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Storm Events Database
Event Details
| Event | Blizzard |
| State | NORTH DAKOTA |
| County/Area | DUNN |
| WFO | BIS |
| Begin Date | 12/25/2009 06:00:00 CST-6 |
| End Date | 12/26/2009 17:00:00 CST-6 |
| Deaths Direct/Indirect | 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...) |
| Injuries Direct/Indirect | 0/0 |
| Property Damage | 0.00K |
| Crop Damage | 0.00K |
| Episode Narrative | A significant and prolonged winter storm impacted all of west and central North Dakota beginning Wednesday, December 23rd, lasting into Saturday, December 26th. Lead time was significant, as statements, watches, and warnings were posted well in advance of the storm. During the afternoon hours of Wednesday the 23rd, the first wave of snow moved into the region as a northern stream upper low dropped south into the Northern Plains from central Alberta, combined with a surface trough of low pressure pushing from west to east across the state Wednesday and Wednesday night. After a brief lull in snowfall intensity Thursday, this first system merged with a southern stream upper low over the central plains Christmas Eve night, and intensified as the merged system moved slowly northeast into the Midwest on Christmas Day. As this occurred, areas of snow redeveloped from east to west Thursday night into Friday. The main forcing mechanism for snow across west and central North Dakota during this second wave of snow was a persistent TROWAL (TRough Of Warm Air Aloft) which developed and resulted in the continuous generation of moderate to heavy snow bands over central and portions of western North Dakota early Christmas Day into Saturday. Additionally, already strong northerly winds of 20 to 30 mph Wednesday and Thursday increased on Friday, with gusts up to 45 mph developing across the state as surface low pressure retrograded northwest into western Iowa, resulting in a significant pressure gradient over the Dakotas. These strong winds accompanied the snow and produced widespread blizzard conditions over much of west and all of central North Dakota from Christmas Day through much of Saturday the 26th. The significant blowing and drifting of snow resulted in nearly impossible travel throughout the event, especially on the 25th and 26th when the strongest winds occurred. Numerous no travel advisories were issued from the North Dakota Department of Transportation, along with several road closures including all of Interstate 94 and portions of U.S. Highways 83 and 2. Needless to say, holiday commerce across west and central North Dakota was severely impacted by this intense storm system. |
| Event Narrative | Several inches of snow coupled with a wind that increased, and gusted as high as 40 mph, caused blowing snow. Visibility was near zero. By 10:30 AM on December 25 the North Dakota Department of Transportation issued a no travel advisory for nearly the entire state. Travel over the Christmas holiday was nearly impossible due to significant drifting. |
All events for this episode:
| Location | County/Zone | St. | Date | Time | T.Z. | Type | Mag | Dth | Inj | PrD | CrD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals: | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |||||||
| WARD (ZONE) | WARD (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| EMMONS (ZONE) | EMMONS (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MORTON (ZONE) | MORTON (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| GRANT (ZONE) | GRANT (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| SIOUX (ZONE) | SIOUX (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| ROLETTE (ZONE) | ROLETTE (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| SHERIDAN (ZONE) | SHERIDAN (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| BOTTINEAU (ZONE) | BOTTINEAU (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| BURLEIGH (ZONE) | BURLEIGH (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MCHENRY (ZONE) | MCHENRY (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MCLEAN (ZONE) | MCLEAN (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MERCER (ZONE) | MERCER (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| OLIVER (ZONE) | OLIVER (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| PIERCE (ZONE) | PIERCE (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| RENVILLE (ZONE) | RENVILLE (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| LOGAN (ZONE) | LOGAN (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 22:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| WELLS (ZONE) | WELLS (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 22:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| STUTSMAN (ZONE) | STUTSMAN (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 22:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MCINTOSH (ZONE) | MCINTOSH (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 22:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| LA MOURE (ZONE) | LA MOURE (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 22:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| KIDDER (ZONE) | KIDDER (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 22:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| FOSTER (ZONE) | FOSTER (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 22:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| DICKEY (ZONE) | DICKEY (ZONE) | ND | 12/23/2009 | 22:00 | CST-6 | Winter Storm | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MERCER (ZONE) | MERCER (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| SHERIDAN (ZONE) | SHERIDAN (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| STUTSMAN (ZONE) | STUTSMAN (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| WELLS (ZONE) | WELLS (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| BILLINGS (ZONE) | BILLINGS (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| STARK (ZONE) | STARK (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| HETTINGER (ZONE) | HETTINGER (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| DICKEY (ZONE) | DICKEY (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| EMMONS (ZONE) | EMMONS (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| FOSTER (ZONE) | FOSTER (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| KIDDER (ZONE) | KIDDER (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| LA MOURE (ZONE) | LA MOURE (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| LOGAN (ZONE) | LOGAN (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| SLOPE (ZONE) | SLOPE (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MOUNTRAIL (ZONE) | MOUNTRAIL (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MCKENZIE (ZONE) | MCKENZIE (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| BOWMAN (ZONE) | BOWMAN (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| ADAMS (ZONE) | ADAMS (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| BURLEIGH (ZONE) | BURLEIGH (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| GOLDEN VALLEY (ZONE) | GOLDEN VALLEY (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| DUNN (ZONE) | DUNN (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MCHENRY (ZONE) | MCHENRY (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| GRANT (ZONE) | GRANT (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MCLEAN (ZONE) | MCLEAN (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MORTON (ZONE) | MORTON (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| OLIVER (ZONE) | OLIVER (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| ROLETTE (ZONE) | ROLETTE (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| PIERCE (ZONE) | PIERCE (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| MCINTOSH (ZONE) | MCINTOSH (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| BOTTINEAU (ZONE) | BOTTINEAU (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| RENVILLE (ZONE) | RENVILLE (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| WARD (ZONE) | WARD (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| SIOUX (ZONE) | SIOUX (ZONE) | ND | 12/25/2009 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Blizzard | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| Totals: | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
