North Dakota, 2010

Ice Storm in North Dakota, December 14 to 15, 2010

December 14 to 15, 2010 · NWS BIS · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Weak to moderate low level frontogenetical forcing, combined with forcing aloft ahead of a mid level trough, moved across western North Dakota during the evening of the 14th, and became stalled over central North Dakota during the overnight hours of the 15th. Mid level warm air advection ahead of surface warm front, coupled with below freezing surface temperatures, combined with the forcing to…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
6

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.

Weak to moderate low level frontogenetical forcing, combined with forcing aloft ahead of a mid level trough, moved across western North Dakota during the evening of the 14th, and became stalled over central North Dakota during the overnight hours of the 15th. Mid level warm air advection ahead of surface warm front, coupled with below freezing surface temperatures, combined with the forcing to result in an extensive area of freezing rain and sleet which fell through the morning hours of the 15th. The heaviest precipitation fell across north central North Dakota, where very hazardous travel conditions developed.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Renville

When
December 14, 11:00 PM CST to December 15, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Renville forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
48.719, -101.658 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Radar estimated precipitation amounts of one quarter to under one half of an inch were depicted across much of north central North Dakota. Surface observation sites indicated much of this fell as either freezing rain or sleet. Numerous reports of vehicles in ditches resulted from the freezing precipitation accumulating onto area roadways.

Ice Storm, Burke

When
December 14, 11:00 PM CST to December 15, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Burke forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
48.791, -102.518 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Radar estimated precipitation amounts of one quarter to under one half of an inch were depicted across much of north central North Dakota. Surface observation sites indicated much of this fell as either freezing rain or sleet. Numerous reports of vehicles in ditches resulted from the freezing precipitation accumulating onto area roadways.

Ice Storm, Mountrail

When
December 14, 11:00 PM CST to December 15, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Mountrail forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
48.201, -102.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Radar estimated precipitation amounts of one quarter to under one half of an inch were depicted across much of north central North Dakota. Surface observation sites indicated much of this fell as either freezing rain or sleet. Numerous reports of vehicles in ditches resulted from the freezing precipitation accumulating onto area roadways.

Ice Storm, Ward

When
December 14, 11:00 PM CST to December 15, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Ward forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet

Radar estimated precipitation amounts of one quarter to under one half of an inch were depicted across much of north central North Dakota. Surface observation sites indicated much of this fell as either freezing rain or sleet. Numerous reports of vehicles in ditches resulted from the freezing precipitation accumulating onto area roadways.

Ice Storm, Bottineau

When
December 15, 12:00 AM CST to 6:00 AM CST
Where
Bottineau forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
48.792, -100.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Radar estimated precipitation amounts of one quarter to under one half of an inch were depicted across much of north central North Dakota. Surface observation sites indicated much of this fell as either freezing rain or sleet. Numerous reports of vehicles in ditches resulted from the freezing precipitation accumulating onto area roadways.

Ice Storm, McHenry

When
December 15, 12:00 AM CST to 6:00 AM CST
Where
McHenry forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
48.235, -100.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Radar estimated precipitation amounts of one quarter to under one half of an inch were depicted across much of north central North Dakota. Surface observation sites indicated much of this fell as either freezing rain or sleet. Numerous reports of vehicles in ditches resulted from the freezing precipitation accumulating onto area roadways.

What these are

Ice Storm
Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Dakota in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, December 2010

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 273145, 273146, 273147, 273148, 273150, 273151.