High Wind in North Dakota, December 11 to 12, 2004

Name: High Wind in North Dakota, December 11 to 12, 2004
Start: 2004-12-11T14:57
End: 2004-12-12T12:00
Location: North Dakota

December 11 to 12, 2004 · NWS BIS · 36 events in 36 counties and zones

A strong cold front brought high winds to western and central North Dakota causing one minor injury and minor damage across the region. No travel was advised in the southwest due to the high winds.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 32 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: 1
Property damage: $30,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 36

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 BIS wrote it up.

A strong cold front brought high winds to western and central North Dakota causing one minor injury and minor damage across the region. The frontal system also brought scattered snow showers with areas of blowing snow reducing visibilities in several locations.No travel was advised in the southwest due to the high winds. Sustain winds of 40 to 50 mph existed over the region with gust of 50 to 65 mph. The highest gust reported was 76 mph 5 miles east of Richardton in Stark County. Damage was confined to a new construction being built at the Fort Berthold Community College in Mountrail County. A male carrying his luggage from the Bismarck Airport to his vehicle was blown over by the high winds causing minor injuries to his leg.

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 Bismarck, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 11, 2:15 PM CST, 42 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 11, 2:15 PM CST, 42 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
215 PM CST SAT DEC 11 2004

.SHORT TERM...
TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...LATEST MODEL RUNS SHOW EXPLOSIVE
DEVELOPMENT OF AN UPPER LOW OVER SOUTHERN MANITOBA THIS EVENING.
A SURFACE FRONT IS ALREADY DEVELOPING AND MOVING INTO NORTHWEST
NORTH DAKOTA. IT WILL SURGE SOUTH THIS EVENING AND WINDS WILL LINK
ALOFT THROUGH 700 MB. THE ETA AND GFS SHOW A 60 KT 850 ISOTACH
MOVING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT. EXPECT SOME GUSTS OVER 50
MPH BY MIDNIGHT. SCATTERED LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL
TURNING TO SCATTERED LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS IN THE COLD ADVECTION LATE
THIS EVENING. WARM WESTERLY FLOW THIS AFTERNOON HAS CRUSTED MOST OF
THE SNOW COVER IN NORTHERN ND...EXCEPT IN THE FAR NORTHEAST PART 0F
THE CWA.  TEMPERATURES BARELY ROSE ABOVE THE FREEZING LEVEL IN
BOTTINEAU AND ROLETTE COUNTIES WHERE SNOW COVER RANGES UP TO 4
INCHES. EXPECT SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IN THIS AREA. WINDS
SHOULD TAPER OFF IN THE FAR WEST EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...BUT CONTINUE
IN CENTRAL ND UNTIL NOON.

AFTER THE LOW PRESSURE DEPARTS THE AREA SUNDAY AFTERNOON...CLEAR
FRIGID HIGH PRESSURE FROM CANADA WILL DRIFT SOUTH ACROSS ND SUNDAY
NIGHT AND MONDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL MODERATE TUESDAY AS RETURN
WESTERLY FLOW BEGINS.

LONG TERM...
MADE LITTLE CHANGES TO THE LONG TERM PERIOD. HAVE KEPT THE
SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW SOUTHWEST THRU CENTRAL AREAS OF
THE FORECAST AREA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND IN THE
FAR EAST CWA THURSDAY MORNING WITH PASSAGE OF SHORTWAVE TROUGH
AND SURFACE BOUNDARY..HOWEVER MAIN ENERGY FROM THIS SYSTEM
STAYS WELL NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA AND CHANCES ARE LOW.
TEMPERATURES ON TRACK WITH COLDER AIR SPILLING SOUTH BEHIND
SHORTWAVE ON WEDNESDAY.

&&

.BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
...HIGH WIND WARNING WESTERN ND TONIGHT...
...HIGH WIND WARNING CENTRAL ND TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING...

&&

LM/RGT

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 11, 3:45 AM CST, 11 hours 12 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
345 AM CST SAT DEC 11 2004

NDZ001>005-009>013-017>023-025-031>037-040>048-050-051-120900-
ADAMS-BILLINGS-BOTTINEAU-BOWMAN-BURKE-BURLEIGH-DICKEY-DIVIDE-DUNN-
EMMONS-FOSTER-GOLDEN VALLEY-GRANT-HETTINGER-KIDDER-LA MOURE-LOGAN-
MCHENRY-MCINTOSH-MCKENZIE-MCLEAN-MERCER-MORTON-MOUNTRAIL-OLIVER-
PIERCE-RENVILLE-ROLETTE-SHERIDAN-SIOUX-SLOPE-STARK-STUTSMAN-WARD-
WELLS-WILLIAMS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WILLISTON...MINOT...JAMESTOWN...
DICKINSON...CROSBY...BOWMAN...BOTTINEAU...BISMARCK...MANDAN...
WATFORD CITY...WASHBURN...STANLEY...RUGBY...MOTT...MEDORA...LINTON...
HETTINGER...HARVEY...ELLENDALE...CARRINGTON...BEULAH...BELCOURT...
BEACH AND ASHLEY
345 AM CST SAT DEC 11 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH
DAKOTA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

VERY STRONG WINDS EXPECTED SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY EVENING.
WIND ADVISORY WILL BE IN EFFECT DURING THIS PERIOD.

AREAS OF DENSE FOG WILL PERSIST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR THE FAR EAST
CENTRAL AREAS INCLUDING JAMESTOWN. VISIBILITIES WILL BE AS LOW AS
1/2 MILE. TRAVEL WILL BE HAZARDOUS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

VERY STRONG WINDS EXPECTED SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY
AFTERNOON. WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS TIMEFRAME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.

NJH

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

36 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Adams

When: December 11, 2:57 PM CST to December 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.097, -102.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Billings

When: December 11, 2:57 PM CST to December 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Billings forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.023, -103.376 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Bowman

When: December 11, 2:57 PM CST to December 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Bowman forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.113, -103.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Divide

When: December 11, 2:57 PM CST to December 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Divide forecast zone
Measured: 42 kt (48 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.815, -103.487 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Dunn

When: December 11, 2:57 PM CST to December 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Dunn forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.357, -102.618 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Golden Valley

When: December 11, 2:57 PM CST to December 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Golden Valley forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.940, -103.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Hettinger

When: December 11, 2:57 PM CST to December 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Hettinger forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.433, -102.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, McKenzie

When: December 11, 2:57 PM CST to December 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: McKenzie forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.740, -103.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Slope

When: December 11, 2:57 PM CST to December 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Slope forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.447, -103.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Stark

When: December 11, 2:57 PM CST to December 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Stark forecast zone
Measured: 66 kt (76 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.811, -102.655 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Williams

When: December 11, 2:57 PM CST to December 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Williams forecast zone
Measured: 42 kt (48 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.344, -103.480 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Bottineau

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Bottineau forecast zone
Measured: 42 kt (48 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.792, -100.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Burke

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Burke forecast zone
Measured: 45 kt (52 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.791, -102.518 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Burleigh

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Burleigh forecast zone
Measured: 42 kt (48 mph) measured sustained
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.977, -100.469 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Dickey

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Dickey forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.110, -98.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Emmons

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Emmons forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.285, -100.239 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Foster

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Foster forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.457, -98.883 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Grant

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Grant forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.358, -101.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Kidder

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Kidder forecast zone
Measured: 42 kt (48 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.980, -99.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, La Moure

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: La Moure forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.457, -98.535 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Logan

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Logan forecast zone
Measured: 42 kt (48 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.457, -99.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, McHenry

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: McHenry forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.235, -100.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, McIntosh

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: McIntosh forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.112, -99.441 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, McLean

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: McLean forecast zone
Measured: 43 kt (49 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Mercer

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Mercer forecast zone
Measured: 42 kt (48 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.309, -101.831 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Morton

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Morton forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Mountrail

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Mountrail forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.201, -102.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Oliver

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Oliver forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.115, -101.340 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Pierce

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Pierce forecast zone
Measured: 42 kt (48 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.250, -99.972 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Renville

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Renville forecast zone
Measured: 41 kt (47 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.719, -101.658 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Rolette

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Rolette forecast zone
Measured: 41 kt (47 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.772, -99.841 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Sheridan

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Sheridan forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.575, -100.346 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Sioux

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Sioux forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Stutsman

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Stutsman forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.979, -98.959 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Ward

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Ward forecast zone
Measured: 44 kt (51 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

High Wind, Wells

When: December 11, 6:00 PM CST to December 12, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Wells forecast zone
Measured: 40 kt (46 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.588, -99.661 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Dakota in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in North Dakota, December 2004

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: 5429610, 5429611, 5429613, 5429617, 5429618, 5429621, 5429623, 5429629, 5429740, 5429741, 5429745, 5429612, 5429614, 5429615, 5429616, 5429619, 5429620, 5429622, 5429624, 5429625, 5429626, 5429627, 5429628, 5429630, 5429631, 5429632, 5429633, 5429634, 5429635, 5429636, 5429637, 5429638, 5429739, 5429742, 5429743, 5429744.