An upper level trough swinging into the Northern Plains, combined with a strong low pressure system ejecting out of the Rockies and into the Central Plains, resulted in heavy snow and blizzard conditions across much of west and central North Dakota. This episode occurred from March 22nd into the 23rd.
Every event with a place to put it; 40 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 upper level trough swinging into the Northern Plains, combined with a strong low pressure system ejecting out of the Rockies and into the Central Plains, resulted in heavy snow and blizzard conditions across much of west and central North Dakota. This episode occurred from March 22nd into the 23rd.
Warmer air surging north ahead of this storm system resulted in a wintry mix of rain, freezing rain, and sleet across much of the west and south central portions of the state at first, while all snow fell over the north central. Colder air pushing south eventually transitioned the precipitation to all snow. While there were some ice accumulations across the south, ice impacts were minor.
Heavy snow fell from west central North Dakota, through much of the south central and James River Basin region. Storm total snowfall amounts within this band ranged from eight inches to one foot, with locally higher amounts including 18.2 inches near Beulah. In addition to the snow, wind gusts up to 45 mph developed across far northwest and all of north central North Dakota resulting in several hours of blizzard conditions.
Numerous travel advisories and several road closures resulted from this storm, including the closure of Interstate 94 from Bismarck to Fargo, Highway 83 from Bismarck to the Canadian border, and Highway 2 from Berthold to Rugby.
This was a prolonged and very complicated storm to warn for as potential was high for various types of warning criteria to be met.
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 Mar 22, 9:19 AM CST, 41 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 1019 AM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011 .UPDATE... UPDATE TO UPGRADE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TO ICE STORM WARNING...AND ADD FAR SOUTHWEST COUNTIES TO ICE STORM WARNING. && .DISCUSSION... GETTING ENOUGH SIGNIFICANT REPORTS OF ICING...BOWMAN TO WATFORD CITY AND SOUTH CENTRAL COUNTIES...TO WARRANT UPGRADE TO ICE STORM WARNING. FREEZING RAIN THREAT WILL LINGER WELL INTO THE AFTERNOON WEST AND SOUTH...BEFORE CHANGE OVER TO SNOW LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING. WILL LEAVE THE WINTER STORM WARNING AREA AS IS. ADDITIONAL HEADLINE ADJUSTMENTS MAY BE NEEDED LATER THIS AFTERNOON. AFTER 00Z THIS EVENING...THE ICE STORM AREA WILL REVERT BACK TO A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. && .AVIATION... MIXTURE OF FREEZING RAIN/RAIN OVER SOUTHERN ZONES AND SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN NORTHERN TAF SITES MAIN CONCERN IN THE SHORT TERM. LOW IFR CIGS WILL CONTINUE WITH VISIBILITIES SLOWLY DROPPING FROM SOUTHEAST TO NORTHWEST. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR NDZ001>005- 009>013-019>023-025-035>037-048. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING TO 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ WEDNESDAY FOR NDZ017-018-031>034-040>047-050- 051. ICE STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING FOR NDZ017-018-031>034-040>047-050-051. && UPDATE...KINNEY AVIATION...HW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 1028 AM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011 NDZ017-018-031>034-040>047-050-051-231530- MCKENZIE-DUNN-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-MORTON-SLOPE-HETTINGER- GRANT-BOWMAN-ADAMS-SIOUX-EMMONS-LOGAN-MCINTOSH-DICKEY- 1028 AM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011 /928 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 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...TODAY AND TONIGHT AN ICE STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND FAR SOUTHERN NORTH DAKOTA THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BIS FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF SNOW THURSDAY...FRIDAY...AND SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED. SPOTTERS AND COOPERATIVE OBSERVES ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WITH SNOWFALL REPORTS...FREEZING RAIN...AND ANY OTHER WEATHER HAZARD THAT IS OBSERVED. NDZ001>005-009>013-019>023-025-035>037-048-231530- DIVIDE-BURKE-RENVILLE-BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-WILLIAMS-MOUNTRAIL-WARD- MCHENRY-PIERCE-MERCER-OLIVER-MCLEAN-SHERIDAN-WELLS-FOSTER- BURLEIGH-KIDDER-STUTSMAN-LA MOURE- 1028 AM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A WINTRY MIX OF SNOW...FREEZING RAIN...AND ICE PELLETS WILL TRANSITION TO ALL SNOW BY EVENING. SNOW WILL BECOME HEAVY THIS AFTERNOON OVER NORTHERN COUNTIES THIS AFTERNOON...AND OVER MOST OF WEST AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA TONIGHT BEFORE GRADUALLY TAPERING OFF WEDNESDAY EVENING. AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW WITH REDUCED VISIBILITIES WILL OCCUR TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BIS FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF SNOW THURSDAY...FRIDAY...AND SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED. SPOTTERS AND COOPERATIVE OBSERVES ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WITH SNOWFALL REPORTS...FREEZING RAIN...AND ANY OTHER WEATHER HAZARD THAT IS OBSERVED. KS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 843 AM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011 NDZ017>023-025-031>037-040>048-050-051-221530- MCKENZIE-DUNN-MERCER-OLIVER-MCLEAN-SHERIDAN-WELLS-FOSTER- GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-MORTON-BURLEIGH-KIDDER-STUTSMAN- SLOPE-HETTINGER-GRANT-BOWMAN-ADAMS-SIOUX-EMMONS-LOGAN-LA MOURE- MCINTOSH-DICKEY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WATFORD CITY...KILLDEER...BEULAH... HAZEN...CENTER...GARRISON...MCCLUSKY...HARVEY...CARRINGTON... BEACH...MEDORA...DICKINSON...MANDAN...BISMARCK...STEELE... JAMESTOWN...MARMARTH...MOTT...ELGIN...BOWMAN...HETTINGER... FORT YATES...LINTON...NAPOLEON...EDGELEY...ASHLEY...OAKES 843 AM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011 /743 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 2011/ ...WINTRY MIX OF PRECIPITATION CONTINUES THIS MORNING... A MIX OF FREEZING RAIN...SLEET...AND SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD NORTH ACROSS SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA THIS MORNING. THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO OCCURRING...WHICH IS INCREASING THE INTENSITY OF PRECIPITATION. ISOLATED PEA SIZE HAIL IS POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS...MAINLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 94. WHERE ROAD SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW FREEZING...FREEZING RAIN WILL PRODUCE VERY SLICK ROAD CONDITIONS. POWER LINES AND TREE LIMBS MAY ALSO BECOME COATED WITH A LAYER OF ICE...AND ADD TO THE TRAVEL HAZARDS. TRAVELERS SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS THIS MORNING...AND BE PREPARED FOR VERY HAZARDOUS ROAD CONDITIONS. KINNEY
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
1002 AM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1000 AM SNOW 1 NW BEULAH 47.27N 101.79W
03/22/2011 M1.3 INCH MERCER ND CO-OP OBSERVER
RAIN AND SNOW MIXED
&&
LLPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
1050 AM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0945 AM FREEZING RAIN 17 SW RHAME 46.06N 103.91W
03/22/2011 E0.20 INCH BOWMAN ND PUBLIC
ESTIMATED 0.2 INCHES OF ICE ACCUMULATION ON WINDSHIELD.
&&
PAYDThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
29 winter storm, 17 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
A storm total snowfall amount of 10.4 inches was reported near Bismarck.
An estimated storm total snowfall amount of five to 10 inches fell over portions of Kidder County.
A storm total snowfall amount of 9.5 inches was reported near Center.
A storm total snowfall amount of 11 inches was reported at Jamestown.
A storm total snowfall amount of eight inches was reported at Verona.
A storm total snowfall amount of 8.5 inches was reported at Hebron.
A storm total snowfall amount of 10 inches was reported at Carson.
A storm total snowfall amount of 6.8 inches was reported at Dickinson.
A storm total snowfall amount of eight inches was reported at Fairfield.
A storm total snowfall amount of eight inches was reported at Golva.
A storm total snowfall amount of seven inches was reported at Mott.
An estimated storm total snowfall of six to eight inches fell across Sioux County.
A storm total snowfall of 8.2 inches was reported at Hazelton.
A storm total snowfall amount of 14 inches was reported at Merricourt.
An estimated storm total snowfall of six to eight inches fell across Logan County.
An estimated storm total snowfall of six to eight inches fell across McIntosh County.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
East winds of 35 to 45 mph combined with falling snow and existing snow on the ground to create several hours of blizzard conditions.
A storm total snowfall amount of 9.5 inches was reported at Minot.
A storm total snowfall amount of seven inches was reported at Tagus.
A storm total snowfall amount of 10 inches was reported at Velva.
An estimated storm total snowfall up to eight inches fell over southern Pierce County.
A storm total snowfall amount near six inches was reported at Lansford.
A storm total snowfall amount of 14.5 inches was reported at Underwood.
A storm total snowfall amount of 13 inches was reported at McClusky.
A storm total snowfall amount of 13 inches was reported at Fessenden.
A storm total snowfall amount of 10 inches was reported near McHenry.
A storm total snowfall amount of 6.4 inches was reported at the National Weather Service Office in Williston.
A storm total snowfall amount of 18.2 inches was reported at Beulah.
A storm total snowfall amount of 9.5 inches was reported at Watford City.
A storm total snowfall amount of 15 inches was reported at Halliday.
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, March 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 290222, 290518, 290519, 290520, 290521, 290571, 290574, 290639, 290641, 290643, 290644, 290645, 290648, 290650, 290652, 290653, 290223, 290522, 290524, 290525, 290526, 290527, 290528, 290529, 290530, 290531, 290532, 290533, 290534, 290535, 290536, 290537, 290538, 290224, 290539, 290540, 290541, 290542, 290543, 290544, and more.