Strong winds developed in the wake of a pair of cold fronts that moved through the region during the early morning hours. The winds continued through mid-morning before gradually diminishing mid-day.
Every event with a place to put it; 17 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.
Strong winds developed in the wake of a pair of cold fronts that moved through the region during the early morning hours. The winds continued through mid-morning before gradually diminishing mid-day. The strongest wind gust of 67 mph occurred in Mountrail County.
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 1, 7:47 AM CST, 13 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Bismarck ND 747 AM CST Sun Mar 1 2020 .UPDATE... Issued at 744 AM CST Sun Mar 1 2020 We will upgrade to a high wind warning for wind gusts to 65 mph with a strong pressure rise moving through with the cold front. The strongest winds will be associated with this pressure rise which will move through the region by 18z. After 18z gradient winds will support wind advisory criteria but should be below high wind criteria. UPDATE Issued at 602 AM CST Sun Mar 1 2020 Forecast currently looks on track. We did just have a gust to 61 mph at the Williston Airport with the 6 AM observation. Most obs have been in the 50 to 55 mph range for peak gusts upstream and they've dropped off pretty quickly after a short period of stronger winds. Will bump up winds a bit in the NPW. RAP soundings are showing the potential for a brief period of HWW criteria winds. Will continue to monitor for potential HWW. && .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 318 AM CST Sun Mar 1 2020 Wind highlights are the main concern in the short term forecast period. Currently, surface low pressure is located near Regina Saskatchewan. Strong pressure gradient and fall/rise couplet is currently producing gusts around 45 mph over western Saskatchewan. The initial cold front has pushed through the forecast area. Earlier snow shower activity has diminished and the next precip will mainly across the north behind the secondary cold front. Leading edge of this is pushing across the Saskatchewan border into Montana, north of Glasgow, and will be working it's way into northwest ND shortly before 12 UTC. Any accumulating precip today should remain along the northern tier counties and most likely confined to maybe the Turtle Mountains, which will be closest to the upper level low, which sweep by mid morning through early afternoon. There may be a scattered rain or snow shower as far south as the Highway 200 corridor, but it will be too dry with strong subsidence south of here. The main hazard to day will be the strong winds associated with the low pressure system. Already this morning we see boundary layer winds of 35 to 45 knots with 85H winds to 50 knots across much of western and central ND with an area of strong cold advection from south central into northeast ND, and another, over western ND, behind the secondary cold front. In addition strong lapse rates are already developing over this same area. Latest RAP forecast soundings indicate the potential for boundary layer winds to elevate to near 50 knot winds aloft Crosby around 10 UTC and sweep southeast to Minot and Garrison around 12-14 UTC and eventually into the James River Valley near midday. The strongest isallobaric winds will track across the northwest and north central this morning through early afternoon. Winds aloft are not as strong over southwest ND but steep lapse rates remain over the southwest and south central through the afternoon, keeping the potential to mix the stronger winds aloft down to the surface through the afternoon. Granted those winds will not be as strong, especially after 18-21 UTC. Expect the day shift may be able to drop western portions of the advisory early. Once the winds diminish this afternoon west and by early evening central, it will be quiet through the remainder of Sunday night. Expect little recovery in temperatures once the cold advection kicks in, but they won't drop off quickly either. we may see some slight recovery this afternoon. Generally expect rather steady temperatures in the upper 20s to middle 30s. Expect mainly clear and colder temperatures tonight with lows in the teens to lower 20s. .LONG TERM...(Monday through Saturday) Issued at 318 AM CST Sun Mar 1 2020 A couple of clipper systems will track across the Northern Plains through the extended period as a northwest upper flow remains over the region. Each clipper system will bring a brief warm-up ahead of the low, generally light precipitation associated with the low, and a brief cool-down behind the exiting low. One will track through the area Monday into Tuesday. The next will move through the area Wednesday night through Thursday. The main feature with these systems will likely be the winds with breezy to windy conditions both ahead and behind each low. Temperatures remain seasonable to mild through the period, with the potential for a nice warm-up at the end of the forecast period as models are indicating stronger ridging over the central U.S. Friday and Saturday. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Monday morning) Issued at 602 AM CST Sun Mar 1 2020 A strong cold front will move across western and central North Dakota today. Strong winds with gusts to around 55 mph with the initial cdfnt passage, and advisory criteria winds (sustained 30 mph with gusts to 45 mph through the morning west and mid morning through the afternoon central. MVFR ceilings will spread across the forecast area this morning, then lift to low VFR early this afternoon before clearing mid to late afternoon. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning until noon CST /11 AM MST/ today for NDZ001>005-009>013-017>023-034>036. Wind Advisory from noon CST /11 AM MST/ today to 6 PM CST /5 PM MST/ this evening for NDZ001>005-009>013-017>023-034>036. Wind Advisory until 6 PM CST /5 PM MST/ this evening for NDZ025- 031>033-037-041-042-045>048-050-051. && UPDATE...WAA SHORT TERM...TWH LONG TERM...TWH AVIATION...TWH
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Bismarck ND 754 AM CST Sun Mar 1 2020 NDZ001>005-009>013-017>023-034>036-021400- Divide-Burke-Renville-Bottineau-Rolette-Williams-Mountrail-Ward- McHenry-Pierce-McKenzie-Dunn-Mercer-Oliver-McLean-Sheridan-Wells- Morton-Burleigh-Kidder- 754 AM CST Sun Mar 1 2020 /654 AM MST Sun Mar 1 2020/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central North Dakota, northwest North Dakota, south central North Dakota, and southwest North Dakota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight High wind warning through noon today. Wind advisory from noon through 6 pm cst. Strong northwest winds up to 65 mph are expected this morning, and 45 to 55 mph this afternoon. See www.weather.gov/bis for details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. NDZ025-031>033-037-041-042-045>048-050-051-021400- Foster-Golden Valley-Billings-Stark-Stutsman-Hettinger-Grant- Sioux-Emmons-Logan-La Moure-McIntosh-Dickey- 754 AM CST Sun Mar 1 2020 /654 AM MST Sun Mar 1 2020/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of south central North Dakota, southeast North Dakota, and southwest North Dakota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Gusty northwest winds up to 55 mph are expected today. A wind advisory is in effect. See www.weather.gov/bis for details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. NDZ040-043-044-021400- Slope-Bowman-Adams- 654 AM MST Sun Mar 1 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southwest North Dakota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. waa
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
603 AM CST SUN MAR 1 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0552 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 9 NW WILLISTON 48.26N 103.75W
03/01/2020 M61 MPH WILLIAMS ND ASOS
ASOS STATION KXWA WILLISTON AIRPORT.
&&
ZHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
612 AM CST SUN MAR 1 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0556 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 9 NW ALKABO 48.97N 104.00W
03/01/2020 M60 MPH DIVIDE ND MESONET
MESONET STATION CSBN8 30 W CROSBY.
&&
ZHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
657 AM CST SUN MAR 1 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0652 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 9 NW WILLISTON 48.26N 103.75W
03/01/2020 M67 MPH WILLIAMS ND ASOS
ASOS STATION KXWA WILLISTON AIRPORT.
&&
ZHThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
21 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Crosby AWOS reported sustained winds of 43 mph.
Williston ASOS reported wind gusts to 62 mph.
Blaisdell NDDOT site reported wind gusts to 67 mph.
Minot ASOS reported sustained winds of 41 mph.
New Town NDDOT site reported wind gusts to 58 mph.
Denhoff NDDOT site reported sustained winds of 44 mph.
Carrington AWOS reported sustained winds of 44 mph.
Glen Ullin AWOS reported sustained winds of 40 mph.
Long Lake RAWS reported wind gusts to 59 mph.
Williams Lookout RAWS reported wind gusts to 62 mph.
Tatanka Prairie RAWS reported wind gusts to 59 mph.
Burke County had estimated wind gusts of 60 mph.
Renville County had estimated wind gusts of 60 mph.
McHenry County had estimated wind gusts of 60 mph.
McLean County had estimated wind gusts of 60 mph.
Dunn County had estimated wind gusts of 60 mph.
Mercer County had estimated wind gusts of 60 mph.
Oliver County had estimated wind gusts of 60 mph.
Kidder County had estimated wind gusts of 60 mph.
Pierce County had estimated wind gusts of 60 mph.
Wells County had estimated wind gusts of 60 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, March 2020
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: 877927, 877929, 877932, 877933, 877934, 877936, 877937, 877943, 877945, 877947, 877948, 877972, 877973, 877974, 877975, 877977, 877979, 877980, 877981, 877982, 877984.