMING.

WITH CLEAR SKY AND DIMINISHING WINDS SAT NIGHT WENT BLO
GUIDANCE...AND THEN BROUGHT NEXT CLIPPER IN SUN NIGHT INTO MONDAY
ALONG WITH CHC OF -SN.

.TUE-FRI...WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT TO TEMPORARILY REPLACE HIGH AMPLITUDE
PATTERN FOR MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK BEFORE RETURNING A TROUGH OVER ROCKY
MOUNTAINS BY FRI. ASSOCIATED PRIMARY STORM TRACK THEN WOULD BE NORTH
OF CN/U.S. BORDER WHILE KEEPING ARCTIC AIR BARELY A THREAT. FMR/MEX
TEMPERATURES (SEASONAL) LOOK SOLID AND WILL KEEP THEM...SO SLIGHT
MELTING OF SNOW COVER EXPECTED. EXPECT DOMINATING WESTERLY FLOW TO
KEEP SNOW MINIMAL AND WILL NOT MENTION ANY EXCEPT TUE THEN ON FRI IN
RE-AMPLIFYING PATTERN.

.FGF...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TONIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING FOR THE
DEVILS LAKE AREA.  WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE REMAINDER OF EXTREME
EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA FOR
TONIGHT AND SATURDAY.

RIDDLE

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

24 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Kittson

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: Kittson forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.777, -96.783 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Roseau

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: Roseau forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.775, -95.811 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, West Marshall

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: West Marshall forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.358, -96.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, East Marshall

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: East Marshall forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.358, -96.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, West Polk

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: West Polk forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.774, -96.402 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Pennington

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: Pennington forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.066, -96.037 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Red Lake

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: Red Lake forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.872, -96.095 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, East Polk

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: East Polk forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.774, -96.402 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Norman

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: Norman forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.327, -96.455 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Mahnomen

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: Mahnomen forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.325, -95.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Clay

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: Clay forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.892, -96.491 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, West Becker

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: West Becker forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.935, -95.674 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wilkin

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: Wilkin forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.357, -96.468 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, West Otter Tail

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: West Otter Tail forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.409, -95.708 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Grant

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 11:16 AM CST
Where: Grant forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 45.934, -96.012 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lake of the Woods

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Lake of the Woods forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.771, -94.905 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, North Beltrami

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 4:00 PM CST
Where: North Beltrami forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.974, -94.938 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, South Beltrami

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 4:00 PM CST
Where: South Beltrami forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.974, -94.938 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, North Clearwater

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 4:00 PM CST
Where: North Clearwater forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.578, -95.379 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, South Clearwater

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 4:00 PM CST
Where: South Clearwater forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.578, -95.379 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hubbard

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Hubbard forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.109, -94.917 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wadena

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Wadena forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.586, -94.969 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, East Becker

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 4:00 PM CST
Where: East Becker forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.935, -95.674 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, East Otter Tail

When: March 8, 3:35 PM CST to March 9, 4:00 PM CST
Where: East Otter Tail forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.409, -95.708 (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

Every storm in Minnesota in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Minnesota, March 2002

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: 5284039, 5284040, 5284041, 5284042, 5284043, 5284044, 5284045, 5284046, 5284047, 5284048, 5284049, 5284050, 5284051, 5284052, 5284053, 5284054, 5284055, 5284056, 5284057, 5284058, 5284059, 5284060, 5284061, 5284062.