1 week Ago By Korrie Wenzel
GRAND FORKS — A winter storm watch is in effect for counties in extreme northern North Dakota, and much of eastern North Dakota will likely experience at least some of the effects of a brewing winter-weather event expected to last through Wednesday. Essentially, it means it's time for "that first feel of winter," WDAY meteorologist Lydia Blume said during her forecast early Monday morning, Nov. 18.
ADVERTISEMENT The National Weather Service issued the watch overnight between Sunday and Monday for the counties of Towner, Ramsey, Cavalier, Benson, Rolette, Pierce and McHenry, noting that there is a 60% chance for winter storm impacts Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning for communities within the Devils Lake basin. According to a National Weather Service graphic distributed to the media, there is a 60% to 80% chance of more than 4 inches of snow in Devils Lake, Langdon, New Rockford and Cando, and a 30% to 40% chance of 4 inches or more of snow in Grafton, Grand Forks and Fargo. "The highest amounts (will be) up near the international border, less as you travel farther down to the south," Blume said during her forecast Monday morning.
"Rain is the first of the system. Really, first it's clouds and then the rain and then eventually the snow." Blume's outlook called for rain to move into Fargo around suppertime Monday.
The front will move northward from there, with rain coming into the Grand Forks region sometime after 10, according to WDAY's weather model. Communities in far eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota could see upwards of a half-inch to an inch of rain. Farther to the west, though, most of the precipitation more than likely will fall as snow.
"Snow continues to fall Tuesday afternoon into the evening before we get the back side of the system — the wraparound side of this — as we head into Tuesday night and Wednesday morning," Blume said. "Wednesday morning, (expect) patches of light snow and strong winds out of the northwest. So some blowing snow impacts, visibility impacts and slippery roads into Wednesday morning.
" In Jamestown, Tuesday will bring a 90% chance of precipitation, according to the National Weather Service. It will start with rain, then eventually mix with snow, with snow likely after 3 p.m.
Tuesday. On Wednesday, snow is likely before noon, followed by blowing snow. ADVERTISEMENT In Grand Forks, the NWS calls for a 100% chance of precipitation on Tuesday, with a half to three-quarters of an inch of rain possible.
It will change to snow Tuesday evening and into Wednesday. In Fargo, the NWS expects rain before 3 p.m.
Tuesday, possibly mixed with snow. It's likely to turn to snow Tuesday evening and into Wednesday. National Weather Service predictions show a possibility of strong winds on Tuesday, with gusts above 45 mph possible for towns like Devils Lake and Carrington.
Winds likely will be less intense in the Red River Valley, according to the NWS. "These winds combined with falling snow create blowing snow impacts," the NWS noted. However, "confidence is low on the extent of the blowing snow within the Red River Valley and also the severity of the impacts.
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