North Dakota, 2025

Cold in North Dakota, January 18 to 21, 2025

January 18 to 21, 2025 · NWS BIS · 36 events in 36 counties and zones

A frigid Arctic airmass settled over the area bringing very low wind chill values over northwest and central North Dakota, which was followed by an even colder Arctic airmass, resulting in extremely cold wind chill values throughout all of western and central North Dakota. The lowest wind chill values were experienced the night of January 19 into the morning of January 20, when almost all of…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 32 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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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 36

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 frigid Arctic airmass settled over the area bringing very low wind chill values over northwest and central North Dakota, which was followed by an even colder Arctic airmass, resulting in extremely cold wind chill values throughout all of western and central North Dakota. The lowest wind chill values were experienced the night of January 19 into the morning of January 20, when almost all of western and central North Dakota experienced minimum wind chill values of 45 below to around 60 below.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

36 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Divide

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Divide forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.815, -103.487 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Williams

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Williams forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.344, -103.480 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Mountrail

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Mountrail forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.201, -102.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Burke

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Burke forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.791, -102.518 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Renville

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Renville forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.719, -101.658 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Ward

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Ward forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, McLean

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: McLean forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Bottineau

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Bottineau forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.792, -100.833 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, McHenry

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: McHenry forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.235, -100.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Sheridan

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Sheridan forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.575, -100.346 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Burleigh

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Burleigh forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.977, -100.469 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Emmons

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Emmons forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.285, -100.239 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Rolette

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Rolette forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.772, -99.841 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Pierce

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Pierce forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.250, -99.972 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Wells

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Wells forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.588, -99.661 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Kidder

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Kidder forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.980, -99.780 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Logan

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Logan forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.457, -99.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, McIntosh

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: McIntosh forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.112, -99.441 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Foster

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Foster forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.457, -98.883 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Stutsman

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Stutsman forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.979, -98.959 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, La Moure

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: La Moure forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.457, -98.535 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Dickey

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 21, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Dickey forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.110, -98.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, McKenzie

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 20, 12:00 PM CST
Where: McKenzie forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.740, -103.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Dunn

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 20, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Dunn forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.357, -102.618 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Mercer

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 20, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Mercer forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.309, -101.831 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Oliver

When: January 18, 8:00 PM CST to January 20, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Oliver forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.115, -101.340 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Golden Valley

When: January 19, 8:00 PM CST to January 20, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Golden Valley forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.940, -103.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Billings

When: January 19, 8:00 PM CST to January 20, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Billings forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.023, -103.376 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Stark

When: January 19, 8:00 PM CST to January 20, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Stark forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.811, -102.655 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Morton

When: January 19, 8:00 PM CST to January 20, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Morton forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Slope

When: January 19, 8:00 PM CST to January 20, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Slope forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.447, -103.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Hettinger

When: January 19, 8:00 PM CST to January 20, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Hettinger forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.433, -102.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Adams

When: January 19, 8:00 PM CST to January 20, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.097, -102.528 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Grant

When: January 19, 8:00 PM CST to January 20, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Grant forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.358, -101.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Sioux

When: January 19, 8:00 PM CST to January 20, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Sioux forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

Cold/Wind Chill, Bowman

When: January 19, 8:00 PM CST to January 20, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Bowman forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 46.113, -103.521 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wind chill values dropped as low as 60 below.

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill: Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in North Dakota in 2025 Every state in 2025 This day in weather history Warnings in North Dakota, January 2025

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: 1228095, 1228096, 1228097, 1228098, 1228099, 1228100, 1228101, 1228102, 1228103, 1228104, 1228105, 1228106, 1228108, 1228109, 1228110, 1228111, 1228112, 1228113, 1228114, 1228115, 1228116, 1228117, 1228125, 1228126, 1228127, 1228128, 1228130, 1228131, 1228132, 1228133, 1228134, 1228135, 1228136, 1228137, 1228138, 1228140.