North Dakota, 2014

Extreme Cold in North Dakota, March 1 to 2, 2014

March 1 to 2, 2014 · NWS BIS · 27 events in 26 counties and zones

Arctic air over the Northern Plains combined with winds of around ten mile per hour to create wind chill temperatures as cold as 45 below zero February 28th through March 2nd. See February Storm Data for the beginning of this event.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 25 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
27

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.

Arctic air over the Northern Plains combined with winds of around ten mile per hour to create wind chill temperatures as cold as 45 below zero February 28th through March 2nd. See February Storm Data for the beginning of this event.

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 Feb 28, 2:25 PM CST, 9 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 28, 2:25 PM CST, 9 hours 35 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
225 PM CST FRI FEB 28 2014

.SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY)
ISSUED AT 225 PM CST FRI FEB 28 2014

MAIN FORECAST ISSUE IN THE LONG TERM PERIOD WILL BE WIND CHILL
HIGHLIGHTS. HAVE LEANED TOWARD COLDER ECMWF/GEM GUIDANCE FOR
TEMPERATURES.

CURRENTLY...COLD FRONT HAS MOVED THROUGH NORTH DAKOTA. WINDS ARE
STILL GUSTING TO AROUND 35 MPH IN THE SOUTHEAST CWA AND OVER SOME
OF THE ELEVATED LOCATIONS. MOST AREAS HAVE SUBSIDED INTO THE 20 T0
30 MPH RANGE AND WILL CONTINUE TO DIMINISH. WIND CHILLS ARE AROUND
30 BELOW ACROSS THE NORTH...AND DROPPING TO AROUND 15 TO 20 BELOW
SOUTH.

FOR TONIGHT...WILL DROP THE WIND ADVISORY ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND
SOUTH CENTRAL. WILL ALSO DROP THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN THE
NORTH. HOWEVER...WILL NEED TO ISSUE WIND CHILL WARNING/ADVISORY
HIGHLIGHTS FOR TONIGHT AS ARCTIC AIRMASS CONTINUED TO BUILD OVER
THE STATE. HIGHLIGHTS WILL EXTEND INTO THE EXTENDED PERIOD AS EVEN
THOUGH WE MAY DROP BELOW CRITERIA FOR A PERIOD SATURDAY
AFTERNOON...WE DROP RIGHT BACK DOWN SATURDAY EVENING. THUS
HIGHLIGHTS WILL RUN THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING.

ON THE EDGE OF THE ARCTIC AIRMASS LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE. THIS AREA HAS BEEN NEARLY STEADY FROM SOUTHEAST MONTANA
INTO NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA. MODELS DO INDICATE THE AREA
UNDULATING A BIT NORTHWARD THIS EVENING AND SATURDAY MORNING
BEFORE BEING SUPPRESSED FARTHER SOUTH. WITH THE STRENGTH OF THE
ARCTIC SYSTEM...THINK THE NORTHERN EXTENT OF PRECIPITATION AND
AMOUNTS MAY BE TOO HIGH. THEREFORE CUT BACK ON POPS...TO MAINLY
CHANCE CATEGORY FAR SOUTHWEST AND A SLIGHT CHANCE SPREADING EAST
ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHERN TIER COUNTIES LATE TONIGHT AND SATURDAY
MORNING.

.LONG TERM...(SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY)
ISSUED AT 225 PM CST FRI FEB 28 2014

A RETURN TOWARD A MORE PROGRESSIVE/UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN THROUGH
THE EXTENDED...HOWEVER TIMING AND LOCATION OF INDIVIDUAL SYSTEMS
REMAINED UNRESOLVED BEYOND MONDAY. TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO
MODERATE INTO THE 20S BY THE MID AND END OF THE WEEK.

THE GFS/GEM/ECMWF ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE EVOLUTION OF THE H5
PATTERN IN THE LONG TERM. AN UPPER LOW WILL PINCH OFF ACROSS BRITISH
COLUMBIA SATURDAY NIGHT/SUNDAY...WITH A WESTERLY FLOW DEVELOPING
AROUND IT...SENDING SEVERAL SHORTWAVES INTO NORTH DAKOTA. THE
GFS/GEM/ECMWF ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN HANDLING AN INITIAL SHORTWAVE
AND PUSH OF LIGHT SNOW ACROSS THE WEST LATE SUNDAY NIGHT...AND INTO
CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA MONDAY. UPWARDS OF AROUND ONE INCH ESPECIALLY
IN THE WEST CAN BE EXPECTED.

FOR MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...THE GFS SENDS ANOTHER PUSH
OF SNOW MONDAY NIGHT ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHWEST AND INTO SOUTH CENTRAL
ON TUESDAY. TIMING ISSUES ARISE HERE AS THE GEM/ECMWF ARE DRY MONDAY
NIGHT AND TUESDAY...BUT THEN SHOW AN AREA OF SNOW ACROSS THE WEST
FOR TUESDAY NIGHT. UTILIZED THE ALLBLEND WHICH CARRIES A SLIGHT
CHC/CHC OF SNOW ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA.

FOR WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...MORE CHANCES OF SNOW OCCUR THROUGH
THE PERIOD...WITH DIFFERENT INTENSITIES...TIMING...AND LOCATIONS IN
THE SNOW DETAILS. STAYED WITH THE ALLBLEND WHICH ADVERTISES A CHANCE
OF SNOW FOR MOST AREAS. AT THIS TIME...CANNOT GET MORE SPECIFIC DUE
TO THE UNCERTAINTIES MENTIONED ABOVE.

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY AFTERNOON)
ISSUED AT 225 PM CST FRI FEB 28 2014

VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD AT KISN.
PERIODS OF MVFR CEILINGS AT KDIK...KBIS KMOT AND KJMS 18-24 UTC
TODAY BEFORE LOWER LAYERS CLEAR...THEN VFR THROUGH THE REST OF THE
PERIOD. HOWEVER WITH SUCH A COLD ARCTIC AIRMASS...CANNOT RULE OUT
SOME THIN STRATUS REPORTING AS A BROKEN LAYER. STRONG NORTHWEST
FLOW WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH THROUGH THE AFTERNOON FROM NORTHWEST
TO SOUTHEAST.

&&

.BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CST /3 PM MST/ THIS AFTERNOON FOR
NDZ011-012-019>023-025-033>037-040>048-050-051.

WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON FOR NDZ001>004-
009>012.

&&

SHORT TERM...TWH
LONG TERM...KS
AVIATION...TWH
Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 28, 3:18 PM CST, 8 hours 42 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Divide

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Burke

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Renville

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Rolette

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Bottineau

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Williams

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Mountrail

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Ward

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Ward forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet

Wind chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, McHenry

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Pierce

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, McKenzie

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Dunn

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, McKenzie

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Sheridan

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Wells

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Foster

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Mercer

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Oliver

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Morton

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Morton forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet

Wind chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Burleigh

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Emmons

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Kidder

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Stutsman

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Logan

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, La Moure

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, McIntosh

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill, Dickey

When
March 1, 12:00 AM CST to March 2, 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 chills as cold as 45 below zero occurred.

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

More

Every storm in North Dakota in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, March 2014

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 496979, 496980, 496981, 496982, 496983, 496984, 496985, 496986, 496987, 496988, 496989, 496990, 496991, 496992, 496993, 496994, 496995, 496996, 496997, 496998, 496999, 497000, 497001, 497002, 497003, 497004, 497005.