2 weeks Ago By Korrie Wenzel
GRAND FORKS — A snow squall warning was issued Wednesday morning for portions of northeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. The alert came at 8:08 a.m.
from the National Weather Service. For many in the area, it was sent through cellular telephones. According to the National Weather Service's website, the warning is for portions of Polk, Red Lake and Pennington counties in Minnesota and portions of Grand Forks, Traill and Walsh counties in North Dakota.
The alert noted that "a dangerous snow squall was located along a line extending from Fordville to near Mallory to near Red Lake Falls, moving south at 40 mph." The squall includes "intense bursts of heavy snow" and gusty winds that can reduce visibility to less than a quarter-mile. "Dangerous and life-threatening travel conditions are expected to develop rapidly in the warning area," the alert said.
Earlier Wednesday morning, falling temperatures and strong wind gusts prompted the National Weather Service to issue a winter weather advisory for all of eastern North Dakota and portions of western Minnesota. The advisory stretches from Minot and Bismarck in the west to Fargo and Grand Forks in eastern North Dakota. In Minnesota, the advisory includes the region from the North Dakota border to Roseau and Thief River Falls in the north to Detroit Lakes and Fergus Falls to the south.
"Blowing snow will significantly impact travel conditions starting this morning and last through this evening," the National Weather Service in Grand Forks wrote in a packet sent to the media early Wednesday morning, Dec. 4. "Significantly reduced visibility of at least one-half mile or less will occur.
" There will be some snow, the NWS noted, but "with minimal accumulations." There is a chance of the day seeing blizzard conditions, according to the NWS packet. According to WDAY meteorologist Lydia Blume, "there is a lot happening (Wednesday).
" Blume, during a segment that aired before 6 a.m. Wednesday, noted that temperatures overnight in Fargo hovered around 35 degrees, but fell quickly.
"Now, we're in the 20s, it's only turning colder, the wind is picking up, a little snow is on the way and some blowing snow impacts will be out there, too," she said during the morning broadcast. "If this was summer, we would just call it a windy day. But because it's winter, we have to watch out for blowing snow and therefore icy roads and reduced visibility.
" Blume said there will likely be less than an inch of snow accumulation in the region, "but where you have those snow showers meeting wind gusts of up to 50 mph, it will be very hard to see." The National Weather Service announcement said winds will start to decrease or die down by around 6 p.m.
Wednesday and that by midnight, "all impacts are expected to be done for all areas." WDAY radar at approximately 5:30 a.m.
showed blowing snow impacts were starting in northern North Dakota and that visibility was limited in places like Rolla, Langdon and Devils Lake. In Grand Forks, Fargo and Jamestown, wind chills on Wednesday could fall to as low as minus-15 to minus-18, according to the National Weather Service. Thursday, both Grand Forks and Fargo are expected to see sunny conditions with a high around 10 or 12.
Jamestown could see a high of 15..
