A low pressure system moving through southeast Manitoba into southwest Ontario resulted in gusty west to northwest winds over much of North Dakota. Over north central North Dakota, gusts to 40 mph combined with occasional falling snow and snow on the ground to produce widespread blowing snow.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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.
A low pressure system moving through southeast Manitoba into southwest Ontario resulted in gusty west to northwest winds over much of North Dakota. Over north central North Dakota, gusts to 40 mph combined with occasional falling snow and snow on the ground to produce widespread blowing snow. Visibility reduced to under one-quarter mile producing blizzard conditions during the morning hours. The blizzard continued until mid-afternoon when visibility improved.
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 Feb 6, 7:51 AM CST, 9 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Bismarck ND 751 AM CST Thu Feb 6 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Dangerously cold wind chills around 35 below continue along and north of Interstate 94 this morning. - West to northwest winds with occasional gusts to 45 mph will continue into this afternoon over much of northwest and central North Dakota into the James River Valley, resulting in blowing snow. - High chances for snow late Friday afternoon through Saturday morning, mainly south of Highway 200. Medium to high chances (~40 to 80 percent) for at least 4 inches along and south of Interstate 94. && .UPDATE... Issued at 749 AM CST Thu Feb 6 2025 Numerous sites along the I-94 corridor are reporting wind chills in the 30 to 35 below range. The Cold Weather Advisory has been expanded a tier of counties south (Golden Valley to Kidder). UPDATE Issued at 643 AM CST Thu Feb 6 2025 For morning update main change was to add some scattered snow showers with the clouds that are passing through far north central/northwest North Dakota. These should continue to slide to the east rather quickly this morning, but the snow showers are leading to the development of some rather poor visibility at times. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 334 AM CST Thu Feb 6 2025 Current surface analysis places low along the Manitoba/Ontario border with high stretching along the Northern Rockies. Upper level analysis places trough off the west coast with mainly zonal flow over the CONUS, though a modest trough that contributed to last night's snow continues to pass through the Northern Plains. Otherwise, for our area the main concern is westerly wind that has been on the increase overnight between the two aforementioned surface systems. This wind is contributing to frigid wind chill values over the northern parts of our area where the coldest temperatures are noted, and to areas of blowing snow over parts of northwest and central North Dakota. For today, west to northwest winds will remain gusty through much of the day before surface low shifts to the east-northeast and high pressure settles in this evening. Given the cold temperatures, have left the Cold Weather Advisory in place through the morning, and with that said even this afternoon will remain quite frigid with high temperatures only expected to climb into the single digits above zero throughout northern parts of the area, with some teens possible over the south. The next concern is blowing snow. Last night we had another round of light snow move through the area, which will only aid in the potential for blowing snow given the expected winds. We have already had some locations dip down to around a mile in visibility over northern portions of the area into the upper James River Valley. The concern for this will continue through today until the wind starts diminishing. With respect to the ongoing Winter Weather Advisory for blowing snow over much of central into parts of northwest North Dakota, we did end up expanding it into Divide and Williams Counties given reduced visibility starting to show up over that area due to the blowing snow. Quiet weather expected tonight as the surface high passes through, with temperatures over most locations dipping to below zero. On Friday aforementioned Pacific trough flattens out and starts its swift approach towards our area, while another shot of cold air drops southward. Snow chances develop over the southwest Friday afternoon, spreading over much of the area overnight, eventually departing Saturday. High chances (over 70 percent) remain mainly south of Highway 200, greatest along the South Dakota border. Forecast snow amounts have varied some over the past couple days, but NBM guidance still shows medium to high chances (~40 to 80 percent) for at least 4 inches along and south of Interstate 94, with the greatest chances over McIntosh and Dickey Counties. Confidence in seeing 6 inches over these areas still remains a bit questionable, so in coordination with WFO-Grand Forks have held off from issuing any winter storm watch products for now, but will keep a close eye on how this trends, and whether the potential for banded snowfall which now appears to hold south of the South Dakota border starts to creep north. Thereafter concern switches towards frigid temperatures as multiple rounds of frigid air pushes into the area for the upcoming week. NBM guidance remains quite confident in this cold solution with rather limited spreads between the upper and lower percentiles. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z FRIDAY/... Issued at 643 AM CST Thu Feb 6 2025 West to northwest winds will continue to be on the increase this morning, leading to areas of blowing snow, particularly over northwest and central North Dakota through the James River Valley. Periodic visibility reduction to MVFR and IFR levels are expected. The winds will subside late this afternoon with VFR conditions prevailing. && .BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Cold Weather Advisory until noon CST /11 AM MST/ today for NDZ001>005-009>013-017>023-031>036. Winter Weather Advisory until 6 PM CST this evening for NDZ001>005-009>013-021>023-025-035>037-047-048-050-051. && UPDATE...Hollan DISCUSSION...JJS AVIATION...JJS
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Bismarck ND 740 AM CST Thu Feb 6 2025 NDZ001>005-009>013-021>023-035-036-071345- Divide-Burke-Renville-Bottineau-Rolette-Williams-Mountrail-Ward- McHenry-Pierce-McLean-Sheridan-Wells-Burleigh-Kidder- 740 AM CST Thu Feb 6 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central North Dakota, northwest North Dakota, and south central North Dakota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect this morning. A Winter Weather Advisory for blowing snow is in effect through this afternoon. See www.weather.gov/bis for details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday There are medium to high chances for at least 4 inches of snow along and south of Interstate 94 Friday afternoon through Saturday morning. Dangerous wind chills are possible Sunday night through Wednesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. NDZ017>020-031>034-071345- McKenzie-Dunn-Mercer-Oliver-Golden Valley-Billings-Stark-Morton- 740 AM CST Thu Feb 6 2025 /640 AM MST Thu Feb 6 2025/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northwest North Dakota, south central North Dakota, and southwest North Dakota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect this morning. See weather.gov/bis for details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday There are medium to high chances for at least 4 inches of snow along and south of Interstate 94 Friday afternoon through Saturday morning. Dangerous wind chills are possible Sunday night through Wednesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. NDZ025-037-047-048-050-051-071345- Foster-Stutsman-Logan-La Moure-McIntosh-Dickey- 740 AM CST Thu Feb 6 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast North Dakota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A Winter Weather Advisory for blowing snow is in effect through today. See weather.gov/bis for details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday There are medium to high chances for at least 4 inches of snow along and south of Interstate 94 Friday afternoon through Saturday morning. Dangerous wind chills are possible Sunday night through Wednesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. NDZ040>046-071345- Slope-Hettinger-Grant-Bowman-Adams-Sioux-Emmons- 740 AM CST Thu Feb 6 2025 /640 AM MST Thu Feb 6 2025/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of south central North Dakota and southwest North Dakota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday There are medium to high chances for at least 4 inches of snow Friday afternoon through Saturday morning. Dangerous wind chills are possible Sunday night through Wednesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong winds combined with falling snow and snow on the ground to produce a blizzard.
Strong winds combined with falling snow and snow on the ground to produce a blizzard.
Strong winds combined with falling snow and snow on the ground to produce a blizzard.
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, February 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: 1236330, 1236331, 1236332.