North Dakota, 2019

High Wind in North Dakota, January 27 to 28, 2019

January 27 to 28, 2019 · NWS BIS · 24 events in 23 counties and zones

A strong and fast moving cold front pushed through western and central North Dakota with wind gusts in many areas nearing 65 mph. The highest gust was 66 mph and was recorded in Burleigh County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 20 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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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
24

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 strong and fast moving cold front pushed through western and central North Dakota with wind gusts in many areas nearing 65 mph. The highest gust was 66 mph and was recorded in Burleigh County. Most of the snow on the ground was crusted over, therefore only brief visibility impacts developed.

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 Jan 27, 12:26 PM CST, 2 hours 34 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 27, 12:26 PM CST, 2 hours 34 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 27, 2:49 PM CST, 11 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 27, 10:52 AM CST, 4 hours 8 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jan 27, 12:05 PM CST, 2 hours 55 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jan 27, 12:11 PM CST, 2 hours 49 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jan 27, 12:38 PM CST, 2 hours 22 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jan 27, 12:39 PM CST, 2 hours 21 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jan 27, 1:36 PM CST, 1 hour 24 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

24 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Divide

When
January 27, 3:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Divide forecast zone
Measured
54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
48.815, -103.487 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts to 62 mph were measured at the Crosby RAWS.

High Wind, Williams

When
January 27, 3:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Williams forecast zone
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
48.344, -103.480 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts to 64 mph were measured at the Williston ASOS.

High Wind, McKenzie

When
January 27, 3:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
McKenzie forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
47.740, -103.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts to 58 mph were measured at the Watford City RAWS.

High Wind, Billings

When
January 27, 3:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Billings forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
47.023, -103.376 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts to 60 mph were measured at the Fryburg NDDOT site.

High Wind, Golden Valley

When
January 27, 3:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Golden Valley forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
46.940, -103.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts to 61 mph were measured at the Beach AWOS.

High Wind, Stark

When
January 27, 3:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Stark forecast zone
Measured
51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
46.811, -102.655 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts to 59 mph were measured at the Dickinson ASOS.

High Wind, Bowman

When
January 27, 3:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Bowman forecast zone
Measured
54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
46.113, -103.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts to 62 mph were measured at the Bowman AWOS.

High Wind, Hettinger

When
January 27, 3:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Hettinger forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
46.433, -102.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts to 61 mph were measured at the Hettinger ASOS.

High Wind, Burke

When
January 27, 3:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Burke forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
48.791, -102.518 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts are estimated based off the Crosby RAWS in Divide County.

High Wind, Mountrail

When
January 27, 3:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Mountrail forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
48.201, -102.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts are estimated based off the Williston ASOS in Williams County.

High Wind, Dunn

When
January 27, 3:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Dunn forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
47.357, -102.618 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts are estimated based off the Watford City RAWS in McKenzie County.

High Wind, Hettinger

When
January 27, 3:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Hettinger forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
46.433, -102.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts are estimated based off the Dickinson ASOS in Stark County.

High Wind, Slope

When
January 27, 3:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Slope forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
46.447, -103.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts are estimated based off the Bowman AWOS in Bowman County.

High Wind, Renville

When
January 27, 3:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Renville forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
48.719, -101.658 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts are estimated based off the Minot ASOS in Ward County.

High Wind, Mercer

When
January 27, 5:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Mercer forecast zone
Measured
37 kt (43 mph) measured sustained
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
47.309, -101.831 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sustained winds to 43 mph were measured at the Hazen AWOS.

High Wind, McLean

When
January 27, 5:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
McLean forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS

Wind gusts to 60 mph were measured at the Garrison ASOS.

High Wind, Morton

When
January 27, 5:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Morton forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS

Wind gusts to 58 mph were measured at the Mandan AWOS.

High Wind, Burleigh

When
January 27, 5:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Burleigh forecast zone
Measured
57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
46.977, -100.469 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts to 66 mph were measured at the Sterling NDDOT site.

High Wind, Sioux

When
January 27, 5:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Sioux forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by
RAWS

Wind gusts to 61 mph were measured at the Tatanka Prairie RAWS.

High Wind, Ward

When
January 27, 5:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Ward forecast zone
Measured
53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS

Wind gusts to 61 mph were measured at the Minot ASOS.

High Wind, Sheridan

When
January 27, 5:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Sheridan forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
47.575, -100.346 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind gusts to 60 mph were measured at the Denhoff NDDOT site.

High Wind, Grant

When
January 27, 5:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Grant forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
46.358, -101.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Estimated wind gusts were based off the Mandan AWOS in Morton County.

High Wind, Emmons

When
January 27, 5:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Emmons forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
46.285, -100.239 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Estimated wind gusts were based off the Sterling NDDOT site in Burleigh County.

High Wind, Oliver

When
January 27, 5:00 PM CST to January 28, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Oliver forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
47.115, -101.340 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Estimated wind gusts were based off the Mandan AWOS in Morton 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 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, January 2019

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 800513, 800514, 800515, 800520, 800521, 800523, 800524, 800525, 800556, 800558, 800560, 800561, 800562, 800578, 800517, 800518, 800526, 800527, 800528, 800552, 800553, 800571, 800575, 800579.