Overview
A major ice storm impacted portions of the Northern Plains between December 25-27, 2023. Significant impacts from ice accumulations over 1.0 inch occurred in portions of southeast North Dakota into far northeast South Dakota. This event summary will focus on eastern North Dakota into northwest and west-central Minnesota.
Impacts
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| Reported power outages in North Dakota as of 11 AM CST December 28, 2023. Courtesy of poweroutage.us. |
Widespread impacts from expansive icing were felt across the majority of eastern North Dakota and northwest into west-central Minnesota, with significant impacts felt in portions of southeast North Dakota.
This event resulted in reports of:
Ice
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| Map of estimated ice accumulations received between December 25-27, 2023. | Map showing locations and magnitude of ice accumulation reports. |
Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
257 PM CST Wed Dec 27 2023
This is a summary of Local Storm Reports received and issued by NWS Grand
Forks regarding ice accumulation and impacts from freezing rain between
Dec 25 and 27 2023.
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1044 AM Freezing Rain 1 E Moorhead 46.86N 96.73W
12/25/2023 E0.01 inch Clay MN Broadcast Media
Freezing rain is ongoing and accumulating
just east of Moorhead on I-94 causing slick
travel conditions.
1054 AM Freezing Rain 4 W Barnesville 46.65N 96.50W
12/25/2023 E0.01 inch Clay MN Broadcast Media
Freezing rain reported 4-5 miles west of
Barnesville on I-94. Freezing rain is
ongoing and accumulating causing slick
travel conditions.
1124 AM Freezing Rain Comstock 46.66N 96.75W
12/25/2023 E0.01 inch Clay MN Public
Social Media report of Freezing rain
accumulating on windows and roads. Its
ongoing within Comstock.
1130 AM Freezing Rain Fargo 46.88N 96.80W
12/25/2023 E0.20 inch Cass ND Public
Report of less than 0.25 inches of ice
accumulation in Fargo relayed via social
media. Freezing rain is still on going.
1228 PM Freezing Rain 1 ESE Argusville 47.05N 96.93W
12/25/2023 E0.01 inch Cass ND Public
Report from the public of Freezing Rain
ongoing and accumulating causing slick
travel conditions.
0227 PM Freezing Rain Brooks 47.82N 96.00W
12/25/2023 E0.01 inch Red Lake MN Dept of Highways
Freezing rain ongoing in central Red Lake
County, with accumulations noted on webcams.
0239 PM Freezing Rain Halstad 47.35N 96.82W
12/25/2023 E0.01 inch Norman MN Dept of Highways
Webcams are showing freezing rain ongoing
and accumulating, creating slick travel
conditions.
0330 PM Freezing Rain 4 NW Rustad 46.78N 96.80W
12/25/2023 M0.30 inch Clay MN Public
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
4 NW Rustad. Public reports 0.25 inch ice
accumulations for the Horace and Fargo area
via Social Media. Storm total ice.
0500 PM Freezing Rain Wahpeton 46.27N 96.61W
12/25/2023 M0.30 inch Richland ND Public
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
Wahpeton. Public reports 0.1 inches of ice
(radial measurement) and 0.25 inches of ice
on Flat surfaces. Storm total ice.
0610 PM Freezing Rain Fargo 46.88N 96.80W
12/25/2023 M0.50 inch Cass ND Public
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
Fargo. Public reported 0.50 inches of ice
accumulated on a tree branch. Storm total
ice.
0714 PM Freezing Rain 2 S Moorhead 46.84N 96.76W
12/25/2023 M0.30 inch Clay MN NWS Employee
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
2 S Moorhead. freezing rain report from 2 S
Moorhead. 0.25 inch ice accumulation
measurement reported in South Moorhead.
0715 PM Freezing Rain 4 N Muskoda 46.92N 96.41W
12/25/2023 M0.20 inch Clay MN Cocorahs
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
4 N Muskoda. Birch trees sagging slightly to
moderately. Measured an average of 6 mm ice
accretion from multiple horizontal tree
limbs.
0736 PM Freezing Rain Fargo 46.88N 96.80W
12/25/2023 M0.40 inch Cass ND Public
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
Fargo. Public reported 0.4 inch ice
accumulation on a flat surface in Fargo.
0845 AM Freezing Rain 1 W Grand Forks 47.92N 97.10W
12/26/2023 M0.30 inch Grand Forks ND Official NWS Obs
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
1 W Grand Forks. Flat Ice accumulation was
0.25 inches measured on surfaces. Radial was
measured at 0.13 inches. Freezing rain
ongoing.
0853 AM Freezing Rain 1 SSW Park Rapids 46.90N 95.07W
12/26/2023 M0.10 inch Hubbard MN ASOS
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
1 SSW Park Rapids. ASOS station KPKD Park
Rapids AP MN measured 0.07 inches of ice.
0853 AM Freezing Rain 6 WNW Grand Forks 47.95N 97.18W
12/26/2023 M0.30 inch Grand Forks ND ASOS
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
6 WNW Grand Forks. ASOS station KGFK Grand
Forks AP ND.
0906 AM Freezing Rain 4 NNW Fargo 46.93N 96.82W
12/26/2023 M0.60 inch Cass ND ASOS
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
4 NNW Fargo. ASOS station KFAR Fargo AP ND.
0926 AM Freezing Rain Lisbon 46.43N 97.68W
12/26/2023 M0.50 inch Ransom ND CO-OP Observer
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
Lisbon. 0.45 inches of ice accumulation at
peak of event. Large branches down within
the town of Lisbon. Freezing rain ongoing.
0936 AM Freezing Rain 6 SSW Leal 47.02N 98.34W
12/26/2023 E0.30 inch Barnes ND Public
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
6 SSW Leal. 0.25 inches of ice measured.
Freezing rain ongoing. Relayed through
Social Media.
1013 AM Freezing Rain 5 NE Chaffee 46.83N 97.28W
12/26/2023 M1.00 inch Cass ND CO-OP Observer
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
5 NE Chaffee. Ice accumulation to be
estimated at 1 inch, with power lines and
trees down. Storm total ice.
1200 PM Freezing Rain 1 WNW Grand Forks 47.92N 97.10W
12/26/2023 M0.50 inch Grand Forks ND Official NWS Obs
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
1 WNW Grand Forks. Measured 0.50 inches of
Ice Accumulation on multiple surfaces. Storm
total ice.
1200 PM Freezing Rain 2 ESE Oriska 46.92N 97.75W
12/26/2023 M1.00 inch Barnes ND Public
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
2 ESE Oriska. Numerous branches down and
trees down at the Oriska ND I-94 rest area.
Ice accumulation of 1 inch measured on
branches. Report via social media images.
Storm total ice.
0200 PM Freezing Rain 5 S Bemidji 47.41N 94.86W
12/26/2023 E0.20 inch Beltrami MN Emergency Mngr
Emergency manager reported Christmas Eve
until yesterday afternoon between 0.1-0.2
inches of ice near the Beltrami and Hubbard
county line. On the Hubbard side and east
into Cass it was mostly slushy, but a good
glaze of ice in Bemidji and north. Storm
total ice.
0639 PM Freezing Rain Thompson 47.77N 97.11W
12/26/2023 M0.50 inch Grand Forks ND Public
Public reported 0.5 inches of ice in
Thompson via social media.
0700 AM Freezing Rain 4 WSW Park River 48.38N 97.83W
12/27/2023 M0.30 inch Walsh ND CO-OP Observer
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
4 WSW Park River. Measured 0.30 inches of
ice from freezing rain. Very slippery and
icy. Storm total ice.
0700 AM Freezing Rain Warren 48.20N 96.77W
12/27/2023 M0.10 inch Marshall MN CO-OP Observer
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
Warren. COOP observer reported measuring 1/8
inch of ice in parking lot. Storm total ice.
0700 AM Freezing Rain 4 W Minto 48.29N 97.46W
12/27/2023 M0.30 inch Walsh ND Public
Relayed report of 1/4 inch of ice measured
on car. Storm total ice.
1000 AM Freezing Rain Valley City 46.92N 98.01W
12/27/2023 M0.90 inch Barnes ND Trained Spotter
Corrects previous freezing rain report from
Valley City. Report received of 0.87 ice in
Valley City. Observer reports over 24 hours
without power, extensive tree damage in
town, and very icy conditions. Storm total
ice..
1000 AM Freezing Rain Cooperstown 47.44N 98.12W
12/27/2023 M0.60 inch Griggs ND Emergency Mngr
Emergency manager reports 0.5-0.75 inches of
ice near Cooperstown ND. Storm total ice.
1100 AM Freezing Rain Hope 47.32N 97.72W
12/27/2023 M1.00 inch Steele ND Emergency Mngr
Emergency reports well over 1/2 inch of ice
across Steele County. Hope in southern
Steele County had reports up to 1 inch of
ice. Storm total ice.
1100 AM Freezing Rain 3 S Thief River Falls 48.07N 96.18W
12/27/2023 M0.10 inch Pennington MN Emergency Mngr
Emergency manager reports about 1/16 of ice
at Thief River Falls Airport. Storm total
ice.
0530 PM Snow/Ice Dmg Moorhead 46.86N 96.76W
12/25/2023 Clay MN Broadcast Media
Broadcast media relay of tree down in
Moorehead.
1021 AM Snow/Ice Dmg 2 SW Fargo 46.85N 96.82W
12/26/2023 Cass ND NWS Employee
NWS employee reports large branches down
(estimated to be 5-6 in diameter) within
south Fargo.
0123 PM Snow/Ice Dmg Comstock 46.66N 96.75W
12/26/2023 Clay MN Public
Large tree done in Comstock MN. Relayed
through Social Media.
0327 PM Snow/Ice Dmg Sibley 47.22N 97.97W
12/26/2023 Barnes ND Trained Spotter
Trained Spotter reported 1 inch ice
accumulation, Large tree limbs/branches
snapped under weight of ice, and power lines
down in Barnes county.
1159 PM Snow/Ice Dmg Waskish 48.16N 94.51W
12/26/2023 Beltrami MN Emergency Mngr
Emergency manager relayed report of ice was
solid in Waskish much of Tuesday as trucks
were getting stuck on the roadway due to no
traction. Thickness unknown.
&&
Heavy Rain
A large amount of rain generally between 1 to 3 inches fell between December 23 - 27, 2023. This is highly unusual for the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest for the month of December.
 |
| Map of estimated liquid precipitation accumulation received between December 23 - 27, 2023. |
Public Information Statement National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 251 PM CST Wed Dec 27 2023 ...96 HOUR PRECIPITATION REPORTS BETWEEN DEC 23 AND DEC 27 2023... This list is non exhaustive, and does not include precipitation reports from providers like NDAWN. Please view reports from other providers at their respective websites. Location Amount Time/Date Provider ...Minnesota... ...Becker County... Lake Park MN 9.9 S 1.88 in 0730 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Lake Park MN 6.0 S 1.85 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Rochert MN 6.0 N 1.56 in 0830 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Frazee MN 3 E 1.00 in 0225 PM 12/27 CWOP ...Beltrami County... Bemidji MN 2.6 ENE 1.76 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Bemidji MN 2 SW 1.59 in 0200 PM 12/27 HADS Bemidji MN 5 NE DNR 1.54 in 0700 AM 12/27 COOP Bemidji MN 7.8 ENE 1.22 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Bemidji MN 8 N 1.11 in 0221 PM 12/27 CWOP Bemidji MN 4.8 NNE 1.10 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Waskish MN 4 NE 1.02 in 0130 PM 12/27 HADS Bemidji MN 6 E 0.92 in 0228 PM 12/27 CWOP Bemidji MN 2 WNW 0.91 in 0206 PM 12/27 RAWS Red Lake MN 0.64 in 0200 PM 12/27 HADS Bemidji AP MN 0.55 in 0235 PM 12/27 AWOS ...Clay County... Moorhead MN 0.5 W 2.45 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Hawley MN 5.2 WNW 1.74 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Glyndon MN 6.9 ENE 1.73 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS 1 SW Dilworth 1.44 in 0230 PM 12/27 AWS Sabin MN 1.36 in 0950 AM 12/27 COOP Glyndon MN 2 N 1.35 in 0145 PM 12/27 HADS ...Clearwater County... Lake Itasca MN 2 SE 1.61 in 0207 PM 12/27 RAWS Vern MN 2 W 0.98 in 0200 PM 12/27 HADS Gonvick MN 0.67 in 0220 PM 12/27 CWOP Bagley MN 5 N 0.59 in 0227 PM 12/27 CWOP ...Grant County... Kensington MN 4.1 W 2.49 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Hoffman MN 4.0 WSW 1.65 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS ...Hubbard County... Badoura MN 2 E 2.14 in 0206 PM 12/27 RAWS Park Rapids MN 2.0 NNW 1.75 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Park Rapids AP MN 1.40 in 0153 PM 12/27 ASOS Badoura MN 1 SE 0.99 in 0230 PM 12/27 HADS ...Kittson County... Karlstad MN 1 NE 0.30 in 0206 PM 12/27 RAWS Hallock MN 0.20 in 0200 PM 12/27 HADS Northcote MN 0.08 in 0145 PM 12/27 HADS ...Lake of the Woods County... Baudette MN 3 S 0.57 in 0206 PM 12/27 RAWS Roosevelt MN 15 SW 0.40 in 0200 PM 12/27 HADS Clemenston MN 0.39 in 0200 PM 12/27 HADS ...Mahnomen County... Mahnomen MN 1 SE 1.18 in 0145 PM 12/27 HADS ...Marshall County... AGASSIZ NRW GOODRIDGE 12 NNW 1.04 in 0200 PM 12/27 HADS Warren MN 0.82 in 0800 AM 12/27 COOP Agassiz RAWS Goodridge MN 12 0.68 in 0220 PM 12/27 RAWS Warren MN 6.6 NW 0.58 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Grygla MN 6 WNW 0.48 in 0100 PM 12/27 HADS Grygla MN 6 WNW 0.43 in 0230 PM 12/27 HADS Arygle MN 12 WNW 0.41 in 0230 PM 12/27 CWOP Alvarado MN 5 NNE 0.37 in 0230 PM 12/27 AWS Alvarado MN 1 N 0.32 in 1030 AM 12/27 HADS Florian MN 1 S 0.22 in 0145 PM 12/27 HADS ...Norman County... Twin Valley MN 0.1 NE 1.40 in 0800 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Ada MN 2 S 1.09 in 0130 PM 12/27 HADS ...Otter Tail County... Ashby MN 5.5 ENE 2.25 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Deer Creek MN 2.0 WSW 1.99 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Woodland Park MN 2.1 W 1.89 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Fergus Falls MN 5.6 NNE 1.88 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS New York Mills MN 1.88 in 0730 AM 12/27 COOP Battle Lake MN 3.3 SSE 1.85 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Pelican Rapids MN 6.3 NNW 1.83 in 0609 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Pelican Rapids 3.2 NNE 1.71 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Richville MN 5.8 SSW 1.71 in 0800 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Richville MN 1.2 NW 1.67 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Ottertail MN 1.42 in 0622 AM 12/27 COOP Fergus Falls MN 1.26 in 0229 PM 12/27 CWOP Richville MN 9 SW 1.24 in 0227 PM 12/27 CWOP Elizabeth MN 2 NNE 1.06 in 0230 PM 12/27 CWOP Battle Lake MN 7.6 N 0.67 in 0800 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Pelican Rapids MN 6 E 0.60 in 0200 PM 12/27 HADS Fergus Falls MN 0.5 E 0.36 in 0200 PM 12/27 COCORAHS ...Pennington County... Thief River Falls MN 0.3 NW 0.76 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Goodridge MN 7.4 SW 0.66 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Thief River Falls AP MN 0.55 in 0213 PM 12/27 AWOS Thief River Falls MN 0.32 in 0130 PM 12/27 HADS ...Polk County... Mentor MN 2.5 SSW 1.24 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Crookston MN 0.6 ENE 1.23 in 0630 AM 12/27 COCORAHS 4 S Maple Bay 1.04 in 0230 PM 12/27 AWS Mentor MN 6 WNW 1.02 in 0132 PM 12/27 RAWS Mentor MN 2 SW 0.86 in 0228 PM 12/27 CWOP E Grand Forks MN 0.56 in 0230 PM 12/27 CWOP 8 S Alvarado 0.45 in 0230 PM 12/27 AWS Mentor MN 9 W 0.42 in 0200 PM 12/27 HADS ...Red Lake County... Brooks MN 3 WNW 0.79 in 0145 PM 12/27 HADS Red Lake Falls MN 0.69 in 0130 PM 12/27 HADS ...Roseau County... Warroad MN 1.8 WNW 0.61 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Roseau MN 0.55 in 0100 PM 12/27 HADS Roseau MN 0.47 in 0130 PM 12/27 HADS Warroad MN 0.46 in 0130 PM 12/27 HADS Roseau MN 2 E 0.45 in 0208 PM 12/27 RAWS Roseau MN 0.1 SSW 0.43 in 0800 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Greenbush MN 0.40 in 0700 AM 12/27 COOP ...Wadena County... Wadena MN 1.0 NE 2.27 in 0800 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Huntersville MN 3 WNW 1.86 in 0145 PM 12/27 HADS Aldrich MN 8 NNE 1.83 in 0200 PM 12/27 HADS Sebeka MN 1.64 in 0700 AM 12/27 COOP Menahga MN 3.1 N 1.27 in 0800 AM 12/27 COCORAHS ...Wilkin County... Wolverton MN 1.1 ENE 2.83 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Rothsay MN 9.1 WNW 2.08 in 0800 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Breckenridge MN 1.59 in 0200 PM 12/27 HADS ...North Dakota... ...Cass County... Fargo ND 3.6 NNE 3.15 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Fargo ND 2.1 N 3.11 in 0800 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Fargo AP ND 2.43 in 0153 PM 12/27 ASOS Fargo ND 7 SW 1.76 in 0223 PM 12/27 CWOP Harwood ND 1.27 in 0215 PM 12/27 CWOP ...Cavalier County... Osnabrock 0.01 in 0230 PM 12/27 AWS Langdon ND 1 E T in 0900 AM 12/27 COOP ...Grand Forks County... Grand Forks ND 3.4 SSE 1.25 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Grand Forks ND 2 S 0.73 in 0224 PM 12/27 CWOP Grand Forks AP ND 0.70 in 0153 PM 12/27 ASOS Larimore ND 0.4 SE 0.62 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Grand Forks ND 7 SW 0.34 in 0215 PM 12/27 CWOP 2 WNW Emerado 0.33 in 0235 PM 12/27 AWS Grand Forks ND AFB 0.05 in 0205 PM 12/27 ASOS ...Griggs County... Cooperstown ND 0.4 WNW 0.31 in 0630 AM 12/27 COCORAHS ...Nelson County... 4 WSW Logan Center 0.35 in 0230 PM 12/27 AWS ...Pembina County... Pembina ND 0.13 in 0600 AM 12/27 COOP Cavalier ND 7.9 WNW T in 0800 AM 12/27 COCORAHS ...Ramsey County... Devils Lake ND 2 SW 0.07 in 0225 PM 12/27 CWOP Devils Lake AP ND 0.04 in 0156 PM 12/27 AWOS ...Ransom County... Lisbon ND 2.45 in 0700 AM 12/27 COOP Lisbon ND 18 E 0.41 in 0149 PM 12/27 RAWS ...Richland County... Wahpeton ND 1.0 SSE 2.75 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Abercrombie ND 0.2 NW 2.73 in 0600 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Mcleod ND 3 E 2.72 in 0900 AM 12/27 COOP ...Traill County... Grandin ND 7.1 ENE 1.98 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Mayville ND 0.96 in 0700 AM 12/27 COOP ...Walsh County... Forest River ND 0.2 ESE 0.51 in 0700 AM 12/27 COCORAHS Lankin ND 6 E 0.30 in 0600 AM 12/27 COOP Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official. $$
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