Extreme Cold in North Dakota, December 6 to 7, 2013

Name: Extreme Cold in North Dakota, December 6 to 7, 2013
Start: 2013-12-06T21:00
End: 2013-12-07T09:00
Location: North Dakota

December 6 to 7, 2013 · NWS BIS · 36 events in 36 counties and zones

Subzero temperatures combined with winds up to 15 miles per hour to produce wind chill temperatures as low as fifty below zero during the evening of the 6th and the morning of the 7th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 32 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: 36

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 BIS wrote it up.

Subzero temperatures combined with winds up to 15 miles per hour to produce wind chill temperatures as low as fifty below zero during the evening of the 6th and the morning of the 7th.

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 Bismarck, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 6, 2:48 PM CST, 6 hours 12 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 6, 2:48 PM CST, 6 hours 12 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 6, 3:38 PM CST, 5 hours 22 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

36 extreme cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Burleigh

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Burleigh forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.977, -100.469 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Emmons

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Emmons forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.285, -100.239 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Kidder

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Kidder forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.980, -99.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Logan

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Logan forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.457, -99.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, McIntosh

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: McIntosh forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.112, -99.441 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, La Moure

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: La Moure forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.457, -98.535 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Dickey

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Dickey forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.110, -98.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Sheridan

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Sheridan forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.575, -100.346 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, McHenry

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: McHenry forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.235, -100.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Stutsman

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Stutsman forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.979, -98.959 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 45 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, McKenzie

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: McKenzie forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.740, -103.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 45 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Williams

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Williams forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.344, -103.480 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 46 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Divide

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Divide forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.815, -103.487 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 46 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Rolette

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Rolette forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.772, -99.841 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 46 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Bottineau

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Bottineau forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.792, -100.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 45 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Burke

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Burke forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.791, -102.518 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 45 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Renville

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Renville forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.719, -101.658 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 45 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Dunn

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Dunn forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.357, -102.618 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 45 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Mountrail

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Mountrail forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.201, -102.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Ward

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Ward forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill temperatures as low as 43 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Mercer

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Mercer forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.309, -101.831 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 43 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, McLean

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: McLean forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill temperatures as low as 42 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Foster

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Foster forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.457, -98.883 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 42 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Pierce

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Pierce forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.250, -99.972 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 44 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Wells

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Wells forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.588, -99.661 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 47 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Oliver

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Oliver forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.115, -101.340 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Morton

When: December 6, 9:00 PM CST to December 7, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Morton forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Stark

When: December 7, 1:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where: Stark forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.811, -102.655 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 51 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Adams

When: December 7, 1:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.097, -102.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 46 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Hettinger

When: December 7, 1:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where: Hettinger forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.433, -102.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Golden Valley

When: December 7, 1:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where: Golden Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.940, -103.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Billings

When: December 7, 1:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where: Billings forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.023, -103.376 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Slope

When: December 7, 1:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where: Slope forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.447, -103.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Bowman

When: December 7, 1:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where: Bowman forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.113, -103.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Grant

When: December 7, 1:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where: Grant forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.358, -101.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill temperatures as low as 40 below zero were observed.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Sioux

When: December 7, 1:00 AM CST to 9:00 AM CST
Where: Sioux forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill temperatures as low as 48 below zero were observed.

What these are

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill: Temperatures or wind chills at or below the local warning criteria, or cold that caused deaths.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Dakota in 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in North Dakota, December 2013

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 484327, 484328, 484329, 484330, 484331, 484332, 484333, 484334, 484335, 484336, 484337, 484338, 484339, 484340, 484341, 484344, 484345, 484346, 484347, 484348, 484349, 484350, 484351, 484352, 484353, 484354, 484355, 484356, 484357, 484358, 484359, 484360, 484361, 484362, 484363, 484364.