An Alberta Clipper moved through the region bring strong winds to western and central North Dakota including the James River Valley, with a secondary front moving through later in the day into the evening enhancing the winds. The strong winds were accompanied by light snow in some areas, resulting in reduced visibility at times.
Every event with a place to put it; 27 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.
An Alberta Clipper moved through the region bring strong winds to western and central North Dakota including the James River Valley, with a secondary front moving through later in the day into the evening enhancing the winds. The strong winds were accompanied by light snow in some areas, resulting in reduced visibility at times. The strongest reported wind gusts of 64 mph occurred at the Stanley Airport 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 Dec 9, 10:02 AM CST, 1 hour 58 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Bismarck ND
1002 AM CST Tue Dec 9 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Freezing rain will impact most of western and central North
Dakota this morning, with ice accumulations as high as one to
two tenths of an inch.
- Very strong winds expected late this morning through tonight,
with gusts as high as 65 mph.
- 1 to 4 inches of snow are expected in the Turtle Mountains
area this morning through tonight.
- Another round of snow will impact all of western and central
North Dakota Wednesday afternoon through Thursday night.
- Below average temperatures are expected Wednesday through the
upcoming weekend, with dangerous wind chills possible Thursday
evening through Saturday morning.
&&
.UPDATE...
Issued at 1002 AM CST Tue Dec 9 2025
Rain and freezing rain continue to push eastward this morning.
Freezing rain is now confined to areas east of Highway 83, with
snow north of Highway 2. West of Highway 83 freezing rain has
switched over to mainly rain. Have dropped the Winter Weather
Advisory for freezing rain in areas that have switch to rain,
and do not include a DOT issued No Travel Advised. Otherwise the
remainder of the Winter Weather Advisory remains as is, with
noon being the next decision point for cancellation or extension
if needed. High Wind Warning also remains as is, with winds
expected to increase shortly or during the early afternoon.
UPDATE Issued at 645 AM CST Tue Dec 9 2025
Precipitation has developed across much of western and central
North Dakota this morning. Across the west, air temperatures
have broadly climbed back above freezing. That being said,
surface temperatures across much of the northwest and portions
of the southwest remain around or below freezing, and thus ice
accumulation is still being reported. Across central North
Dakota, air temperatures and surface temperatures both remain
around or slightly below freezing this morning, thus much if not
all precipitation reaching the ground at this time is expected
to be freezing rain. In the far northwest, where precipitation
has transitioned to rain, and where precpitation has started to
end, from 0.10" to 0.20" was reported. Elsewhere, around 0.05"
has fallen so far. With this update, have blended in some of the
latest short- term models in the PoPs, though these changes
have been relatively minor. Otherwise, the forecast remains on
track at this time.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 445 AM CST Tue Dec 9 2025
Cyclonic flow continues over the northern Plains today as a
stubborn Hudson Bay Low lingers to the northeast. We've had a
parade of clipper systems pass through western and central North
Dakota over the past week, with a surface low associated with
one yesterday having lingered to the east of the forecast area.
Overnight, low stratus wrapping around this low slowly moved
eastward across central and eastern North Dakota. With the warm
air temperatures over the fresh snow pack, patchy to areas of
fog had developed on the back edge of this stratus deck,
occasionally dropping visibilities as low as 1/4M, though these
were fairly brief limited. Mid to high level clouds have since
overrun this fog through the moving, and relaxing the near
surface inversion and allowing this fog to dissipate. Low
temperatures this morning are from the lower single digits from
the mid teens to mid 20s central, to the upper 20s and 30s west.
Have temperatures this afternoon remain above normal for this
time of year, from the lower to mid 30s north central to the mid
40s southwest,
Now onto the main event for today. A robust upper level
shortwave is passing through the northern Plains this morning,
accompanied by an strong attendant low pressure system that is
expected to cut from northeastern through southwestern North
Dakota today through early Wednesday. This system, and the
development of a 60-70 knots 850mb jet across the forecast area
this afternoon, will produced a variety of winter weather and
wind related impacts this morning through late tonight. We will
tackle each hazard in turn below.
Freezing rain:
- Widespread precipitation is expected across western and
central North Dakota as initial push of 850 mb warm air
advection pass from west to east this morning. With this
ongoing WAA, a significant warm nose of +6-8 deg can be
found. In the southwest, where antecedent mid to high
level clouds have lingered through much of the night, and
where the attendant warm front associated with the low
pressure is expected to move across fairly quickly, air
temperatures are broadly expected to be well above
freezing when precipitation begins. That being said,
surface temperatures themselves may be hovering around
freezing, and thus it isn't out of the cards for a brief
shot at freezing rain this morning, though the warm air
temperatures and warm subsurface temperatures will likely
keep this period short. With this, a light glaze of ice is
possible in southwestern North Dakota this morning, though
the warm air and subsurface temperatures as well as the
liquid precipitation will help melt this fairly quickly.
In the northwest and central, air temperatures around or
sub freezing are anticipated at the onset precipitation,
and thus freezing rain is expected though much of the
coming morning. A general transition from freezing rain to
snow is expected through the mid to late morning as the
column continues saturate along and behind the
aforementioned warm front, along with a trailing slug of
850mb CAA eroding the warm nose. For the northwest and
south central, including the southern James River Valley,
a general transition from freezing rain to rain is
anticipated by the mid morning hours as air temperatures
rise above freezing. When it's all said and, this area is
expected to see 0.01" to 0.10" of ice accumulation, with
some isolated pockets approaching 0.20", through this
period. Impacts due to freezing rain may linger for a few
hours after the transition to rain as surface temperatures
somewhat lag behind, though the warm air and and liquid
precpitation should help melt the ice by the late
morning/early afternoon. The north central is a slightly
different story, especially in an area from the Turtle
Mountains down through the northern James River Valley.
Here, a general transition from freezing rain to snow is
expected as a second slug of CAA moving out of the
southern Canadian Prairies erodes the warm nose aloft
through the late morning. The longer residence time of the
freezing rain and a slightly juicer precipitation
environment will push expected ice accumulations up to
0.10" to 0.20", with pockets of locally high amounts
approaching 0.25" possible. Notably, the warm front will
struggle to reach this area before moving to the southeast
with the inciting low pressure system, and thus is not
anticipated to experience much melting before a cold front
also attendant to the system drops out of the north. The
higher end of all these ranges are assuming a much slower
transition to either rain or snow through this morning.
Wind:
- Wind is expected to be the most widespread and impactful
hazard associated with this system. A 60-70knot 850mb jet
is expected to develop across western and south central
North Dakota this afternoon, somewhat displaced underneath
a very strong 120+knot jet further to the southwest in
southeastern Montana and western South Dakota. Strong
pressure rises and an initial slug of CAA aloft is
anticipated to allow much of these winds to mix down
initially in the southwest late this morning, them more
broadly across portions of western and central North
Dakota this afternoon as a much more robust push of CAA
moves out of the north. Model sounding have been somewhat
reticent to fully mix the boundary layer this afternoon,
though for the reasons mentioned above, we still
anticipated very strong wind gusts up to 60 to 65 MPH
across portions of wester and central North Dakota this
afternoon. These strongest wind gusts may not reach as far
north and east as the Turtle Mountain region as the 850mb
jet remains somewhat displaced further to the southwest,
though gusts up to 50 MPH should still be anticipated this
afternoon.
Snow:
- Not much has changed regarding our expectations for snow.
Once the precipitation in the north central into the
northern James River Valley transitions from freezing rain
early this afternoon, broadly 1 to 4 inches of
accumulation are expected through late tonight. Weak mid
level FG forcing across portions of northeastern North
Dakota could cause some periods of slightly heavier
snowfall across this area. With the strong winds
anticipated today, we must consider the potential for
blowing snow. With liquid precipitation expected through
much of the morning today, and with the warmer air
temperatures we experienced yesterday, though thought is
that much of existing snowpack is going to be unable to
blow very much. If anything, drifting snow and slush would
be the general expectation. That being said, where
falling snow meets the strong winds gusts this afternoon
and evening, periods of poor visibility are possible.
Now regarding products. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect
everywhere except far southwestern North Dakota this morning
through 12 PM CST, mainly to account for the freezing rain
potential, then across portions of north central North Dakota,
including the northern James River Valley, though late tonight
due to lingering ice accumulation, snowfall, and the potential
for blowing snow. A High Wind Warning will be in effect across
the far southwest from 9 AM this morning through 12 PM CST this
afternoon, then across most of western and central North Dakota,
except the Turtle Mountains region, through late tonight.
Both wind and precipitation is anticipated to diminish through
late Tuesday night, early Wednesday morning as the inciting low
pressure system moves off to the southwest. With a much cooler
airmass now draping across the northern Plains, lows on
Wednesday drop into the single digits below north, to the upper
single digits to mid teens south. Afternoon highs on Wednesday
are only from the upper single digits north central, to the
lower to mid 30s southwest. Another weak shortwave and attendant
low pressure system is progged to pass across North Dakota
Wednesday afternoon through the day, with medium to high chances
(40 to 70s percent) for precipitation through this period.
While much of this is expected to fall as lightly accumulating
snowfall, another period of freezing rain is possible Wednesday
night through Thursday morning in the far southwest as modest
WAA wraps around into the 850mb layer, then transitioning to
snow by Thursday afternoon. The calibrated NBM 5.0 advertises
medium chances (40 to 60 percent) for snow accumulations greater
than an inch across the west, with low chances (10 to 30
percent) central through Friday morning, and a low to medium
chances (10 to 30 percent) for a glaze of ice in the far
southwest through Thursday afternoon.
Looking ahead to this weekend, a reinforcing push of arctic air
is anticipated to drop out of the northern Plains early Friday,
cooling temperatures even further. High temperatures Friday and
Saturday are broadly from the upper single digits below to the
lower single digits above, with much of the forecast area not
expected to rise above freezing either day. With morning low
temperatures on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday broadly expected to
been from the -20 to -10, dangerously cold conditions are
possible this weekend. Much of northwestern and central North
Dakota has medium to high chances (40 to 70 percent) for wind
chills to drop to or below -30 during this period.
&&
.AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 645 AM CST Tue Dec 9 2025
High impact weather is found across North Dakota today. This
morning, MVFR to LIFR ceilings are found as precipitation
spreads across much of the forecast area, falling mainly as
freezing rain in the northwest and central. A general transition
from freezing rain to normal rain is expected for the northwest
and south central through the mid morning, then a general
transition to snow across the north central by the late morning,
early afternoon. Rain and snow will then exit through the
afternoon and evening, with cloud cover lifting through the same
period. Ice accumulations broadly from one hundreth to a tenth
of an inch are possible across northwestern and south central
North Dakota, and up to two tenths of an inch in north central
North DAkota. Snow accumulation from 1 to 4 inches is possible
in the Turtle Mountains regions, with a trace to an inch also
possible elsewhere in central North Dakota. With this update,
have added precpitation and MVFR ceilings to all terminals this
morning through the afternoon, with precpitation possibly
lingering at KMOT through the early evening. Also today, strong
low level jet will develop across western and central North
Dakota through the late morning and afternoon. With this, LLWS
is present at KXWA, KDIK, and KBIS this morning through the late
afternoon. Confidence in LLWS is lower at KMOT and KJMS at this
time, though is still possible. Very strong west to northwest
winds will also mix down to the surface across western, south
central, and portions of north central North Dakota this morning
through this evening, with speeds up to 45 MPH and gust up to
65 MPH expected. Winds will generally start to diminish
overnight, though will remain moderately strong through early to
mid Wednesday morning.
&&
.BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Winter Weather Advisory until noon CST /11 AM MST/ today for
NDZ001>003-010>012-019>023-025-034>037-042-045>048-050-051.
High Wind Warning until 9 PM CST /8 PM MST/ this evening for
NDZ001>003-009>012-017>021.
Winter Weather Advisory until midnight CST tonight for NDZ004-
005-013.
High Wind Warning until 3 AM CST /2 AM MST/ Wednesday for
NDZ022-023-025-033>037-041-042-044>048-050-051.
High Wind Warning until 8 PM MST this evening for NDZ031-032-
040-043.
&&
UPDATE...Anglin
DISCUSSION...Adam
AVIATION...AdamHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Bismarck ND 1154 AM CST Tue Dec 9 2025 NDZ004-005-012-013-022-023-025-036-037-047-048-050-051-101800- Bottineau-Rolette-McHenry-Pierce-Sheridan-Wells-Foster-Kidder- Stutsman-Logan-La Moure-McIntosh-Dickey- 1154 AM CST Tue Dec 9 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central North Dakota, south central North Dakota, and southeast North Dakota. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for portions of central North Dakota due to freezing rain this afternoon, and for accumulating snow in the Turtle Mountains area this afternoon through tonight. See weather.gov/bis for details. A High Wind Warning is in effect this afternoon through tonight across western and central North Dakota. See weather.gov/bis for details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Dangerously cold wind chills are possible Thursday evening through Sunday morning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. NDZ001>003-009>011-017>021-031>035-040>046-101800- Divide-Burke-Renville-Williams-Mountrail-Ward-McKenzie-Dunn- Mercer-Oliver-McLean-Golden Valley-Billings-Stark-Morton-Burleigh- Slope-Hettinger-Grant-Bowman-Adams-Sioux-Emmons- 1154 AM CST Tue Dec 9 2025 /1054 AM MST Tue Dec 9 2025/ 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...This Afternoon and Tonight A High Wind Warning is in effect this afternoon through tonight across western and central North Dakota. See weather.gov/bis for details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Dangerously cold wind chills are possible Thursday evening through Sunday morning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
31 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Crosby RAWS reported sustained winds of 47 mph.
Williston ASOS reported wind gusts to 60 mph.
Stanley AWOS reported wind gusts to 64 mph.
Minot ASOS reported wind gusts to 59 mph.
Killdeer AWOS reported wind gusts to 59 mph.
Hazen AWOS reported sustained winds of 40 mph.
Garrison ASOS reported wind gusts to 59 mph.
Denhoff NDDOT reported sustained winds of 40 mph.
Dickinson ASOS reported sustained winds of 45 mph.
Mandan AWOS reported sustained winds of 41 mph.
Long Lake RAWS reported wind gusts to 59 mph.
Amidon CWOP reported wind gusts to 59 mph.
Williams Lookout RAWS reported wind gusts to 58 mph.
Tatanka Prairie RAWS reported wind gusts to 61 mph.
Hazelton NDDOT site reported wind gusts to 58 mph.
Wishek NDDOT site reported sustained winds of 41 mph.
McHenry County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
Wells County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
McKenzie County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
Billings County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
Golden Valley County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
Bowman County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
Adams County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
Grant County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
Oliver County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
Burke County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
Renville County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
Kidder County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
Logan County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
LaMoure County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
Dickey County had estimated wind gusts to 60 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Dakota in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in North Dakota, December 2025
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: 1299722, 1299723, 1299724, 1299725, 1299728, 1299729, 1299731, 1299732, 1299736, 1299737, 1299745, 1299747, 1299748, 1299749, 1299750, 1299752, 1299760, 1299761, 1299762, 1299764, 1299765, 1299766, 1299767, 1299768, 1299769, 1299770, 1299771, 1299772, 1299773, 1299774, 1299775.