An inverted trough extending north from an area of surface low pressure over the central plains, brought heavy snow to portions of west and central North Dakota from Wednesday, December 29th until early Thursday, December 30th. Short wave impulses originating from an upper trough enhanced the snowfall, and led to storm total amounts up to seven inches over some areas.
Every event with a place to put it; 15 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.
An inverted trough extending north from an area of surface low pressure over the central plains, brought heavy snow to portions of west and central North Dakota from Wednesday, December 29th until early Thursday, December 30th. Short wave impulses originating from an upper trough enhanced the snowfall, and led to storm total amounts up to seven inches over some areas.
Forcing for snow eventually pushed further east, with an enhanced area of snow developing over the southern James River Basin from Thursday, December 30th through Friday, December 31st. Up to near fourteen inches of snow was reported.
In addition to the heavy snow, as the surface low over the central plains lifted northeast into the Upper Mississippi Valley December 30th and 31st, a strong pressure gradient developed over central South Dakota and eastern North Dakota. A prolonged period of strong winds over 40 mph, combined with continued snowfall and fresh snow cover on the ground, resulted in blizzard conditions over portions of south central North Dakota from Thursday December 30th through the morning hours of Saturday, January 1st.
Numerous travel advisories were issued by state and county officials during this event. Several road closures also occurred, including Interstate 94 from Jamestown to Fargo for several days, and Bismarck to Jamestown New Year's Eve Night through the morning hours of New Year's Eve Day (See Storm Data for January 2011).
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 29, 4:05 AM CST, 6 hours 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 405 AM CST WED DEC 29 2010 .SYNOPSIS...DEEP LOW PRESSURE OVER HUDSON BAY WITH DEVELOPING TROUGH IN THE LEE OF THE ROCKIES AS THE ANTICIPATED LONGWAVE TROUGH OVER THE WEST COAST EXPANDS EASTWARD AND MOVES ACROSS THE ROCKIES. && .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT... THE MAIN CONCERN FOR THIS SHORT TERM PERIOD IS THE DEVELOPING STORM AND THE WINTER STORM WATCH THAT IS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. USED A BLEND OF THE MODELS WHICH ARE IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT...WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE GFS AND ECMWF WHICH LOOK REMARKABLY SIMILAR. THE INITIAL ENERGY FROM THE LEADING EDGE OF THE UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVES IS FORECAST TO ENTER WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA LATE THIS MORNING...WITH STRONG ISENTROPIC LIFT AND VERY STRONG FRONTOGENETIC FORCING...AND EXPECTING ACCUMULATING SNOW TO BEGIN THIS AFTERNOON FOR NORTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA. MODEL ESTIMATES/BLENDS RESULT IN 1 TO 2 INCH ACCUMULATIONS IN THE NORTHWEST THIS AFTERNOON. A MORE POTENT SHORTWAVE IMPULSE MOVES IN TONIGHT AND THE FRONTOGENETIC FORCING REMAINS QUITE STRONG - OVER NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA THIS WEDNESDAY EVENING...THEN SHIFTING TO NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AFTER MIDNIGHT. MEANWHILE AT THE SURFACE A LOW IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP QUICKLY IN THE LEE OF THE ROCKIES WITH A TROUGH EXTENDING FROM THE LOW STRETCHING FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF NORTH DAKOTA TO BETWEEN DEVILS LAKE AND JAMESTOWN. THE FRONTOGENETIC FORCING MENTIONED ABOVE WILL TAKE PLACE MAINLY NORTH OF THE SURFACE TROUGH. TONIGHT THE LOW MOVES ACROSS SOUTH DAKOTA AND THEN DEVELOPS FARTHER SOUTH INTO NEBRASKA/KANSAS BY THURSDAY MORNING. THE INVERTED TROUGH DEVELOPS/MOVES QUICKLY INTO WESTERN MINNESOTA. THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENTS STRENGTHEN DURING THE DAY TODAY...AND REMAIN QUITE STRONG THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. THUS WILL UPGRADE THE NORTHERN COUNTIES TO A WINTER STORM WARNING. WILL BEGIN THE WARNING FOR DIVIDE/WILLIAMS/MCKENZIE COUNTIES THIS AFTERNOON...WITH THE REST OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA BEGINNING TONIGHT. WILL KEEP THE SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL IN THE WINTER STORM WATCH SINCE WORSENING CONDITIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED UNTIL LATER TONIGHT. WILL LET THE DAY SHIFT FINE-TUNE ANY WARNINGS OR ADVISORIES FOR THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES FOR TONIGHT. TO SUMMARIZE...EXPECTING DEVELOPING SNOW TO BEGIN IN THE NORTHWEST THIS AFTERNOON AND INCREASE IN INTENSITY TONIGHT AS IT SPREADS INTO THE NORTH CENTRAL. WHILE HEAVY SNOWS ARE ACCUMULATING IN THE NORTH TONIGHT...LIGHT TO MODERATE AMOUNTS WILL DEVELOP IN THE SOUTH TONIGHT. ON THURSDAY THE NORTH WILL SEE LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...WHILE THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES SHOULD BE RECEIVING MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW AMOUNTS. BY THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED...WITH THE JAMES RIVER BASIN POSSIBLY CONTINUING RECEIVING MODERATE AMOUNTS. IN ADDITION TO THE SNOW...STRONG WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH WILL CREATE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ACROSS ALL OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. THUS EVEN THOUGH SNOWFALL MAY END IN THE NORTHWEST LATE ON THURSDAY...BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL REMAIN A HAZARD. SOME AREAS IN OPEN COUNTRY MAY SEE NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AT TIMES. ALSO TEMPERATURES WILL BE PLUMMETING BEGINNING THIS AFTERNOON IN THE NORTH AND STATEWIDE TONIGHT...AND WIND CHILLS OF 20 TO 30 BELOW WILL ALSO BE A THREAT. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD WILL BE THE SNOW CHANCES AND SNOW AMOUNTS FOR FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. THE 00Z MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO PROG A SHORTWAVE TO LIFT ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. THE LATEST RUNS OF THE GFS/ECWMF/GEM ARE NOW SLIGHTLY FARTHER EAST WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THIS FEATURE. THEREFORE THE FOCUS FOR THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL HAS SHIFTED SLIGHTLY FARTHER EAST RELATIVE TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST. THE UPPER LEVEL ENERGY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SECOND ROUND OF SNOW IS FAR GREATER THAN THE AVAILABLE ENERGY ASSOCIATED WITH THE SNOWFALL IN THE SHORT TERM PERIOD. FURTHERMORE...THE 00Z GFS/ECWMF/GEM ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE SYNOPTIC FEATURES AND PROG DEEP LAYER Q-VECTOR CONVERGENCE TO MOVE ACROSS THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF NORTH DAKOTA...ENHANCING SYNOPTIC ASCENT. THE LATEST MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ALSO SET UP A TROWAL AXIS (USING THE 500MB THETA-E FIELDS AS A PROXY) OVER THE BIS/FGF CWA BOUNDARY 06Z SATURDAY. THIS FEATURE COMBINED WITH THE SYNOPTIC ASCENT ALREADY IN PLACE WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR A HEAVY BANDED SNOWFALL EVENT...PRIMARILY AFFECTING THE AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF A WELLS TO KIDDER TO LOGAN TO MCINTOSH COUNTY LINE INTO THE JAMESTOWN AREA. WINDY CONDITIONS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA SHOULD ALSO GENERATE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AND POSSIBLE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION COMBINED WITH THE WINDY CONDITIONS ALSO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE WIND CHILLS OF -25F AND BELOW FRIDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. FOR NOW WILL HOLD OFF ISSUING A WINTER STORM WATCH FOR THE AFFECTED AREAS TO AVOID CONFUSION WITH THE CURRENT HAZARD PRODUCTS IN EFFECT. FURTHERMORE...THERE IS STILL A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY WITH THE TRACK OF THE SHORTWAVE AS THE RECENT MODEL TRENDS HAVE BEEN PUSHING THIS FEATURE SLIGHTLY EASTWARD. THIS TREND MAY CONTINUE AS THE EVENT UNFOLDS. THE SNOW CHANCES SHOULD TAPER OFF BY SATURDAY AS THE SHORTWAVE EXITS NORTHEAST INTO ONTARIO. A PROGRESSIVE PATTERN SHOULD SET UP IN IN ITS WAKE OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE EXTENDED. THE LATEST MEDIUM RANGE MODEL SOLUTIONS DIFFER WITH RESPECT TO THE TIMING AND STRENGTH OF THE NEXT SHORTWAVE EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. THE GEM/ECMWF ARE MORE PROGRESSIVE WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM WHEREAS THE LATEST GFS IS ABOUT 24 HOURS SLOWER WITH THE NEXT SHORTWAVE. GIVEN THE MODEL TO MODEL INCONSISTENCIES...BROADBRUSHED A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SNOW ACROSS THE NORTHERN CWA FOR THE SUNDAY-MONDAY PERIOD. AS THE SHORTWAVE EXITS THE REGION...DRY CONDITIONS SHOULD DEVELOP BY TUESDAY. && .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD PREVAIL ACROSS THE NORTH DAKOTA TERMINAL AERODROMES THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY. CONDITIONS ACROSS NORTHERN NORTH DAKOTA (KISN-KMOT) SHOULD RAPIDLY DETERIORATE TO IFR/TEMPO LIFR CIGS AND VSBYS AFTER 18Z WEDNESDAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES OVER THE REGION AND GENERATES -SN. CONDITIONS OVER THE TERMINAL AERODROMES ALONG THE I-94 CORRIDOR SHOULD DETERIORATE TO MVFR CIGS/VSBYS THIS AFTERNOON...AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE TO IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS OVERNIGHT. WINDS WILL ALSO SHIFT NORTHEASTERLY THROUGH THE PERIOD AND INCREASE TO 15-20 KNOTS SUSTAINED WITH HIGHER GUSTS WEDNESDAY NIGHT. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WATCH FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT FOR NDZ019-020-022-023-025-031>037-040>048-050-051. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 AM CST FRIDAY FOR NDZ001-009-017. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST FRIDAY FOR NDZ002>005-010>013-018-021. && SHORT TERM...JV LONG TERM/AVIATION...TM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 529 AM CST WED DEC 29 2010 NDZ001-009-017-301130- DIVIDE-WILLIAMS-MCKENZIE- 529 AM CST WED DEC 29 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINTER STORM WARNING THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT FOR HEAVY SNOW...BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...AND DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY WINTER STORM WARNING CONTINUES THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...WITH WINDY CONDITIONS CREATING AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS ALSO EXPECTED. FOR DETAILS...CURRENT FORECASTS AND WEATHER STATEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BIS OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL MEDIA OUTLET. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS AND WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WITH SNOWFALL AMOUNTS AND OTHER HAZARDS DURING THE STORM. LOCAL AND STATE OFFICIALS CAN ALSO RELAY YOUR INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. NDZ002>005-010>013-018-021-301130- BURKE-RENVILLE-BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-MOUNTRAIL-WARD-MCHENRY-PIERCE- DUNN-MCLEAN- 529 AM CST WED DEC 29 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINTER STORM WARNING TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT FOR HEAVY SNOW...BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...AND DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY WINTER STORM WARNING CONTINUES THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED AGAIN FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...WITH WINDY CONDITIONS CREATING AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS ALSO EXPECTED. FOR DETAILS...CURRENT FORECASTS AND WEATHER STATEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BIS OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL MEDIA OUTLET. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS AND WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WITH SNOWFALL AMOUNTS AND OTHER HAZARDS DURING THE STORM. LOCAL AND STATE OFFICIALS CAN ALSO RELAY YOUR INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. NDZ019-020-022-023-025-031>037-040>048-050-051-301130- MERCER-OLIVER-SHERIDAN-WELLS-FOSTER-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK- MORTON-BURLEIGH-KIDDER-STUTSMAN-SLOPE-HETTINGER-GRANT-BOWMAN- ADAMS-SIOUX-EMMONS-LOGAN-LA MOURE-MCINTOSH-DICKEY- 529 AM CST WED DEC 29 2010 /429 AM MST WED DEC 29 2010/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINTER STORM WATCH TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT FOR THE POTENTIAL OF HEAVY SNOW. BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AND DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS ARE EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY WINTER STORM WATCH CONTINUES THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. THERE IS A CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW IN SOUTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA...AND MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW IN SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...WITH WINDY CONDITIONS CREATING AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS ALSO EXPECTED. FOR DETAILS...CURRENT FORECASTS AND WEATHER STATEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BIS OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL MEDIA OUTLET. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS AND WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WITH SNOWFALL AMOUNTS AND OTHER HAZARDS DURING THE STORM. LOCAL AND STATE OFFICIALS CAN ALSO RELAY YOUR INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. JV
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 blizzard, 8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
The National Weather Service in Williston reported a storm total snowfall of 7.1 inches.
A storm total snowfall of 6.4 inches was reported in Watford City by the public.
An estimated storm total snowfall of 6 inches was reported over portions of Mountrail County.
The cooperative observer in Minot reported a storm total snowfall of 6 inches.
The cooperative observer in Drake reported a storm total snowfall of 7 inches.
The cooperative observer in Butte reported a storm total snowfall of 7 inches.
The cooperative observer in Halliday reported a storm total snowfall of 6 inches.
An estimated storm total snowfall of 6 inches fell over portions Pierce County.
A storm total snowfall of 9 inches was reported in Jamestown. Strong northerly winds up to 45 mph combined with the snow to produce a prolonged period of blizzard conditions. The blizzard conditions continued January 1st, 2011. Interstate 94 from Bismarck to Jamestown was closed from Friday night December 31st through Saturday morning January 1st. Interstate 94 east of Jamestown was closed from December 30th through January 2nd.
A storm total snowfall of 10 inches was reported in Verona. Strong northerly winds up to 45 mph combined with the snow to produce a prolonged period of blizzard conditions. The blizzard conditions continued January 1st, 2011.
A storm total snowfall of 19.5 inches was reported at Oakes. Strong northerly winds up to 45 mph combined with the snow to produce a prolonged period of blizzard conditions. The blizzard conditions continued January 1st, 2011.
A storm total snowfall of 6.5 inches was reported in Napoleon. Strong northerly winds up to 45 mph combined with the snow to produce a prolonged period of blizzard conditions. The blizzard conditions continued January 1st, 2011.
A storm total snowfall of 6.9 inches was reported in Ashley. Strong northerly winds up to 45 mph combined with the snow to produce a prolonged period of blizzard conditions. The blizzard conditions continued January 1st, 2011.
A storm total snowfall of 7 inches was reported in Linton. Strong northerly winds up to 45 mph combined with the snow to produce a prolonged period of blizzard conditions. The blizzard conditions continued January 1st, 2011.
A storm total snowfall of 3 to 5 inches fell over Sioux County. Strong northerly winds up to 45 mph combined with the snow to produce a prolonged period of blizzard conditions. The blizzard conditions continued January 1st, 2011.
A storm total snowfall of 5 to 8 inches fell over Kidder County. Strong northerly winds up to 45 mph combined with the snow to produce a prolonged period of blizzard conditions. The blizzard conditions continued January 1st, 2011.
A storm total snowfall of 3 to 5 inches fell over Wells County. Strong northerly winds up to 45 mph combined with the snow to produce a prolonged period of blizzard conditions. The blizzard conditions continued January 1st, 2011.
A storm total snowfall of 3 to 5 inches fell over Foster County. Strong northerly winds up to 45 mph combined with the snow to produce a prolonged period of blizzard conditions. The blizzard conditions continued January 1st, 2011.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, December 2010
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: 274227, 274229, 274231, 274232, 274233, 274234, 274235, 274236, 274681, 274682, 274683, 274684, 274685, 274686, 274687, 274688, 274689, 274690.