Heavy Snow — Adams, North Dakota

2013-10-04 to 2013-10-05 · Adams, North Dakota

Event narrative

Storm total snowfall of 18 to 22 inches was reported near the city of Hettinger in south central Adams County. Snowfall amounts tapered off across northern Adams County to around eight to twelve inches.

Wider weather episode

An intense very early winter storm October 4-5 impacted southwest and parts of south central North Dakota, bringing wind gusts over 45 mph and snowfall of twenty inches in some locations.

A classic Colorado Low storm moved out of the central Rocky Mountains on the 4th, then moved slowly northeast before exiting into the Upper Mississippi Valley later on the 5th. Bands of heavy snow developed underneath the system's TROWAL (Trough Of Warm Air ALoft) from over southwest North Dakota into Western South Dakota. The heaviest snow with this system occurred over the northern Black Hills of western South Dakota, where over three feet of snow fell due to the TROWAL and a strong upslope northerly low level flow. Snowfall amounts tapered off into North Dakota, but were still significant with over twenty inches reported in southern Hettinger County. Snowfall north of Interstate 94 quickly dropped to less than one inch with decreased forcing aloft, and also near the Missouri River where the rain/snow line was located.

In addition to the heavy snow, strong northeast winds with peak gusts over 45 miles per hour during the late afternoon and evening of the 4th resulted in blizzard conditions over Adams, Grant, and Sioux counties. Winds decreased later on the 5th as the surface low moved into Minnesota.

Impacts from this storm were severe, with President Obama signing a disaster declaration for parts of the state. Impacts included an estimated eight million dollars in damages to public infrastructure and power utilities. Significant losses occurred to both cattle and crops. The wet snow and high wind killed cattle and the storm delayed a harvest that was already behind schedule due to a wet fall.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 477350. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.