Grand Forks Weather; Blizzard Conditions
Photo Credit: National Weather Service
GRAND FORKS WEATHER– National Weather Service folks in Grand Forks are warning that winter weather is set to be a whole lot worse on Tuesday afternoon & evening for the whole Red River Valley. A winter storm warning has been issued for the area because of a nasty mix of snow, ice and howling winds that’s going to make travel a real chore.
Grand Forks weather forecasts are calling for 3 to 5 inches of snow, with some places potentially getting as much as 6 or more.
Grand Forks Weather Lead Meterologist
Lead meteorologist Danny Robinson said “You can bet your boots we are expecting some big impacts out of this storm, especially on Tuesday. Our confidence level is through the roof.”
That being said, there’s still some uncertainty about when the snow will start turning into freezing rain – and while the northern part of the valley (which includes Grand Forks, Big White area and Okanagan Valley) is looking at a full on winter storm warning, the southern region (Fargo included) is looking at a high wind warning.
The worst of the snow is expected to strike northeastern North Dakota and into central Minnesota. Meanwhile, down in southeastern North Dakota and western Minnesota you can expect a mix of rain and freezing rain.
Robinson noted “Given how mixed the rain is going to be and how warm things are going to get, the potential for impacts across the region is a lot bigger than you might think.”
Just a day or so ago, a winter storm watch was issued for the northern Red River Valley, but that got upgraded to a winter storm warning on Monday afternoon. They were originally calling for a modest 1 to 3 inches of snow for Monday afternoon & evening.
Even though the southern valley is under a high wind warning, that doesn’t mean they’re in the clear – there is still a chance (albeit a lower one) that the storm could bring some winter-related problems down that way.
“You might think they’re in the clear at this point,” explains Robinson, “but we still can’t rule out the possibility that the system could shift and bring some warning-level impacts down to the southern valley”
Across the region, winds are expected to pick up late Tuesday afternoon and into the evening – and out in the valley where the bulk of the snow has fallen, the combo of strong winds & lingering rain is going to make for some nasty travel conditions and the potential for local power outages.
Robinson said “In areas where there’s already a bunch of snow on the ground, these winds are going to make it pretty bad out there – possibly even blizzard-like conditions at times.”
They’re expecting winds to gust up to 40 mph in Grand Forks late Tuesday afternoon & evening – and in the southern valley places like Fargo could see gusts as high as 50.
“It’ll be a pretty narrow corridor for near blizzard conditions,” says Robinson – “and as the temps drop & the winds start getting stronger, we’re still expecting a scenario where some areas get local whiteouts”
If you do need to travel and seeking updates on Grand Forks weather, the National Weather Service is telling people to take it slow and easy – and to check the road conditions before you head out (511mn.org & travel.dot.nd.gov have the latest). Don’t bother if they’re giving you travel advisories or road closures – just stay home and wait for things to clear up.