A strong atmospheric river will continue heavy rain over southern California through Friday. The heaviest rainfall is ongoing today in the Los Angeles Basin. Flash and urban flooding is possible. A prolonged heavy snowfall has begun over the Sierra Nevada Mountains and will continue through Friday. Travel will become increasingly difficult over the passes due to snow and strong winds. Read More >
Overview
Over a two day period a strong storm system moved through the Northern Plains and brought heavy snow, strong winds, and blizzard conditions to parts of eastern North Dakota and much of the Red River Valley. This caused headaches for travelers across the region returning home for the holidays.Snow Totals
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND 1111 AM CST FRI DEC 28 2018 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0731 AM HEAVY SNOW HAVANA 45.95N 97.62W 12/28/2018 M13.5 INCH Sargent ND CO-OP OBSERVER EVENT TOTAL 13.5 INCHES WITH TOTAL LIQUID EQUIVALENT 1.34 INCHES 0741 AM SNOW LANCASTER 48.86N 96.80W 12/28/2018 M5.0 INCH Kittson MN CO-OP OBSERVER STORM TOTAL 5.0 INCHES WITH TOTAL LIQUID EQUIVALENT 0.45 INCHES 0745 AM HEAVY SNOW SEBEKA 46.63N 95.09W 12/28/2018 E13.0 INCH Wadena MN CO-OP OBSERVER STORM TOTAL SNOW 13.0 INCHES WITH TOTAL LIQUID EQUIVALENT 0.68 INCHES 0750 AM HEAVY SNOW 7 S NEVIS 46.86N 94.84W 12/28/2018 M12.5 INCH Hubbard MN PUBLIC STORM TOTAL SNOW 12.5 INCHES WITH TOTAL LIQUID EQUIVALENT 1.02 INCHES 0911 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 S FARGO 46.83N 96.82W 12/28/2018 M8.5 INCH Cass ND CO-OP OBSERVER OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL FOR FARGO, ND 0914 AM SNOW GRAND FORKS 47.92N 97.07W 12/28/2018 M5.8 INCH GRAND FORKS ND OFFICIAL NWS OBS OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL FOR GRAND FORKS-UNIVERSITY...NWS OFFICE 0914 AM SNOW 4 W GRAND FORKS 47.92N 97.16W 12/28/2018 M3.9 INCH Grand Forks ND OTHER FEDERAL OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL FOR GRAND FORKS AIRPORT 0959 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 E BRECKENRIDGE 46.26N 96.53W 12/28/2018 M11.0 INCH Wilkin MN CO-OP OBSERVER STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL 11.0 INCHES WITH TOTAL LIQUID EQUIVALENT 1.30 INCHES 1030 AM SNOW PEMBINA 48.97N 97.25W 12/28/2018 M3.3 INCH PEMBINA ND CO-OP OBSERVER OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL 1030 AM SNOW 6 SE LANKIN 48.25N 97.83W 12/28/2018 M5.0 INCH Walsh ND CO-OP OBSERVER OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL 1030 AM HEAVY SNOW MCLEOD 46.39N 97.30W 12/28/2018 E9.0 INCH RANSOM ND CO-OP OBSERVER OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL 1030 AM HEAVY SNOW LIDGERWOOD 46.07N 97.15W 12/28/2018 M10.0 INCH RICHLAND ND CO-OP OBSERVER OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL 1030 AM SNOW CAVALIER 48.80N 97.62W 12/28/2018 M4.0 INCH PEMBINA ND CO-OP OBSERVER OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL 1030 AM HEAVY SNOW NEW YORK MILLS 46.52N 95.37W 12/28/2018 M12.0 INCH OTTER TAIL MN CO-OP OBSERVER OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL 1030 AM SNOW 6 NW WARREN 48.26N 96.86W 12/28/2018 M4.6 INCH Marshall MN COCORAHS OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL 1030 AM HEAVY SNOW SEBEKA 46.63N 95.09W 12/28/2018 M13.0 INCH WADENA MN CO-OP OBSERVER OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL 1030 AM HEAVY SNOW ABERCROMBIE 46.45N 96.73W 12/28/2018 M10.5 INCH RICHLAND ND COCORAHS OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL 1030 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 S BATTLE LAKE 46.26N 95.72W 12/28/2018 M13.0 INCH Otter Tail MN COCORAHS OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL 1030 AM HEAVY SNOW 6 S LAKE PARK 46.80N 96.10W 12/28/2018 M8.8 INCH Becker MN COCORAHS OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL 1030 AM HEAVY SNOW 6 NNW PELICAN RAPIDS 46.65N 96.13W 12/28/2018 M6.5 INCH Otter Tail MN COCORAHS OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL 1030 AM HEAVY SNOW 6 SSW RICHVILLE 46.43N 95.67W 12/28/2018 M8.6 INCH Otter Tail MN COCORAHS OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL 1030 AM HEAVY SNOW ROTHSAY 46.47N 96.29W 12/28/2018 M12.2 INCH WILKIN MN CO-OP OBSERVER OFFICIAL TWO DAY TOTAL
Photos
Storm pictures from across the region.
Want to see your pictures on here? Send us your weather photos!
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| NWS Grand Forks at sunset on Thursday, Dec 27. (source: NWS FGF) |
MNDOT snowplow prior to sunrise on Friday 12/28/18 (Courtesy of MNDOT) |
Low visibility along the I-29 corridor on the morning of Dec. 27. (Courtesy of ND DOT) |
Suspended snow particles on the early evening of Friday, Dec. 28. (source: NWS FGF) |
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| Impressive snow drifts such as this one near Comstock, MN were common during and after the blizzard. (Courtesy of Tiffany Qualley) |
Another view of the impressive snow drifts. (Courtesy of Tiffany Qualley) |
7" measured 10 miles north of Bemidji, MN. (Courtesy of Ashley Casper) |
11" measured 5 miles west of Minnewaukan, MN. (Courtesy of Quentin Sears) |
Radar
Wind Reports
...WIND REPORTS... LOCATION SPEED TIME/DATE GRAND FORKS ND 60 MPH 0926 PM 12/27 FARGO ND 56 MPH 0931 PM 12/27 BUXTON ND 4 S (DOT) 55 MPH 0909 PM 12/27 TENNEY MN (DOT) 53 MPH 1110 PM 12/27 WAHPETON ND 51 MPH 0915 PM 12/27 E GRAND FORKS MN (DOT) 51 MPH 0900 PM 12/27 DILWORTH MN (DOT) 50 MPH 0615 PM 12/27 HENDRUM MN (DOT) 50 MPH 0735 PM 12/27 WAHPETON ND (DOT) 50 MPH 0254 AM 12/28 GRAFTON ND 49 MPH 0855 PM 12/27 MOORHEAD MN 49 MPH 0635 PM 12/27 DEVILS LAKE ND (DOT) 49 MPH 0924 PM 12/27 BUFFALO ND 7 N (DOT) 48 MPH 0939 PM 12/27 GRAND FORKS AFB ND 48 MPH 1219 AM 12/28 DONALDSON MN (DOT) 46 MPH 0905 PM 12/27 GRAND FORKS ND (DOT) 45 MPH 0954 PM 12/27 LANGDON ND 44 MPH 0555 PM 12/27 EMERADO ND (DOT) 44 MPH 1009 PM 12/27 COOPERSTOWN ND 44 MPH 1015 PM 12/27 CAVALIER ND 43 MPH 0915 PM 12/27 WALHALLA ND 43 MPH 0935 PM 12/27 CROOKSTON MN 43 MPH 0935 PM 12/27 LEEDS ND (DOT) 42 MPH 0124 PM 12/27 DEVILS LAKE ND 41 MPH 0241 PM 12/27 GWINNER ND 41 MPH 0135 AM 12/28 HALLOCK MN 40 MPH 0835 PM 12/27 GATZKE MN (DOT) 40 MPH 1110 PM 12/27 PARK RAPIDS MN 40 MPH 0233 AM 12/28 OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURES. WE THANK ALL VOLUNTEER WEATHER OBSERVERS FOR THEIR DEDICATION. NOT ALL DATA LISTED ARE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.
Environment
The weather pattern that brought about this late December blizzard was fairly typically of most blizzards for the Red River Valley region. Below are upper air charts valid at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, December 26, about the time when snowfall was ongoing or beginning across the region. Note the large wave moving out of the Four Corners region as well as the strong mid level warm air advection over the northern Plains. The large upper level wave helped develop the strong surface low that moved through the northern Plains.
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| 500 mb Height and Wind Speed | 700 mb Heights, Temperature, and RH | 850 mb Heights, Temperature, and RH |
Below are two loops showing the progression of the 925 mb low and temperature field as well as the snow environment. The surface low tracked through northern Iowa and southern Minnesota, but the strong pressure gradient winds over the Red River Valley were favorable to blow around the snow that fell on Dec. 26 and into Dec. 27, leading to blizzard conditions. The second loop shows where there was enough moisture (green shading) and upward motion (purple lines) in the snow growth zone (the Dendritic Layer). Areas where these two parameters overlapped is where some of the heaviest snow fell.
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| 925 mb Heights and Temperature, Radar | DGZ Relative Humidity and Omega, Radar |
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