Low pressure tracking across far southern Canada brought moderate snow and strong northwest winds to North Dakota during the morning and early afternoon of February 18th. The worst conditions occurred over parts of north central North Dakota into the northern James River Basin, where one to four inches of snow combined with winds gusting to around 40 miles per hour.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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 tracking across far southern Canada brought moderate snow and strong northwest winds to North Dakota during the morning and early afternoon of February 18th. The worst conditions occurred over parts of north central North Dakota into the northern James River Basin, where one to four inches of snow combined with winds gusting to around 40 miles per hour. This resulted in blizzard conditions prompting the North Dakota Department of Transportation and the North Dakota Highway Patrol to issue no travel advisories from Rolla through Jamestown.
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 Feb 17, 10:02 PM CST, 1 hour 58 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 1002 PM CST SUN FEB 17 2013 .DISCUSSION...THE LEADING EDGE OF THE ISALLOBARIC GRADIENT WAS ENTERING NORTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA AT 03Z (PER MSAS ANALYSIS). WIND GUSTS ACROSS THE NORTHWEST HAVE RESPONDED BY INCREASING TO AROUND 35 MPH. HOWEVER...CALLS TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS IN DIVIDE...BURKE...WILLIAMS...AND MOUNTRAIL COUNTIES INDICATED VISIBILITIES GENERALLY AROUND 1/2 MILE AT TIMES. GIVEN THESE CONDITIONS...MAINTAINED THE CURRENT WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BLOWING SNOW ACROSS NORTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA. THE SNOW AND WINDS ARE STILL EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY ACROSS THE TURTLE MOUNTAINS REGION AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION OF THE BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS ON TRACK. OTHERWISE...ONLY MADE A FEW MINOR MODIFICATIONS TO THE ONGOING FORECAST. UPDATED THE WEATHER GROUP FROM UNCERTAINTY TO COVERAGE TERMINOLOGY IN THE FIRST PERIOD. ALSO MODIFIED THE HOURLY GRIDDED SENSIBLE WEATHER GRIDS BASED ON CURRENT OBS/TREND. THE UPDATED GRIDDED AND TEXT PRODUCTS WILL BE OUT SHORTLY. && .AVIATION...ELEVATED MIXED PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TO FALL NEAR KJMS THROUGH THE LATE EVENING HOURS. OTHERWISE...A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE REGION TONIGHT GENERATING SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW IN ITS WAKE. LIFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN BLOWING SNOW IMMEDIATELY AFTER FROPA. HOWEVER...PREVAILING IFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED...HENCE THE TEMPO GROUP IN EACH TAF. THE SNOW CHANCES AND WINDS WILL TAPER OFF WEST TO EAST MONDAY...WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AREAWIDE MONDAY AFTERNOON. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST /5 PM MST/ MONDAY FOR NDZ001>003-009>011-017>021-031>037-040>048-050-051. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR NDZ004- 005-012-013-022-023-025. BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 6 PM CST MONDAY FOR NDZ004-005-012-013- 022-023-025. && TM...UPDATE/AVIATION
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 346 PM CST SUN FEB 17 2013 NDZ004-005-012-013-022-023-025-182200- BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-MCHENRY-PIERCE-SHERIDAN-WELLS-FOSTER- 346 PM CST SUN FEB 17 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT STRONG LOW PRESSURE MOVING EAST ACROSS NORTHERN NORTH DAKOTA WILL BRING ACCUMULATING SNOW UP TO FOUR INCHES AND STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING UP TO 40 MPH TONIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND AROUND THE DEVILS LAKE BASIN. BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BIS FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE ONGOING MONDAY MORNING. PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BIS FOR DETAILS. MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES WILL FALL TO NEAR 40 BELOW NORTH CENTRAL TO AROUND 20 BELOW SOUTH CENTRAL. WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...THERE IS A CHANCE FOR ACCUMULATING SNOW ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA AS A WINTER STORM MOVES THROUGH THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND INTO MINNESOTA. THE EXACT TRACK OF THIS STORM SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED SNOWFALL REMAINS UNCERTAIN...AND WILL BE CAREFULLY MONITORED IN THE COMING DAYS. PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR FUTURE UPDATES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS AND SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PHONE IN SNOW AND VISIBILITY REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BISMARCK AT 701-223-4582. NDZ001>003-009>011-017>021-031>037-040>048-050-051-182200- DIVIDE-BURKE-RENVILLE-WILLIAMS-MOUNTRAIL-WARD-MCKENZIE-DUNN- MERCER-OLIVER-MCLEAN-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-MORTON-BURLEIGH- KIDDER-STUTSMAN-SLOPE-HETTINGER-GRANT-BOWMAN-ADAMS-SIOUX-EMMONS- LOGAN-LA MOURE-MCINTOSH-DICKEY- 346 PM CST SUN FEB 17 2013 /246 PM MST SUN FEB 17 2013/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT STRONG LOW PRESSURE MOVING EAST ACROSS NORTHERN NORTH DAKOTA WILL BRING ACCUMULATING SNOW TO WEST AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA OF UP TO AROUND TWO INCHES AND STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING UP TO NEAR 35 MPH TONIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. AREAS OF SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES AND MAKE TRAVEL HAZARDOUS. PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BIS FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY AREAS OF SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL BE ONGOING MONDAY MORNING. PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV/BIS FOR DETAILS. MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES WILL FALL TO NEAR 40 BELOW NORTH CENTRAL TO AROUND 20 BELOW SOUTH CENTRAL. WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...THERE IS A CHANCE FOR ACCUMULATING SNOW ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA AS A WINTER STORM MOVES THROUGH THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND INTO MINNESOTA. THE EXACT TRACK OF THIS STORM SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED SNOWFALL REMAINS UNCERTAIN...AND WILL BE CAREFULLY MONITORED IN THE COMING DAYS. PLEASE CHECK BACK FOR FUTURE UPDATES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS AND SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PHONE IN SNOW AND VISIBILITY REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BISMARCK AT 701-223-4582. HEINERT
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
844 PM CST SUN FEB 17 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0841 PM SNOW CROSBY 48.91N 103.30W
02/17/2013 E1.5 INCH DIVIDE ND EMERGENCY MNGR
SNOWFALL TOTAL AS OF 930 PM. VISIBILITY RANGING FROM 1
MILE TO A QUARTER MILE WITH WINDS ESTIMATED NEAR 25 MPH.
&&
MMATHEWSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
852 PM CST SUN FEB 17 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0848 PM SNOW BOWBELLS 48.80N 102.25W
02/17/2013 E2.0 INCH BURKE ND LAW ENFORCEMENT
STILL SNOWING AT TIME OF CALL. VISIBILITY FROM A HALF
MILE TO A QUARTER MILE WITH WINDS NEAR 20 MPH.
&&
MMATHEWSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
900 PM CST SUN FEB 17 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0859 PM SNOW SHERWOOD 48.96N 101.63W
02/17/2013 E1.0 INCH RENVILLE ND LAW ENFORCEMENT
STILL SNOWING AT TIME OF CALL. VISIBILITY AROUND A HALF
MILE WITH WINDS NEAR 20 MPH.
&&
MMATHEWSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
944 PM CST SUN FEB 17 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0944 PM SNOW WATFORD CITY 47.80N 103.28W
02/17/2013 E1.5 INCH MCKENZIE ND BROADCAST MEDIA
SNOWFALL TOTAL AS OF 940 PM.
&&
MMATHEWSThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Fresh snow of around two inches and existing loose snow on the ground combined with northwest winds gusting over 35 miles per hour to create a blizzard.
Fresh snow of around two inches and existing loose snow on the ground combined with northwest winds gusting over 35 miles per hour to create a blizzard.
Fresh snow of around two inches and existing loose snow on the ground combined with northwest winds gusting over 40 miles per hour to create a blizzard.
Fresh snow of around three inches and existing loose snow on the ground combined with northwest winds gusting over 35 miles per hour to create a blizzard.
Fresh snow of around three inches and existing loose snow on the ground combined with northwest winds gusting over 35 miles per hour to create a blizzard.
Fresh snow of around three inches and existing loose snow on the ground combined with northwest winds gusting over 35 miles per hour to create a blizzard.
Fresh snow of around two inches and existing loose snow on the ground combined with northwest winds gusting over 40 miles per hour to create a blizzard.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, February 2013
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: 429794, 429795, 429796, 429797, 429799, 429800, 429801.