National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Overview

After a prolonged quiet period, a strong spring storm system developed as a upper level trough moved across the Northern Plains. Initially rain showers spread across the area Wednesday night April 1st. As cold air began to undercut the moisture laden airmass, rain turned to freezing rain and sleet in portions of eastern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota Thursday morning, and eventually snow. In southeast North Dakota and west central Minnesota, freezing rain and sleet persisted into the afternoon before turning to snowfall. Heavy snowfall rates starting lifting out of South Dakota into the Red River valley Thursday afternoon, with thunder snow even reported in a few locations. These heavy snowfall rates continued to spread to the north and east Thursday evening into Friday morning. The highest snowfall was 16 inches at multiple locations in northwest Minnesota, with a band stretching back to the southwest of 8 to 12 inches from Grand Forks to Valley City. Areas east of this heavier band saw more ice and sleet accumulations.

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Storm Total Snowfall
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