A fast moving low pressure system moved across eastern North Dakota and northwest MN, bringing moderate to locally heavy snow to northwest MN from the early morning hours April 2 through the early morning hours April 3. There was an 8 to 12 hour period of no snowfall after this wave exited the region before the much stronger low pressure system arrived during the afternoon and evening on April 3.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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 FGF wrote it up.
A fast moving low pressure system moved across eastern North Dakota and northwest MN, bringing moderate to locally heavy snow to northwest MN from the early morning hours April 2 through the early morning hours April 3. There was an 8 to 12 hour period of no snowfall after this wave exited the region before the much stronger low pressure system arrived during the afternoon and evening on April 3. As this first faster moving low pressure tightened over northwest MN, localized heavier snow banding resulted in some locations receiving of 6 to 8 inches across parts of northwest MN. The rest of the region mainly received light to moderate totals less than 6 inches with this first system.
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 Grand Forks, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 1, 10:21 PM CST, 2 hours 39 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
1121 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- The first of two rounds of accumulating snow begins this
evening, continuing into Thursday night. General 3-6 inches of
accumulation will bring advisory impacts, currently forecast
for areas along and south of a line from Jamestown to Bemidji.
- The second round of snow moves through Friday into Saturday.
This system will be stronger than the first round, bringing an
80 percent chance for warning level impacts from accumulating
snowfall greater than 6 inches.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 1235 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026
...Synopsis...
The first of two systems will be impacting the region later this
evening and overnight into Thursday. H5 low pressure is currently
moving out of northern Utah and into northwestern Colorado. This
system enters the Central Plains this afternoon before accelerating
northeastward into the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest. As this is
happening, a second upper low moves onshore in the Pacific
Northwest, diving to the east and southeast on Thursday, then into
the northern reaches of the Intermountain west overnight Thursday
into Friday morning. This second low will deepen quickly as it
travels east on Friday, then occlude and drift to the northeast
Friday evening and overnight into Saturday morning. The timing of
this slowdown and inflection will greatly impact overall snowfall
expectations, as the system is expected to speed back up as it
moves off to the northeast early Saturday morning.
...First Round of Snow Tonight into Thursday...
The first system will bring advisory conditions to most of west
central Minnesota, northwest Minnesota, and parts of the southern
Red River Valley and southeast North Dakota. There has been good
agreement over the past several days, both in the ensembles and
deterministic guidance, regarding the overall track and intensity of
this first upper low. The heaviest snowfall is expected along and
south of a line from Jamestown to Bemidji, where the 25th and 75th
percentile amounts are 2" to 5" respectively. Further north, 1" to
3" will be possible with the first system (also 25th and 75th
percentiles). Temperatures will also play a role in how much snow is
able to accumulate, given the relatively warm air that will be in
place during the event. Overnight lows tonight fall slowly into the
upper 20s to near 30 degrees, then warm during the day Thursday to
near freezing.
...Second Round of Snow Friday Evening Through Saturday Afternoon...
Looking into Friday and Saturday, the second upper low moves east
and northeast into the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest as it
occludes and slows down slightly. As this inflection occurs, a
period of heavy snow is likely along the northern and western side
of the low. There will be plenty of moisture available for the
second system as 1000mb to 850mb mixing ratios climb well into the 3-
4 g/Kg range as the system occludes just east of the CWA. This,
along with good banding support, will allow for snowfall rates
upwards of 1+ inches per hour at times. The main uncertainty with
this second system will be residence time as the occlusion happens,
and whether or not the overall forward movement of the system is
impacted. A stronger inflection will allow higher totals upwards of
the 90th percentile, or up to about 8"-10" of snow in some places.
If we see faster movement, and a weaker inflection, there will be
fewer bands and less residence time, thus supporting amounts closer
to the 10th-25th percentile in the 3"-6" range. This will be in
addition to the first system, not taking into account any compaction
or melting. Much like the first system, temperatures will be near
freezing or just below freezing Friday night, then climb slightly
after sunrise on Saturday.
Overall potential storm totals (Tonight through Saturday), could
range anywhere from 5" near Devils Lake, to a foot of snow in the
Valley City area. It is worth noting that this will be a very heavy
and wet snow due to the temperatures being relatively warm.
&&
.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 1116 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026
Snow and low ceilings will remain the two major impacts for the
TAF period, with the site at greatest risk for visibility
reductions due to falling snow being FAR. Based on current
trends, it appears that a more southern solution of heaviest
snowfall is occurring and thus heavier snowfall rates should
remain south of most of our TAF sites. That said, most TAF sites
will experience at least periodic reductions to MVFR
visibilities with occasional IFR. Predominant MVFR/IFR
visibilities are much more likely at FAR where snowfall duration
and heaviest rates are most likely to be. There is the potential
for a slight nudge northward that may cause impacts to make it
to BJI and GFK as well, but this is looking less likely at this
time.
What will impact all TAF sites is widespread MVFR to IFR
ceilings. As of 06z, sites are hovering around 1000ft where the
main system is and that will expand with time overnight. There
is a chance for prevailing IFR but given the current sparseness
of observations with more widespread MVFR, the TAF forecast
features BKN010s. As observations come in, nudges closer to IFR
may arise from amendments or the next routine TAF. Ceilings may
improve tomorrow evening depending on cloud coverage, but expect
cloud bases to remain very low just ahead of the next winter
system which will once again bring flight categories back down
once again.
&&
.FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ND...Winter Storm Watch from Friday afternoon through late Saturday
night for NDZ008-014>016-024-026>030-038-039-049-052>054.
Winter Weather Advisory until 7 PM CDT Thursday for NDZ024-
028>030-038-039-049-052-053.
MN...Winter Storm Watch from Friday afternoon through late Saturday
night for MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040.
Winter Weather Advisory until 7 PM CDT Thursday for MNZ002-003-
022-023-027>031-040.
Winter Weather Advisory until 1 AM CDT Friday for MNZ006-009-
016-017-024-032.
&&
DISCUSSION...Lynch
AVIATION...PerrouxHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 435 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026 MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024- 026>030-038-039-049-052>054-022145- West Polk-Norman-Clay-Kittson-Roseau-Lake Of The Woods- West Marshall-East Marshall-North Beltrami-Pennington-Red Lake- East Polk-North Clearwater-South Beltrami-Mahnomen- South Clearwater-Hubbard-West Becker-East Becker-Wilkin- West Otter Tail-East Otter Tail-Wadena-Grant-Towner-Cavalier- Pembina-Benson-Ramsey-Eastern Walsh-Eddy-Nelson-Grand Forks- Griggs-Steele-Traill-Barnes-Cass-Ransom-Sargent-Richland- Western Walsh- 435 PM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North Dakota, west central and northwest Minnesota. .DAY ONE...Tonight Active winter headlines are ongoing. See latest watches, warnings, and advisories for more details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Active winter headlines are ongoing. See latest watches, warnings, and advisories for more details. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Reports of snow, ice, visibility, and poor road conditions will be appreciated.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Public report of 6.5 inches of snowfall measured at Park Rapids, MN for the 24hr period. Cocorahs station MN-HB-33 Laporte MN 8.0 NNW measured 6.0 inches of snowfall for the 24hr period.
Cocorahs station MN-BM-48 Tenstrike 9.0 NW measured 7.0 inches of snowfall for the 24hr period ending at 6am CST. There was also a measured report of 6.0 inches of snowfall at 5:53am CST in Bemidji, MN.
Public measurement of 8 inches of snowfall for the 24hr period shared with picture of ruler in snow. Cocorahs station MN-PG-3 Goodridge MN 7.4 SW measured 7.1 inches of snow for the 24hr period. End time is based on MRMS composite radar.
CO-OP Observer station RLWM5 Camp Norris DNR MN measured 6.0 inches of snow for the 24hr period ending at 6am CST. Cocorahs station MN-LW-5 Williams MN 2.9 E measured 6.0 inches for this storm. Broadcast media relayed a public report of 6 inches for this storm at Baudette, MN.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, April 2026
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: 1332105, 1332102, 1332103, 1332100.