Heavy Snow in North Dakota, March 23, 2018

Name: Heavy Snow in North Dakota, March 23, 2018
Start: 2018-03-23T04:00
End: 2018-03-23T19:00
Location: North Dakota

March 23, 2018 · NWS BIS · 13 events in 13 counties and zones

A deep upper level trough pushed over the Rockies as a potent short wave ejected over the Northern Plains. Precipitation developed over North Dakota, with many areas experiencing a rain/snow mix.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 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: 13

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 upper level trough pushed over the Rockies as a potent short wave ejected over the Northern Plains. Precipitation developed over North Dakota, with many areas experiencing a rain/snow mix. The heaviest snow fell over western and portions of north central 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 Mar 22, 5:50 PM CST, 10 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 22, 5:50 PM CST, 10 hours 10 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 22, 5:52 PM CST, 10 hours 8 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

13 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Mercer

When: March 23, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Mercer forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 47.309, -101.831 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Pick City received eight inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Dunn

When: March 23, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Dunn forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 47.357, -102.618 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Killdeer received seven inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Williams

When: March 23, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Williams forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 48.344, -103.480 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Williston received six inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Mountrail

When: March 23, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Mountrail forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 48.201, -102.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mountrail County received an estimated seven inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, McLean

When: March 23, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: McLean forecast zone
Reported by: Public

McLean County received an estimated seven inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Oliver

When: March 23, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Oliver forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 47.115, -101.340 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Northwestern Oliver County received an estimated six inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Morton

When: March 23, 4:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Morton forecast zone
Reported by: Public

Northwestern Morton County received an estimated six inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Ward

When: March 23, 7:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Ward forecast zone
Reported by: Public

Minot received eight inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Divide

When: March 23, 7:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Divide forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 48.815, -103.487 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Southern Divide County received an estimated six inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Burke

When: March 23, 7:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Burke forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 48.791, -102.518 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Southwestern Burke County received an estimated six inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Renville

When: March 23, 7:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Renville forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 48.719, -101.658 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Southern Renville County received an estimated eight inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, McHenry

When: March 23, 7:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: McHenry forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 48.235, -100.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Western McHenry County received an estimated eight inches of snow.

Heavy Snow, Bottineau

When: March 23, 7:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Bottineau forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 48.792, -100.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Southwestern Bottineau 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 2018 Every state in 2018 This day in weather history Warnings in North Dakota, March 2018

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: 745521, 745523, 745524, 745559, 745565, 745566, 745567, 745514, 745557, 745561, 745562, 745563, 745564.