A low pressure system developing over the high plains of Montana and Wyoming, pushed southeast into the central plains during the evening hours of the 25th and into the morning hours of the 26th. As this occurred, strong frontogenetical forcing resulted in a band of moderate to heavy snow developing along the North Dakota and South Dakota border area, with snowfall rates upwards of three inches…
Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS BIS wrote it up.
A low pressure system developing over the high plains of Montana and Wyoming, pushed southeast into the central plains during the evening hours of the 25th and into the morning hours of the 26th. As this occurred, strong frontogenetical forcing resulted in a band of moderate to heavy snow developing along the North Dakota and South Dakota border area, with snowfall rates upwards of three inches per hour. Storm total snow amounts across the southwest and south central, from Grant County through Dickey County, ranged from six to 18 inches by the morning of the 26th.
The heavy snow resulted in several highways being closed and county officials issuing numerous no travel advisories across southwest and south central North Dakota.
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 Feb 26, 2:30 PM CST, 8 hours 30 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall of fifteen inches was reported at both Carson and 15 miles south of Elgin.
Snowfall of sixteen inches was reported at Fort Yates.
Snowfall of eight inches was reported at Flasher.
Snowfall of fourteen inches was reported at Strasburg.
An estimated six inches of snow fell over southern Logan County.
An estimated six inches of snow fell over southern LaMoure County.
An estimated six inches of snow fell over southern Stutsman County.
Cooperative observers reported 18 inches of snow at Venturia and 12 inches near Ashley.
The cooperative observer at Ellendale reported 12 inches of snow.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, February 2009
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 153678, 153679, 153680, 153681, 153682, 153683, 153684, 153685, 153686.