A low pressure system pushed east across North Dakota and resulted in high winds over the south central part of the state for a few hours during the early evening of Thursday, May first. Winds were sustained around 40 mph with gusts as high as 68 mph measured at St.
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The episode as NWS BIS wrote it up.
A low pressure system pushed east across North Dakota and resulted in high winds over the south central part of the state for a few hours during the early evening of Thursday, May first. Winds were sustained around 40 mph with gusts as high as 68 mph measured at St. Anthony in Morton County.
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 May 1, 3:11 PM CST, 1 hour 49 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 411 PM CDT THU MAY 1 2008 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT.. STILL SOME DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN MODELS ON NORTHERN EXTENT OF QPF WITH THE GFS MOST AGGRESSIVE IN PUSHING QPF FARTHEST NORTH INTO CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. MODELS STILL ALL POINT TO SIGNIFICANT QPF OVER THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF THE STATE. BEYOND FRIDAY...MODELS ARE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT. BIGGEST PROBLEM TONIGHT WILL BE SNOW AMOUNTS. FORECAST MODEL BUFR SOUNDINGS INDICATE RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW IN THE FAR SOUTHWEST AFTER 00Z. SOME GROUND TRUTH REPORTS SHOW PRECIPITATION ALREADY CHANGING TO SNOW OVER SOUTHEAST MT AND FAR NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA. THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA THIS AFTERNOON AND LIFTING NORTHWEST MAY HELP COOL ATMOSPHERE ENOUGH TO GET AN EARLIER CHANGEOVER TO SNOW. STRONG DIFLUENT FLOW WITH ABUNDANT MOISTURE ALONG INVERTED THROUGH 06Z...THE UPPER LOW...WHICH MOVES INTO THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS BEGINS TO DROP A BIT SOUTHEAST AFTER THIS...MARKING THE BEGINNING OF AN OVERALL DOWNTREND IN QPF FROM WEST TO EAST. A LIMITING FACTOR IN SNOW ACCUMULATION WILL BE THE WARM GROUND AND MOIST LOWER LEVELS. IF CONVECTION DOESNT GET THINGS GOING EARLY. EXPECT AROUND A SIX HOUR PERIOD OF SNOWFALL BEFORE PRECIP TAPERS OFF. WOULD EXPECT AN HOUR OR TWO FOR SNOW TO BEGIN ACCUMULATING. IF CONVECTIVE PRECIP DEVELOPS...WE CAN DISCOUNT THE 1 TO 2 HOURS UNTIL SNOW ACCUMULATES. HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE A SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWEST AND FAR SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. THE OLD WATCH AREA (BOWMAN SLOPE AND ADAMS COUNTIES) WILL SEE THE HEAVIEST AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES. WITH BOWMAN COUNTY THE MOST LIKELY OF ALL TO POSSIBLY EXCEED THESE AMOUNTS. BILLINGS AND GOLDEN VALLEY SOUTHEAST THROUGH STARK... GRANT AND SIOUX WILL SEE LESSER AMOUNTS. GENERALLY 2 TO 4 INCHES BORDERING SLOPE AND ADAMS COUNTIES...TAPERING TO LESS THAN AND INCH. WINDS WILL PICK UP TONIGHT IN THE ADVISORY AREA...PRODUCING AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW. IN ADDITION TO THE SNOW...WILL CONTINUE THE WIND ADVISORY FOR THE REST OF SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. STRONG WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MPH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS EVENING. PRECIP CHANCES TONIGHT WILL TAPER QUICKLY AS YOU MOVE NORTH AND EAST. THE NORTHEAST THIRD OF OUR CWA WILL BE HARD PRESSED TO SEE MUCH IF ANY PRECIPITATION. AFTER SNOW ENDS AND WIND DIMINISH ON FRIDAY...REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST LOOKS GOOD...AND NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO PREVIOUS FORECAST PACKAGE. .LONG TERM...MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT... BROAD RIDGING OVER NORTH DAKOTA MONDAY WITH SOME WEAK ENERGY UNDERCUTTING THE RIDGE ALONG THE ND/SD BORDER MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. PREVIOUS FORECASTS HAD MENTION OF SLIGHT CHC OF PRECIP HERE AND HAVE CONTINUED THIS TREND. DRY TUESDAY WITH WARMER TEMPS. WEATHER PATTERN REMAINS BENIGN UNTIL LATE WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. A BETTER DEVELOPED UPPER/SFC LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM APPROACHES WEDS WITH WARM AIR ADVECTION AND POTENTIAL FOR SLIGHT CHC SHWR/TSTM. COLD FRONT SLOWLY COMES THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY WITH A BETTER RISK OF SHOWERS. UNTIL LATE IN THE EXTENDED...EXPECT A WARMING TREND PER H85 TEMPS AND 1000-500 THICKNESS TRENDS. HIGHS IN THE MID 60S MONDAY RISING INTO THE UPPER 60S THROUGH THURSDAY. COOLER BY FRIDAY AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES EAST OF OUR CWA. && .AVIATION...A MOIST SYSTEM THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WILL MAINLY AFFECT OUR SOUTHERN AERODROMES KIDK/KBIS/KJMS WITH MVFR CEILINGS ALONG WITH GUSTY EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS OF 25 TO 45 MPH AND RAIN/SNOW. SNOW WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF NORTH DAKOTA SHORTLY AFTER SUNSET TONIGHT WITH SEVERAL INCHES EXPECTED BY FRIDAY MORNING. KDIK WILL BE ON THE NORTHERN FRINGE OF SIGNIFICANT SNOWS THUS ONLY ABOUT AN INCH OR TWO IS EXPECTED HERE WITH THE HEAVIEST A BIT FURTHER SOUTH. EXPECT RAIN AND/OR A RAIN/SNOW MIX FURTHER EAST. NORTHERN TAF SITES CAN EXPECT SOME RAIN/SNOW BUT CEILINGS SHOULD REMAIN VFR. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE ABOVE MVFR AFTER 18Z FRIDAY IN THE SOUTH. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT /11 PM MDT/ TONIGHT FOR NDZ011>013-018>023-025-033>037-041-042-045>048-050-051. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 12 PM MDT FRIDAY FOR NDZ031-032-040-043-044. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT CDT /11 PM MDT/ TONIGHT TO 1 PM CDT /12 PM MDT/ FRIDAY FOR NDZ033-041-042-045. && TWH/KS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 426 PM CDT THU MAY 1 2008 NDZ001>005-009-010-017-022130- DIVIDE-BURKE-RENVILLE-BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-WILLIAMS-MOUNTRAIL- MCKENZIE- 426 PM CDT THU MAY 1 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. NDZ011>013-018>023-025-034>037-046>048-050-051-022130- WARD-MCHENRY-PIERCE-DUNN-MERCER-OLIVER-MCLEAN-SHERIDAN-WELLS- FOSTER-MORTON-BURLEIGH-KIDDER-STUTSMAN-EMMONS-LOGAN-LA MOURE- MCINTOSH-DICKEY- 426 PM CDT THU MAY 1 2008 /326 PM MDT THU MAY 1 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND MOST OF SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. STRONG EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 50 MPH WILL CONTINUE ACROSS MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA. A DEEP BROAD LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IN NEBRASKA WILL REMAIN NEARLY STATIONARY THIS EVENING THEN MOVE INTO CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA OVERNIGHT. THIS WILL CAUSE WINDY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. THE WINDS WILL DIMINISH BELOW ADVISORY CRITERIA LATE TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WITH ANY WIND DAMAGE OR WINDS STRONGER THAN 55 MPH. NDZ031-032-040-043-044-022130- GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-SLOPE-BOWMAN-ADAMS- 326 PM MDT THU MAY 1 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON MDT FRIDAY. EXPECT RAIN EARLY THIS EVENING...CHANGING TO SNOW. THE SNOW WILL CONTINUE...HEAVY AT TIMES TONIGHT AND TAPER OFF FRIDAY MORNING. IN ADDITION...BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW COULD DEVELOP TONIGHT...CREATING NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS IN SOME AREAS. EXPECT 1 TO 4 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION BY FRIDAY MORNING...SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 94. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WITH SNOW AMOUNTS TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. NDZ033-041-042-045-022130- STARK-HETTINGER-GRANT-SIOUX- 426 PM CDT THU MAY 1 2008 /326 PM MDT THU MAY 1 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT CDT /11 PM MDT/ TONIGHT TO 1 PM CDT /NOON MDT/ FRIDAY. EXPECT RAIN THIS EVENING...CHANGING TO SNOW BY LATE EVENING. THE SNOW WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT AND TAPER OFF FRIDAY MORNING. IN ADDITION...BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW COULD DEVELOP TONIGHT. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER WESTERN GRANT AND SIOUX COUNTIES BY MIDDAY FRIDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WITH SNOW AMOUNTS TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. KS/TWH
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Sustained winds of 42 mph were measured at Linton.
Sustained winds were measured at 40 mph with gusts to 68 mph at St. Anthony.
Wind speed was estimated based on damage to a roof and to trees in east and south Bismarck.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, May 2008
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: 94781, 94786, 102540, 102541, 102542, 102543, 102545, 102547, 102550.