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Back-to-Back Pacific Storms to Impact the West Coast; Heavy Snow in the Central Appalachians

Back-to-back powerful Pacific storm systems to impact the Pacific Northwest and northern California through the end of this week with heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, and higher elevation mountain snow. A strong, long-duration atmospheric river will accompany the Pacific storms, bringing excessive rainfall and flash flooding to southwest Oregon and northwest California through the week. Read More >

Overview

A winter storm brought multiple bands of snow through south-central and southeast North Dakota beginning in the early afternoon of Tuesday, February 28th, and continuing through the morning of Wednesday, March 1st. Intense snow rates of up to 1 inch per hour fell across the Bismarck/Mandan area and other parts of the south-central Tuesday, quickly leading to snow-covered roads and hazardous travel. As snow continued to spread across the area, Interstate 94 was closed from Bismarck to Jamestown Tuesday evening, and a few hours later was closed from Jamestown to Fargo as well. 

Hazardous travel continued through the overnight hours and into Wednesday morning, with significant drifting of snow over roadways. Strong northeast winds persisted through the night, especially in the James River Valley, before conditions began improving during the day Wednesday as the storm moved away from North Dakota. Highest snow totals were along Interstate 94 from Bismarck to Fargo, where the heaviest snow bands ended up, with lower amounts to the north, south, and west. 

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Snow blowing in Jamestown, North Dakota. Photo courtesy of Nicole Nowatzki.
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