Deep low pressure and its occluding frontal boundary pushed from eastern Montana into western North Dakota. This resulted in increasing winds over western and central North Dakota, with the strongest winds over the southwest.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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.
Deep low pressure and its occluding frontal boundary pushed from eastern Montana into western North Dakota. This resulted in increasing winds over western and central North Dakota, with the strongest winds over the southwest. The strongest sustained wind speed of 41 mph was recorded at the Beach Airport.
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 Apr 5, 12:05 PM CST, 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 105 PM CDT TUE APR 5 2016 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1254 PM CDT TUE APR 5 2016 FULL FORECAST OVERHAUL FOR THIS UPDATE. FIRST...EXPANDED THE RED FLAG WARNING TO INCLUDE BURLEIGH AND KIDDER COUNTIES. LATEST MODEL TRENDS INDICATE A ROBUST DRY SLOT OVERTAKING SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. WITH A DRY BOUNDARY LAYER...VERY DEEP MIXING...DRY FUELS...AND STRONG WINDS...FELT THE LIKELIHOOD OF CRITICAL FIRE CONDITIONS WAS HIGH ENOUGH TO WARRANT A RED FLAG WARNING. SECOND...ADJUSTED PRECIPITATION CHANCES TO MATCH THE LATEST TRENDS AND SHORT-TERM MODELS. PRECIPITATION HAS MOVED OUT OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AS THE DRY SLOT WORKS IN. THE NEXT ROUND OF PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO ENTER WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AS THE COMMA HEAD PUSHES IN. INITIAL PRECIPITATION SHOULD FALL AS RAIN WITH SURFACE TEMPERATURES ABOVE FREEZING. HOWEVER...AS COLD AIR ADVECTION AND DIURNAL COOLING TAKES HOLD RAIN WILL LIKELY CHANGE TO SNOW. LATEST INDICATIONS ARE THIS TRANSITION TO SNOW WILL COINCIDE WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS. THIS COULD LEAD TO BRIEF PERIODS OF REDUCED VISIBILITY. UPDATE ISSUED AT 1015 AM CDT TUE APR 5 2016 FOR THIS UPDATE EXPIRED THE FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY. RAIN CONTINUES TO DIMINISH ACROSS THE NORTHEAST AND TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TO RISE ABOVE FREEZING. SOME SLICK ROADS AND SIDEWALKS ARE STILL POSSIBLE THIS MORNING. UPDATE ISSUED AT 738 AM CDT TUE APR 5 2016 QUICK UPDATE TO ISSUE A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY FOR BOTTINEAU AND ROLETTE COUNTIES. SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATE AIR TEMPERATURES ARE STILL SUB-FREEZING IN THE BOTTINEAU...ROLLA AND BELCOURT AREAS WITH A BAND OF LIGHT RAIN EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE AREA BETWEEN 13 AND 15 UTC. UPDATE ISSUED AT 646 AM CDT TUE APR 5 2016 WE INCREASED POPS OVER CENTRAL ND THROUGH MID MORNING BASED ON THE RADAR TRENDS THROUGH 1130 UTC...WHICH SHOW INCREASING SHOWERS WITH THE MOST CONCENTRATED ACTIVITY NORTH OF HIGHWAY 2 WHERE FORCING ON THE NOSE OF THE DRY SLOT APPROACHING OUT OF MT IS GREATEST. THERE REMAINS A CHANCE OF SHORT-LIVED LIGHT FREEZING RAIN IN FAR NORTH CENTRAL ND OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS TOO AS THIS PRECIPITATION MOVES INTO A COOLER AIR MASS AS ROLLA IS STILL 28 F AT THIS HOUR. THE REST OF THE FORECAST APPEARS ON TRACK. NO CHANGES ARE BEING MADE TO THE WIND HEADLINES OR RED FLAG WARNING WITH THIS UPDATE. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 359 AM CDT TUE APR 5 2016 SEVERAL HIGHLIGHTS ENCOMPASSING THE SHORT TERM. THE HIGH WIND WATCH HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A HIGH WIND WARNING AND EXTENDED THROUGH 05Z WEDNESDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH ALSO HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A RED FLAG WARNING. THE ONLY EXCEPTION WAS TO EXCLUDE BURLEIGH COUNTY...WHICH WAS IN THE AFOREMENTIONED FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM BEING IN THE NEWLY UPGRADED RED FLAG WARNING. PLEASE SEE THE FIRE WEATHER DISCUSSION BELOW FOR FURTHER DETAILS. A WIND ADVISORY WAS ISSUED SURROUNDING THE HIGH WIND WARNING IN TWO SEGMENTS...THE FIRST COVERS NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA LATER THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING...AND THE SECOND SEGMENT COVERS MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT. THE INITIAL BAND OF SHOWERS HAVE NOW ENTERED WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND ARE NOW SCOOTING EAST. FOR THE NEAR TERM THROUGH 12Z...THE MAIN CONCERN IS THE LIGHT FREEZING RAIN THREAT OVER THE TURTLE MOUNTAINS 09Z-13Z. WILL KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON THIS IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS TO SEE HOW THINGS MATERIALIZE. OTHERWISE...THESE SHOWERS ARE ALONG AND AHEAD OF AN ADVANCING OCCLUDING FRONTAL SYSTEM IN EASTERN MONTANA. LATEST WATER VAPOR DETAILS THE OCCLUDING PROCESS WELL WITH THE DRY AIR PUNCHING IN AND WRAPPING AROUND THE UPPER LOW/COMMA HEAD. THIS DRY SLOT/WEDGE WILL MOVE FROM WEST TO EAST TODAY PROMOTING A PERIOD OF CLEARING AFTER THE INITIAL BAND OF SHOWERS MOVE THROUGH THIS MORNING. BY MID AFTERNOON...THE BACK SIDE OF THE VERTICALLY STACKED LOW WILL IMPINGE INTO WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA WITH INCREASING CLOUDS/SHOWERS/WIND. ISALLOBARIC FORCING WITH A 3HR PRESSURE RISE OF 8MB WILL SHIFT INTO WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA 21Z-00Z RESULTING IN VERY WINDY CONDITIONS. BOUNDARY LAYER TO 850MB WINDS IN THE 45KT TO 55KT RANGE IN SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. WITH RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS ON THE INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON AND THROUGH THE EVENING...THE STRONG WINDS ALOFT WILL BE BROUGHT TOWARDS THE SURFACE AS WELL. HENCE THE HIGH WIND WATCH WAS UPGRADED TO A HIGH WIND WARNING. A WIND ADVISORY SURROUNDING THE HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO TONIGHT...WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 MPH AND/OR GUSTS TO 45 MPH. THE PRECIPITATION AND WINDS GRADUALLY DIMINISH FROM WEST TO EAST TONIGHT. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 359 AM CDT TUE APR 5 2016 MAIN HIGHLIGHT WILL BE FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF FRIDAY. JUST AS THE POTENT WEATHER SYSTEM MENTIONED IN THE SHORT TERM DEPARTS TUESDAY NIGHT...THE NEXT CLIPPER SYSTEM WILL WASTE NO TIME IN ENTERING FAR NORTHERN NORTH DAKOTA BY 18Z WEDNESDAY...THEN ADVANCE SOUTHEAST WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. MAIN HIGHLIGHTS HERE WILL BE INCREASING WINDS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WITH RAIN SHOWERS BECOMING LIKELY ALONG AND EAST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER. THE SOUTHWEST WILL BE REMAIN DRY...BUT WILL HAVE TO CONTEND WITH THE GUSTY WINDS AND DRIER AIR. HENCE THIS WILL RAISE SOME FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS WEDNESDAY...MORE ON THIS IN THE FIRE WEATHER DISCUSSION BELOW. AS THE RAIN SHOWERS TAPER OFF FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT...THEY WILL LIKELY MIX WITH AND END AS SNOW SHOWERS...BUT NO ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS THURSDAY WILL LIKELY AGAIN LEAD TO FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL. TRANQUIL WEATHER FRIDAY AS THIS WILL SERVE AS A TRANSITION DAY FROM NORTHWEST FLOW TO BROAD RIDGING OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. THE RIDGE WILL SHIFT INTO WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA SATURDAY WITH INCREASING SOUTHERLY FLOW. A BRIEF WARMUP SATURDAY WITH HIGHS AROUND 70F WEST TO 60S CENTRAL. A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH SUNDAY WITH GUSTY WINDS AND LITTLE PRECIPITATION. COOLER TEMPERATURES THEN ARRIVE MONDAY. FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS APPEAR INCREASINGLY LIKELY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1254 PM CDT TUE APR 5 2016 STRONG WINDS AND WIDESPREAD MVFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT AT ALL TERMINALS. INITIALLY RAIN WILL DEVELOP ACROSS WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND PUSH EASTWARD THROUGH THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS. RAIN MAY MIX OR TRANSITION TO SNOW OVERNIGHT FROM WEST TO EAST. THE STRONGEST WINDS...WITH GUSTS AROUND 50 KNOTS...ARE EXPECTED AROUND KDIK. && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 359 AM CDT TUE APR 5 2016 THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A RED FLAG WARNING WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BURLEIGH COUNTY...WHICH WAS IN THE PREVIOUS FIRE WEATHER WATCH BUT NOT IN THE RED FLAG WARNING. A COLD FRONT WILL PROGRESS ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...WITH A DRY AND WINDY PERIOD COMMENCING THIS AFTERNOON. MINIMUM RELATIVE HUMIDITIES OF 20 PERCENT WILL COINCIDE WITH SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 MPH CREATING CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL QUICKLY RISE THIS EVENING AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY FROM 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING TO 4 AM CDT /3 AM MDT/ WEDNESDAY FOR NDZ018>020-034>036-042-045>047-050. RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 7 PM CDT /6 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING FOR NDZ034>036-041-042-044>047-050. WIND ADVISORY FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT CDT TONIGHT FOR NDZ001-009-017. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 11 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR NDZ031>033- 040-041-043-044. && UPDATE...AJ SHORT TERM...KS LONG TERM...KS AVIATION...AJ FIRE WEATHER...KS/CJS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 1253 PM CDT TUE APR 5 2016 NDZ001-009-017>020-031>036-040>047-050-061800- DIVIDE-WILLIAMS-MCKENZIE-DUNN-MERCER-OLIVER-GOLDEN VALLEY- BILLINGS-STARK-MORTON-BURLEIGH-KIDDER-SLOPE-HETTINGER-GRANT- BOWMAN-ADAMS-SIOUX-EMMONS-LOGAN-MCINTOSH- 1253 PM CDT TUE APR 5 2016 /1153 AM MDT TUE APR 5 2016/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. HIGH WIND WARNINGS AND WIND ADVISORIES ARE ALSO IN EFFECT ACROSS WESTERN AND SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. LIGHT SNOW MAY COMBINE WITH STRONG WINDS AND LEAD TO REDUCED VISIBILITY TONIGHT. SEE WEATHER.GOV/BIS FOR FULL DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY FIRE WEATHER CONCERNS WILL BE ELEVATED MOST DAYS FROM WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA ON WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. NDZ002>005-010>013-021>023-025-037-048-051-061800- BURKE-RENVILLE-BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-MOUNTRAIL-WARD-MCHENRY-PIERCE- MCLEAN-SHERIDAN-WELLS-FOSTER-STUTSMAN-LA MOURE-DICKEY- 1253 PM CDT TUE APR 5 2016 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 THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. AJ
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Beach AWOS reported a sustained wind of 41 mph.
Hettinger ASOS reported a sustained wind of 40 mph.
Sustained winds are estimated for western Billings County based on the Beach AWOS report in Golden Valley County.
Sustained winds are estimated for northwestern Slope County based on the Beach AWOS report in Golden Valley County.
Sustained winds are estimated for southern Hettinger County based on the Hettinger ASOS report in Adams County.
Sustained winds are estimated for eastern Bowman County based on the Hettinger ASOS report in Adams County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, April 2016
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: 624125, 624127, 624128, 624129, 624130, 624131.