A powerful and complex winter storm made a direct hit on North Dakota from late in the afternoon on February 8th, through early in the morning on the 11th. Winter Storm and Ice Storm warnings were issued in advance of this storm system as it developed across the southwest part of the nation.
Every event with a place to put it; 14 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 powerful and complex winter storm made a direct hit on North Dakota from late in the afternoon on February 8th, through early in the morning on the 11th. Winter Storm and Ice Storm warnings were issued in advance of this storm system as it developed across the southwest part of the nation. As the storm ejected into the plains on Sunday, the first wave of precipitation quickly overspread west and central North Dakota during the evening. Fortunately, warm and moist air preceding this system, coinciding with surface temperatures above freezing, resulted in most of the precipitation falling as rain with much less ice accumulation than expected.
As the storm continued to move northeast on Monday, colder air was pulled south into North Dakota resulting in the second wave of precipitation from the 9th through early on the 11th to fall as all snow. A stationary north to south oriented band of moderate to heavy snow developed across western North Dakota Monday night, and persisted into the day on Tuesday, before gradually shifting eastward Tuesday night. This band of heavy snow remained just to the west of Bismarck and Minot, sparing these areas of the heavier snow amounts which ranged from 8 to 20 inches over western parts of the state.
The heavy snow closed several area highways including Interstate 94 from Dickinson to Mandan Tuesday night, and also resulted in county officials issuing numerous no travel advisories over the west.
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 8, 4:31 PM CST, 19 hours 29 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
17 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
A storm total snowfall of twenty inches fell 20 miles south of Elgin.
A storm total snowfall of nine inches was reported at Hebron.
A storm total snowfall of eight inches was reported at Dickinson.
An estimated storm total snowfall of six inches fell over northern Hettinger County.
A storm total snowfall of six to eight inches was reported over the western half of the county.
A storm total snowfall of seven inches was reported at Beulah.
A storm total snowfall of twelve inches was reported at Halliday.
An estimated storm total snowfall of six inches fell over western Oliver County.
A storm total 14 inches of snow was reported at New Town.
A storm total 9.5 inches of snow fell in Kenmare.
An estimated storm total of six inches of snow fell over western Renville County.
A storm total twelve inches of snow was reported at Portal.
A storm total eleven inches of snow was reported at Crosby.
A storm total fourteen inches of snow was reported 27 miles northeast of Williston. The heavy snow combined with previous snowfall resulted in roof and other minor structural damage.
A storm total ten inches of snow was reported at Watford City.
An estimated storm total six inches of snow fell across northern Golden Valley County.
An estimated storm total six inches of snow fell across northern Billings County.
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: 153667, 153666, 153669, 153670, 153664, 153665, 153668, 153671, 153442, 153444, 153440, 153439, 153672, 153674, 153675, 153676, 153677.