North Dakota, 2016

High Wind in North Dakota, October 31, 2016

October 31, 2016 · NWS BIS · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A deep surface low moved across the Northern Plains resulting in strong west winds developing over far southwest North Dakota.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
6

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.

A deep surface low moved across the Northern Plains resulting in strong west winds developing over far southwest North Dakota.

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 Oct 30, 5:29 PM CST, 18 hours 31 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 30, 5:29 PM CST, 18 hours 31 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 30, 5:32 PM CST, 18 hours 28 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

6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Adams

When
October 31, 12:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Adams forecast zone
Measured
39 kt (45 mph) measured sustained
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
46.097, -102.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hettinger ASOS reported sustained winds of 45 mph.

High Wind, Bowman

When
October 31, 12:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Bowman forecast zone
Measured
35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
46.113, -103.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds are estimated for eastern Bowman County based on the Hettinger ASOS report in Adams County.

High Wind, Slope

When
October 31, 12:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Slope forecast zone
Measured
35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
46.447, -103.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds are estimated for southeast Slope County based on the Hettinger ASOS report in Adams County.

High Wind, Hettinger

When
October 31, 12:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Hettinger forecast zone
Measured
35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
46.433, -102.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds are estimated for southern Hettinger County based on the Hettinger ASOS report in Adams County.

High Wind, Grant

When
October 31, 12:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Grant forecast zone
Measured
35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
46.358, -101.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds are estimated for southwest Grant County based on the Hettinger ASOS report in Adams County.

High Wind, Sioux

When
October 31, 12:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Sioux forecast zone
Measured
35 kt (40 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by
ASOS

Sustained winds are estimated for western Sioux County based on the Hettinger ASOS report in Adams County.

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Dakota in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, October 2016

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: 659199, 659228, 659230, 659231, 659232, 659233.