Fresh snow and existing loose snow on the ground, combined with northwest winds gusting over 50 miles per hour, resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon of the 2nd across northwest and north central North Dakota. Farther south, temperatures above freezing early in the day limited the blowing snow, but still resulted in hazardous travel due to icy roads in the afternoon as…
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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.
Fresh snow and existing loose snow on the ground, combined with northwest winds gusting over 50 miles per hour, resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon of the 2nd across northwest and north central North Dakota. Farther south, temperatures above freezing early in the day limited the blowing snow, but still resulted in hazardous travel due to icy roads in the afternoon as temperatures dropped.
No travel was advised by local and state officials across northwest and north central North Dakota. In addition, Interstate 94 from Mandan to Dickinson was closed due to blowing snow and icy conditions.
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 2, 11:56 AM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 1156 AM CST SAT FEB 2 2013 .DISCUSSION... UPDATE TO ISSUE A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BLOWING SNOW FOR NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND INTO THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. BASED UPON UPSTREAM OBSERVATIONS AND WEBCAMS IN THE PORTAL...ESTEVAN...CROSBY AND RAY AREAS...VISIBILITIES IN BLOWING SNOW ARE ONE HALF MILE OR LESS AS NORTHWEST WINDS HAVE INCREASED WITH GUSTS OF 35-40 KTS. THUS...HAVE ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY TO REPLACE THE WIND ADVISORY FOR NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND INTO THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY WHERE TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN BELOW FREEZING TO ALLOW THE FRESHLY FALLEN SNOW TO BE EASILY LOFTED AS WINDS INCREASE. AT THIS TIME...BELIEVE THE 1/4 SM VISIBILITY FOR THREE HOURS BLIZZARD CRITERIA WILL NOT BE ACHIEVED. ELSEWHERE...TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S ARE ADVECTING INTO SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...WHICH SHOULD MAKE THE SNOW A BIT TOO STICKY TO LOFT...WHICH HAS BEEN THE PATTERN UPSTREAM INTO SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA AND EASTERN MONTANA. && .AVIATION... FOR THE 18Z TAF ISSUANCE...LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOWS HAVE PUSHED INTO KBIS AND SOON WILL BE INTO KJMS WITH MVFR CIGS...ALONG WITH VSBYS RANGING BETWEEN MVFR AND LIFR. ELSEWHERE...GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS HAVE COMMENCED AT KISN...AND AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW WITH VSBYS REDUCED TO LESS THAN 1SM WILL BE COMMON THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AT KDIK/KMOT/KBIS/KJMS. AT KISN...EXPECT VSBYS AROUND 5SM TO 6SM WITH LOW VFR TO MVFR CIGS AT TIMES. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST /5 PM MST/ THIS EVENING FOR NDZ009- 017>020-031>035-040>046. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR NDZ001>005-010>013-021>023-025. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR NDZ036- 037-048-051. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR NDZ047-050. && UPDATE...AYD AVIATION...KS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 1144 AM CST SAT FEB 2 2013 NDZ009-017>020-031>035-040>047-050-031745- WILLIAMS-MCKENZIE-DUNN-MERCER-OLIVER-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK- MORTON-BURLEIGH-SLOPE-HETTINGER-GRANT-BOWMAN-ADAMS-SIOUX-EMMONS- LOGAN-MCINTOSH- 1144 AM CST SAT FEB 2 2013 /1044 AM MST SAT FEB 2 2013/ 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 STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA LATE THIS MORNING AND INTO THE AFTERNOON...AND A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT. STRONG WINDS WILL ALSO CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW WITH REDUCED VISIBILITIES OF A HALF MILE AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN COUNTRY. ANOTHER ROUND OF LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED MID MORNING THROUGH TONIGHT. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE NORTH AND EAST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER...WITH LESS THAN INCH ELSEWHERE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY EXPECT PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW BEGINNING SUNDAY AND CONTINUING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. AREAS NORTH AND EAST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER ARE FAVORED FOR TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES THROUGH THE PERIOD. AREAS SOUTH AND EAST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER CAN EXPECT LITTLE OR NO ACCUMULATION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. NDZ001>005-010>013-021>023-025-036-037-048-051-031745- DIVIDE-BURKE-RENVILLE-BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-MOUNTRAIL-WARD-MCHENRY- PIERCE-MCLEAN-SHERIDAN-WELLS-FOSTER-KIDDER-STUTSMAN-LA MOURE- DICKEY- 1144 AM CST SAT FEB 2 2013 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...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH WILL COMBINE WITH FRESH SNOW AND SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES TO CREATE WIDESPREAD BLOWING SNOW AND VISIBILITIES OF ONE HALF MILE OR LESS THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING FOR NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND INTO THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY EXPECT PERIODS OF LIGHT SNOW BEGINNING SUNDAY AND CONTINUING THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. AREAS NORTH AND EAST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER ARE FAVORED FOR TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES THROUGH THE PERIOD. AREAS SOUTH AND EAST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER CAN EXPECT LITTLE OR NO ACCUMULATION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. AYD
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
1206 PM CST SAT FEB 02 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1000 AM SNOW GRASSY BUTTE 47.39N 103.25W
02/02/2013 M1.8 INCH MCKENZIE ND CO-OP OBSERVER
&&
AYDThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
11 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Fresh snow and existing loose snow on the ground, combined with northwest winds gusting over 50 miles per hour, resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon of the 2nd. No travel was advised.
Fresh snow and existing loose snow on the ground, combined with northwest winds gusting over 50 miles per hour, resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon of the 2nd. No travel was advised.
Fresh snow and existing loose snow on the ground, combined with northwest winds gusting over 50 miles per hour, resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon of the 2nd. No travel was advised.
Fresh snow and existing loose snow on the ground, combined with northwest winds gusting over 50 miles per hour, resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon of the 2nd. No travel was advised.
Fresh snow and existing loose snow on the ground, combined with northwest winds gusting over 50 miles per hour, resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon of the 2nd. No travel was advised.
Fresh snow and existing loose snow on the ground, combined with northwest winds gusting over 50 miles per hour, resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon of the 2nd. No travel was advised.
Fresh snow and existing loose snow on the ground, combined with northwest winds gusting over 50 miles per hour, resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon of the 2nd. No travel was advised.
Fresh snow and existing loose snow on the ground, combined with northwest winds gusting over 50 miles per hour, resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon of the 2nd. No travel was advised.
Fresh snow and existing loose snow on the ground, combined with northwest winds gusting over 50 miles per hour, resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon of the 2nd. No travel was advised.
Fresh snow and existing loose snow on the ground, combined with northwest winds gusting over 50 miles per hour, resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon of the 2nd. No travel was advised.
Fresh snow and existing loose snow on the ground, combined with northwest winds gusting over 50 miles per hour, resulted in blizzard conditions during the afternoon of the 2nd. No travel was advised.
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: 424442, 424443, 424444, 424445, 424446, 424447, 424449, 424450, 424451, 424452, 424453.