An inverted trough of low pressure extending from low pressure over the central plains combined with a mid level short wave pushing into the Northern Plains to bring heavy snow to southwest and parts of south central North Dakota April 19th and 20th. Storm total snow amounts ranged from six to fifteen inches along and south of the Interstate 94 corridor and west of the Missouri River.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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 of low pressure extending from low pressure over the central plains combined with a mid level short wave pushing into the Northern Plains to bring heavy snow to southwest and parts of south central North Dakota April 19th and 20th.
Storm total snow amounts ranged from six to fifteen inches along and south of the Interstate 94 corridor and west of the Missouri River. Areas east of the Missouri River experienced more rain than snow, resulting in much lower storm total snowfall.
Numerous travel advisories were issued by state and county officials over the southwest as wet and slushy roads became icy after sunset. Those areas that experienced the heavier snow had snow covered roads along with very low visibilities in heavy snow.
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 Apr 18, 8:50 PM CST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.
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</html>HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 416 PM CDT MON APR 18 2011 NDZ031>037-040>048-050-051-192130- GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-MORTON-BURLEIGH-KIDDER-STUTSMAN- SLOPE-HETTINGER-GRANT-BOWMAN-ADAMS-SIOUX-EMMONS-LOGAN-LA MOURE- MCINTOSH-DICKEY- 416 PM CDT MON APR 18 2011 /316 PM MDT MON APR 18 2011/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BIS FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WINTER STORM WARNING CONTINUES TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK WEEK WITH PERIODIC CHANCES OF RAIN AND/OR SNOW CONTINUING THROUGH FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS AND COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WITH SNOW REPORTS. NDZ017>023-025-192130- MCKENZIE-DUNN-MERCER-OLIVER-MCLEAN-SHERIDAN-WELLS-FOSTER- 416 PM CDT MON APR 18 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BIS FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY CONTINUES TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. UNSETTLED WEATHER WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WORK WEEK WITH PERIODIC CHANCES OF RAIN AND/OR SNOW CONTINUING THROUGH FRIDAY .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS AND COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WITH SNOW REPORTS. NDZ001>005-009>013-192130- DIVIDE-BURKE-RENVILLE-BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-WILLIAMS-MOUNTRAIL-WARD- MCHENRY-PIERCE- 416 PM CDT MON APR 18 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY LIGHT SNOW WILL DEVELOP ON TUESDAY AND CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. AT THIS TIME SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED. PERIODIC CHANCES OF RAIN AND SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH NEXT WEEK...WITH THE BEST CHANCES OF SNOW ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. TWH
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Cooperative observers across Adams County reported storm total snowfall amounts ranging from eight inches at Reeder to 11 inches at Hettinger.
Cooperative observers and the general public across Bowman County reported storm total snowfall amounts ranging from eight inches at Scranton to 15 inches at Mud Buttes.
The cooperative observer at Marmarth reported a storm total snowfall amount of 11.5 inches.
Cooperative observers across Grant County reported storm total snowfall amounts ranging from eight inches at Heart Butte Dam to 12 inches at Pretty Rock.
Storm total snowfall amounts across Sioux County were estimated at six to eight inches.
Cooperative observers across Hettinger County reported storm total snowfall amounts ranging from 8.3 inches at New England to ten inches at Mott.
The cooperative observer at Golva reported a storm total snowfall amount of six inches.
Cooperative observers across Billings County reported storm total snowfall amounts of 5.5 inches at Fairfield to eight inches at Medora.
Cooperative observers across Morton County reported storm total snowfall amounts of six inches at Mandan to 6.8 inches at Flasher.
The cooperative observer at Dickinson reported a storm total snowfall amount of seven inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, April 2011
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: 297383, 297384, 297386, 297387, 297388, 297396, 297390, 297393, 297394, 297395.