Heavy Snow in North Dakota, December 20, 2017

Name: Heavy Snow in North Dakota, December 20, 2017
Start: 2017-12-20T05:00
End: 2017-12-20T20:00
Location: North Dakota

December 20, 2017 · NWS BIS · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

A low pressure system passed through the Northern Plains bringing snow to much of the region. The heaviest snow, around six inches, fell primarily over northern parts of North Dakota.

Where it happened

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.

Tornadoes
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Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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 low pressure system passed through the Northern Plains bringing snow to much of the region. The heaviest snow, around six inches, fell primarily over northern parts of 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 Dec 19, 5:57 PM CST, 11 hours 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 19, 5:57 PM CST, 11 hours 3 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 19, 5:42 PM CST, 11 hours 18 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

9 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, McLean

When: December 20, 5:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: McLean forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Max received six inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Divide

When: December 20, 5:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Divide forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 48.815, -103.487 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Crosby received six inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Burke

When: December 20, 5:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Burke forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 48.791, -102.518 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Western Burke County received an estimated six inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Williams

When: December 20, 5:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Williams forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 48.344, -103.480 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Northern Williams County received an estimated six inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Mountrail

When: December 20, 5:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Mountrail forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 48.201, -102.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Southern Mountrail County received an estimated six inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Ward

When: December 20, 5:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Ward forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Southern Ward County received an estimated six inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, McHenry

When: December 20, 5:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: McHenry forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 48.235, -100.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Southern McHenry County received an estimated six inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Sheridan

When: December 20, 5:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Sheridan forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 47.575, -100.346 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Western Sheridan County received an estimated six inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Dunn

When: December 20, 5:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Dunn forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 47.357, -102.618 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Northeast Dunn County received an estimated six inches of snow.

What these are

Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in North Dakota in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in North Dakota, December 2017

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: 729440, 729442, 729518, 729519, 729521, 729522, 729523, 729524, 729525.