Low pressure moving from Montana, across South Dakota, and into the Upper Mississippi Valley brought severe winter weather to parts of west and south central North Dakota on the 8th and 9th. Up to eight inches of snow fell over McKenzie County and southern Morton County.
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.
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.
Low pressure moving from Montana, across South Dakota, and into the Upper Mississippi Valley brought severe winter weather to parts of west and south central North Dakota on the 8th and 9th. Up to eight inches of snow fell over McKenzie County and southern Morton County. Over the southern James River Basin of North Dakota snowfall up to six inches combined with winds gusting over 40 miles per hour to create blizzard conditions during the evening of the 8th into the morning hours of the 9th.
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 8, 10:46 AM CST, 1 hour 14 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 1046 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2012 .DISCUSSION... MORNING UPDATE FOR THE EVOLVING WEATHER ACROSS THE WESTERN COUNTIES. BASED ON CONSENSUS OF SHORT RANGE MODELS AND RADAR TRENDS...AM NOW FORECASTING A BAND OF ENHANCED 6+ INCHES OF SNOW FROM SOUTHERN MCKENZIE...DUNN...GOLDEN VALLEY...BILLINGS AND STARK COUNTIES...AND SOUTHEAST THROUGH GRANT AND SIOUX COUNTIES. AT THIS TIME...BELIEVE THE WIND STRENGTH/TIMING ALONG WITH THE HEAVIER SNOW DOES NOT WARRANT AN EXPANSION OF THE BLIZZARD WARNING...BUT WILL UPGRADE A GROUP OF COUNTIES WEST OF THE CURRENT BLIZZARD WARNING TO A WINTER STORM WARNING...WHERE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ARE EXPECTED. UPDATED PRODUCTS ARE BEING SENT ASAP. && .AVIATION... A COMBINATION OF LIFR TO IFR CIGS/VSBYS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD...ESPECIALLY OVER THE KDIK/KBIS/KJMS AERODROMES. FOR KISN/KMOT...EXPECT THE AFOREMENTIONED CONDITIONS TO LAST UNTIL 00Z-03Z SUNDAY BEFORE LIFTING TO MVFR. VISIBILITIES WILL LIKELY DROP TO LIFR AT KDIK/KBIS/KJMS AFTER 00Z SUNDAY AS MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW DEVELOPS ALONG WITH STRONG NORTHERLY TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 6 AM CST /5 AM MST/ SUNDAY FOR NDZ017>019-021-031>033-040-041. BLIZZARD WARNING FROM 6 PM CST /5 PM MST/ THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST /5 AM MST/ SUNDAY FOR NDZ020-022-034-035-042-045-046. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CST /5 AM MST/ SUNDAY FOR NDZ001>005-009>013-043-044. BLIZZARD WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM CST SUNDAY FOR NDZ023-025-036-037-047-048-050-051. && DISCUSSION...RK AVIATION...KS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 1100 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2012 NDZ001>005-009>013-043-044-091700- DIVIDE-BURKE-RENVILLE-BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-WILLIAMS-MOUNTRAIL-WARD- MCHENRY-PIERCE-BOWMAN-ADAMS- 1100 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2012 /1000 AM MST SAT DEC 8 2012/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW IS EXPECTED TODAY WITH SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES BY THIS EVENING. AS WINDS INCREASE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING TO 30 MPH...REDUCED VISIBILITIES IN BLOWING SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE AND A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT. ARCTIC AIR WILL ALSO SETTLE ACROSS ALL OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA TONIGHT...WITH DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS TO 30 BELOW EXPECTED. PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BIS FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE BISMARCK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE AT 1-800-247-0212 WITH YOUR SNOW TOTALS. NDZ020-022-023-025-034>037-042-045>048-050-051-091700- OLIVER-SHERIDAN-WELLS-FOSTER-MORTON-BURLEIGH-KIDDER-STUTSMAN- GRANT-SIOUX-EMMONS-LOGAN-LA MOURE-MCINTOSH-DICKEY- 1100 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2012 /1000 AM MST SAT DEC 8 2012/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A BLIZZARD WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY FOR THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. SNOWFALL ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT WILL COMBINE WITH NORTHERLY WINDS TO 40 MPH TO CREATE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES OF ONE QUARTER OF A MILE OR LESS. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE EXPECTED...WITH HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 6 TO 8 INCHES FOR LOCATIONS IN THE SOUTHERN JAMES RIVER VALLEY SUCH AS LAMOURE AND ELLENDALE. ARCTIC AIR WILL ALSO SETTLE ACROSS ALL OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA TONIGHT...WITH DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS TO 30 BELOW EXPECTED. PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BIS FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE BISMARCK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE AT 1-800-247-0212 WITH YOUR SNOW TOTALS. NDZ017>019-021-031>033-040-041-091700- MCKENZIE-DUNN-MERCER-MCLEAN-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-SLOPE- HETTINGER- 1100 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2012 /1000 AM MST SAT DEC 8 2012/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW HAS BEEN ISSUED. 6 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOWFALL CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT...FROM SOUTHERN MCKENZIE... DUNN...GOLDEN VALLEY...BILLINGS AND STARK COUNTIES...AND SOUTHEAST THROUGH GRANT AND SIOUX COUNTIES. PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BIS FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE BISMARCK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE AT 1-800-247-0212 WITH YOUR SNOW TOTALS. KS/AYD
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
952 AM CST SAT DEC 08 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0825 AM SNOW KILLDEER 47.37N 102.75W
12/08/2012 M1.0 INCH DUNN ND CO-OP OBSERVER
&&
ACOOPERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
1005 AM CST SAT DEC 08 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM SNOW 4 NNE BOTTINEAU 48.88N 100.41W
12/08/2012 M5.0 INCH BOTTINEAU ND COCORAHS
&&
LHUBERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
1006 AM CST SAT DEC 08 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0900 AM SNOW 10 SW SAWYER 47.99N 101.21W
12/08/2012 M1.5 INCH WARD ND COCORAHS
&&
LHUBERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
1026 AM CST SAT DEC 08 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0830 AM SNOW HAZEN 47.29N 101.62W
12/08/2012 M1.0 INCH MERCER ND COCORAHS
&&
LHUBERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
1104 AM CST SAT DEC 08 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 AM SNOW 14 S WATFORD CITY 47.60N 103.28W
12/08/2012 M1.0 INCH MCKENZIE ND CO-OP OBSERVER
&&
ACOOPERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
1134 AM CST SAT DEC 08 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1134 AM SNOW 1 SE AMIDON 46.47N 103.31W
12/08/2012 E1.0 INCH SLOPE ND BROADCAST MEDIA
SNOWFALL SO FAR. PUBLIC REPORT RELAYED BY BROADCAST
MEDIA.
&&
RKThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 blizzard, 2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Eight inches of storm total snowfall was reported near Watford City.
Eight inches of storm total snowfall was reported near St. Anthony.
Strong winds gusting to over 40 miles per hour combined with several inches of snow to result in widespread blizzard conditions across Dickey County. Visibilities at or below one quarter of a mile and snow drifts in open areas up to three feet were reported.
Strong winds gusting to over 40 miles per hour combined with several inches of snow to result in widespread blizzard conditions across Logan County.
Strong winds gusting to over 40 miles per hour combined with several inches of snow to result in widespread blizzard conditions across McIntosh County.
Strong winds gusting to over 40 miles per hour combined with several inches of snow to result in widespread blizzard conditions across LaMoure County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, December 2012
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: 418326, 418327, 418328, 419198, 419199, 419200.