Blizzard in North Dakota, March 11 to 12, 2011

Name: Blizzard in North Dakota, March 11 to 12, 2011
Start: 2011-03-11T16:00
End: 2011-03-12T06:00
Location: North Dakota

March 11 to 12, 2011 · NWS FGF · 18 events in 18 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 18 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: 18

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 FGF wrote it up.

This late winter blizzard was much like some of the killer blizzards of the past. Most of Friday the 11th was beautiful for mid March, with steady south winds and temperatures in the upper 30s to middle 40s. After beginning the month with highs in the teens and low 20s, the warmth of the day lulled many people into not believing that a blizzard was coming. By late in the afternoon into the evening, winds abruptly switched to the north-northwest and gusted from 50 to 60 mph. Combined with light falling snow, visibilities quickly dropped below a quarter mile in whiteout conditions. Despite the warnings that had been issued earlier, many people were caught off guard. Interstate 94 was closed from Fargo to Dickinson, Interstate 29 was closed from the Canadian border to the South Dakota border, and U. S. Highway 2 was closed from Grand Forks to Devils Lake.

What forecasters said that day

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 Grand Forks, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 11, 2:27 PM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 11, 2:27 PM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
227 PM CST FRI MAR 11 2011

.SHORT TERM...
BASICALLY DOWN TO THE WAIT AND SEE MODE NOW AS ALL PRODUCTS HAVE
BEEN UPDATED TO WHERE THE BEST THREATS LOOK TO BE. LATER SHIFTS
WILL HAVE TO MONITOR THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE BLIZZARD WARNING AS
THAT AREA MAY BE BORDERLINE FOR A WHILE TOO.

TONIGHT...THE MAIN SFC LOW AS OF 20Z WAS LOCATED OVER EAST CENTRAL
ND. QUITE A VARIETY OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AHEAD OF IT AS COMPARED
TO BEHIND IT. THERE WAS SOME CLEARING OVER SOUTHEAST ND AND WEST
CENTRAL MN AND TEMPS THERE JUMPED INTO THE 40-45F RANGE. EVEN
FROM KGFK NORTHWARD TO KHCO TEMPS HAVE RISEN TO THE UPPER 30S. THE
SNOW PACK AROUND THE FGF OFFICE IS QUITE RIPE AND THIS SNOW SHOULD
NOT BLOW. HOWEVER...AS FOR THE BACK SIDE OF THE SYSTEM MODELS
CONTINUE TO SHOW A SLIGHTLY FURTHER SOUTH SFC LOW TRACK EVEN WITH
THE 12Z RUNS. WINDS HAVE TURNED NORTH-NW AT KDVL/KJMS NOW AND SFC
TEMPS AT KDVL HAVE FALLEN A FEW DEGREES. KJMS IS STILL AT 36F BUT
WOULD EXPECT THEM TO FALL SHORTLY TOO. REALLY NOT SEEING ANY PCPN
REACHING THE GROUND IN THE WARM SECTOR SO THINK AT MOST THERE MAY
BE A BRIEF PERIOD OF MIXED PCPN BEFORE IT CHANGES TO SNOW. SPENES
PUT OUT A MESSAGE EARLIER ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOW RATES OF UP
TO AN INCH PER HOUR IN THE HEAVIER AREA OF THE DEFORMATION BAND.
AT THIS POINT IT APPEARS THAT THE KDVL REGION MAY BE RIGHT IN LINE
TO EXPERIENCE THIS...SO A BAND UP THERE OF 2-5 INCHES IS NOT OUT
OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITIES. WITH THE FURTHER SOUTH SFC LOW
TRACK THE 12Z MODEL SOLUTIONS ALSO SHOW SLIGHTLY MORE SNOW EVEN
DOWN TO THE ND/SD BORDER. THINK THE FAR SOUTHERN FA COULD SEE
AMOUNTS UP TO AN INCH OR SO. OUTSIDE OF THE KDVL REGION THINK
AMOUNTS OF 2-4 INCHES ARE LIKELY ALONG/NORTH OF HIGHWAY 2 AND
MAYBE AN INCH OR TWO THRU THE VALLEY CITY TO FARGO MOORHEAD TO
KDTL REGION. THIS SNOW IN ITSELF IS NOT THAT IMPRESSIVE BUT IT
WILL COME WITH THE ONSET OF DARKNESS AND COULD OCCUR VERY RAPIDLY.
SO CONDITIONS THAT LOOK UNSUSPECTINGLY DECENT RIGHT NOW COULD
CHANGE TO BLIZZARD INTENSITY IN AN HOUR OR LESS. HAVE GONE AHEAD
WITH BLIZZARD WARNINGS FOR ALL OF EASTERN ND AND INTO THE VALLEY
OF NORTHWEST MN AND PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL MN. TREED AREAS OF MN
MAY SEE SOME BLOWING BUT PROBABLY NOT AS BAD AS THE WIDE OPEN
VALLEY REGION.

SAT-MON...CONDITIONS SHOULD BE WINDING DOWN IN KDVL FIRST BUT
SHOULD BE IMPROVING FOR MOST AREAS ON SATURDAY MORNING. WINDS AND
SOME BLOWING SNOW MAY BE AROUND AFTER 12Z SAT SO WOULD NOT EXPECT
THINGS TO IMPROVE AS FAST AS THEY DECLINE TONIGHT. KEPT THE REST
OF THE FORECAST DRY WITH COOL TEMPS INITIALLY AND SOME WARMING
TOWARD MON.

.LONG TERM [MON NIGHT-FRI]...
MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT ON BRINGING A
DECENT SHORTWAVE TROUGH INTO MANITOBA MONDAY NIGHT.  THE MAIN SFC
LOW AND PRIMARY FORCING WILL BE TO OUR NORTH...BUT THE GFS AND ECMWF
BREAK OUT SOME LIGHT PRECIP ALONG THE TROUGH AXIS/WEAK BOUNDARY.
THE GEM IS EVEN FURTHER SOUTH WITH THE SHORTWAVE AND BREAKS OUT EVEN
MORE PRECIP.  NCEP ENSEMBLES HAVE SOME DECENT PROBABILITIES OF
QPF...SO INCLUDED SOME LOW POPS FOR MONDAY NIGHT.  SOME UNCERTAINTY
AS TO EXACT TEMPS...BUT WITH THE 850MB TEMPS AROUND ZERO C...WILL
INCLUDE A RAIN OR SNOW MENTION FOR NOW.  SOUTHERLY WINDS AHEAD OF
THE BOUNDARY SHOULD HELP KEEP LOWS UP MONDAY NIGHT IN THE EASTERN
COUNTIES.

EVEN WITH THE WEAK BOUNDARY MOVING THROUGH...MODELS ALL CONTINUE TO
KEEP TEMPS FAIRLY WARM THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD.  CONTINUED TO
KEEP HIGHS IN THE 30S WITH EVEN SOME LOW 40S AND OVERNIGHT TEMPS
MAINLY IN THE 20S.  THE DETERMINISTIC MODELS BRING ANOTHER SHORTWAVE
TROUGH THROUGH MANITOBA ON THURSDAY...WITH THE GFS FURTHER SOUTH AND
IMPACTING THE CWA MORE THAN THE ECMWF.  WILL KEEP IT DRY AND AN EYE
ON THE SYSTEM FOR NOW.

&&

.AVIATION...
MVFR CONDITIONS HAVE ENTERED THE NORTHWESTERN TAF SITES OF KDVL AND
KGFK...AND CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE AS TIME GOES ON.
EASTERN TAF SITES WILL GO DOWN TO MVFR DURING THE 23-03Z TIME
FRAME...AND VIS AND CEILINGS WILL EVENTUALLY DROP TO IFR OR LOWER
BEFORE 06Z AS SNOW COMES IN.  COULD BE A PERIOD WITH 1/2 TO 1/4SM
AND BLOWING SNOW.  SNOW SHOULD TAPER OFF BY MORNING AND CONDITIONS
WILL RETURN TO MVFR.

&&

.FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ND...BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST SATURDAY FOR NDZ008-016-027-029-
     030-039-049-052-053.

     BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST SATURDAY FOR NDZ006-007-014-015-
     024-026-028-038-054.

MN...BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST SATURDAY FOR MNZ001>004-007-029.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST
     SATURDAY FOR MNZ005-006-008-009-013>017-022>024-027-028-031-
     032.

     BLIZZARD WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST SATURDAY FOR
     MNZ030-040.

&&

GODON/JR

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 11, 3:46 PM CST, 14 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
346 PM CST FRI MAR 11 2011

MNZ001>004-007-029-030-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-038-039-
049-052>054-122200-
WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-KITTSON-WEST MARSHALL-WILKIN-
WEST OTTER TAIL-GRANT-TOWNER-CAVALIER-PEMBINA-BENSON-RAMSEY-
EASTERN WALSH COUNTY-EDDY-NELSON-GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-TRAILL-
BARNES-CASS-RANSOM-SARGENT-RICHLAND-WESTERN WALSH COUNTY-
346 PM CST FRI MAR 11 2011

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST SATURDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH
DAKOTA...WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL RESULT IN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ACROSS
ALL OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND THE RED RIVER VALLEY REGION OF
THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF MINNESOTA TONIGHT. SNOW TOTALS WILL RANGE
FROM 2 TO 4 INCHES ALONG AND NORTH OF THE HIGHWAY 2 CORRIDOR
TAPERING TO AN INCH OR SO ALONG THE NORTH DAKOTA SOUTH DAKOTA
BORDER. NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 45 MPH CAUSING
NEAR ZERO VISIBILITIES...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN COUNTRY. PRIOR TO THE
SNOWFALL...THERE COULD BE A BRIEF PERIOD OF FREEZING DRIZZLE OR
LIGHT RAIN. TRAVEL WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT...IF NOT
IMPOSSIBLE TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SNOWFALL REPORTS ARE APPRECIATED.

MNZ005-006-008-009-013>017-022>024-027-028-031-032-122200-
ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-EAST MARSHALL-NORTH BELTRAMI-PENNINGTON-
RED LAKE-EAST POLK-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI-MAHNOMEN-
SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-EAST OTTER TAIL-
WADENA-
346 PM CST FRI MAR 11 2011

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST SATURDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH
DAKOTA...WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL RESULT IN HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
TONIGHT. SNOW TOTALS WILL RANGE FROM 2 TO 4 INCHES ALONG AND NORTH
OF HIGHWAY 2 AND FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES TO THE SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 2.
NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 40 MPH AT TIMES. BLOWING
AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL RESULT IN AREAS OF REDUCED VISIBILITY IN
OPEN AREAS. PRIOR TO THE SNOWFALL...THERE COULD BE A BRIEF PERIOD
OF FREEZING DRIZZLE OR LIGHT RAIN. TRAVEL WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY
DIFFICULT TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SNOWFALL REPORTS ARE APPRECIATED.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

18 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Towner

When: March 11, 4:00 PM CST to March 12, 3:50 AM CST
Where: Towner forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.686, -99.246 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Cavalier

When: March 11, 4:00 PM CST to March 12, 3:50 AM CST
Where: Cavalier forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.772, -98.465 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Benson

When: March 11, 4:00 PM CST to March 12, 3:50 AM CST
Where: Benson forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.069, -99.366 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Ramsey

When: March 11, 4:00 PM CST to March 12, 3:50 AM CST
Where: Ramsey forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.269, -98.720 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Pembina

When: March 11, 6:00 PM CST to March 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Pembina forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.768, -97.552 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Eastern Walsh

When: March 11, 6:00 PM CST to March 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Eastern Walsh forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.370, -97.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Eddy

When: March 11, 6:00 PM CST to March 12, 3:50 AM CST
Where: Eddy forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.718, -98.902 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Nelson

When: March 11, 6:00 PM CST to March 12, 3:50 AM CST
Where: Nelson forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.922, -98.192 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Griggs

When: March 11, 6:00 PM CST to March 12, 3:50 AM CST
Where: Griggs forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.457, -98.237 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Barnes

When: March 11, 6:00 PM CST to March 12, 3:50 AM CST
Where: Barnes forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.936, -98.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Richland

When: March 11, 6:00 PM CST to March 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Richland forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.265, -96.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Ransom

When: March 11, 6:00 PM CST to March 12, 3:50 AM CST
Where: Ransom forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.456, -97.657 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Sargent

When: March 11, 6:00 PM CST to March 12, 3:50 AM CST
Where: Sargent forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.108, -97.631 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Western Walsh

When: March 11, 6:00 PM CST to March 12, 3:50 AM CST
Where: Western Walsh forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.370, -97.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Grand Forks

When: March 11, 8:00 PM CST to March 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Grand Forks forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.922, -97.457 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Steele

When: March 11, 8:00 PM CST to March 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Steele forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.456, -97.725 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Traill

When: March 11, 8:00 PM CST to March 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Traill forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.454, -97.162 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Cass

When: March 11, 8:00 PM CST to March 12, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Cass forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.933, -97.248 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Blizzard: Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Dakota in 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in North Dakota, March 2011

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 285995, 285996, 285997, 285998, 285999, 286000, 286001, 286002, 286003, 286004, 286009, 286010, 286011, 286012, 286005, 286006, 286007, 286008.