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EARLY SEASON BLIZZARD BLANKETS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA, NORTHWEST MINNESOTA LATE-SEASON SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK STRIKES CENTRAL UNITED STATES
The early season storm moved from Canada across North Dakota Tuesday night, leaving behind the below-freezing temperatures and 1-3 inches of snow that had been forecast. But, when the storm reached Grand Forks Wednesday morning, it quickly turned into a raging blizzard. Forecasters at the Grand Forks Weather Service office said a moisture-laden, low-pressure system over northern Minnesota wrapped into the cold air dropping down from Canada, causing the storm's movement to stall and snow to intensify. "Unfortunately, the worst part of the storm developed quickly during the morning drive time and intensified through the rest of the day," Grand Forks Warning Coordination Meteorologist Gregory Gust said. "Local media picked up immediately on our blizzard warning, but for the people on their way to work, there wasn't a lot they could do." The storm dropped a record 11 inches of snow on Grand Forks. The snow combined with 35 mph winds to form drifts of two feet and more on roadways and exit ramps. The previous October snowfall record for Grand Forks was 8 inches in 1926. "Getting 11 inches of snow isn't uncommon in this part of the country, but getting 11 inches of snow in October is unusual," Gust said. The storm dropped 10 inches of snow on Devils Lake and Cavalier, N.D., and left 7 inches on the ground in Grafton. In northwest Minnesota, 11 inches fell at Hallock and Thief River Falls, and Crookston reported 8 inches. The wet, heavy snow quickly turned to ice in the freezing temperatures, causing significant travel problems for motorists. At one point Wednesday, the North Dakota Highway Patrol reported up to 400 vehicles stuck on Interstate 29 between Grand Forks and Thompson and at least two snow plows hit by trucks. On the Minnesota side of the storm, about 20 vehicles were reported to have skidded off a 100-mile stretch of snow-packed and ice-rutted U.S. 59. Gust said Thursday's forecast called for a blizzard warning just east of the Fargo and Grand Forks areas, where additional accumulations of an inch or two of snow will be compounded by blowing and drifting snow from 30-40 mph winds. A winter weather advisory was in effect Thursday for northwest Minnesota (including the Hallock area), Devils Lake and Grand Forks. According to Gust, the Hallock area can expect an additional 1-2 inches of snow with northwest winds of 25-35 mph causing more drifting. Fargo residents, he said, can expect less than an inch of additional snow, but 25-35 mph winds and steady temperatures around 30 will mean continued blowing and drifting snow. "Most of the area should
see high temperatures of 30-35 degrees Friday and Saturday,"
Gust said, "and by Sunday, highs should be 45-55 degrees.
We're looking at a chance of showers on Monday with temperatures
again reaching 45-55, so the snow won't stay around very long." NOAA's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., logged 424 severe weather reports during the event, including 19 tornado reports, 96 hail reports and 309 reports of damaging winds spanning 12 states. Areas most affected were southern Michigan, Indiana, central and southern Illinois, and eastern Missouri. Tornados were reported in central Illinois, northern Indiana and southeast Michigan. One fatality occurred in La Porte, Ind., and another occurred near Maple Rapids, Mich., when thunderstorm winds blew a tree on top of a vehicle. The straight-line winds occurred while a tornado warning was in effect for the area. National Weather Service offices in the affected states issued more than 600 severe thunderstorm, tornado and flash flood warnings on Wednesday. Many National Weather Service personnel were involved in surveys on Thursday to assess tornado and wind damage. Current assessment shows tornado warnings were in effect for all confirmed tornados with lead times ranging from 13 to 44 minutes that allowed people to seek shelter. "This [storm] event required our forecasters to quickly issue warnings and other products due to its widespread coverage and rapid storm motion," said J. Michael Looney, chief of meteorological services at National Weather Service Central Region headquarters in Kansas City, Mo. "The SPC guidance from earlier in the week helped local forecasters to make the right preparations in staffing and equipment readiness needed to track the storms and to advise the public of these approach. Our people were able to stay ahead of a rapidly-moving system and provide the public with information to help people get to safe locations." The Storm Prediction Center
issued notice of likely severe weather as early as Monday, Looney
said, and the Day 1 Outlook issued at 2 a.m. EDT Wednesday defined
a high risk for severe storms across parts of southern Lower
Michigan, eastern and southern Illinois, much of Indiana into
western and central Ohio and into northern parts of Kentucky,
according to Looney.
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