Spring Storm: March 22-25, 2009

A developing area of low pressure was centered over Montana on Sunday, March 22. By Monday, March 23 the low pressure had moved to western Nebraska and continued to strengthen. On Tuesday, March 24 the low had moved to eastern South Dakota. Warm, moist air was drawn into the upper midwest. The dew point temperature stayed above 40 degrees in Fargo for 35 hours straight on March 23rd and 24th. Sioux Falls saw a dew point temperature of 55 on March 22nd. Unusually heavy precipitation for March was associated with this large storm system. Heavy rains fell over the Red River Valley on March 22 and 23rd, making the flood situation worsen. Multi-day rainfall totals of one to three inches were common across much of northern and central Minnesota. Fargo received more precipitation in four days (2.76 inches from March 22 to 25) than that site would normally see for the entire month of May. To the east, St. Cloud saw 2.49 inches of rain in one day on March 23. This is the highest one day precipitation total for St. Cloud on record for March. At the same time, this storm was causing an extensive ice storm along the North Shore of Lake Superior in northeast Minnesota.

By Wednesday, March 25, the sluggish low pressure area had moved to north central Minnesota and crossed the Canadian Border by the afternoon. In its wake the rain changed to snow over northern and west central Minnesota. Fargo saw 7.5 inches, Hallock wound up with 8 inches.

 

Listed below are local storm reports from the National Weather Service regarding this storm

 


PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
355 PM CDT MON MAR 23 2009

...AREA PRECIPITATION REPORTS...

  THE FOLLOWING ARE RAIN AMOUNTS FOR THE AS MEASURED THIS MORNING   
    BY NWS COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS MOST.     

  24-HOUR RAINFALL AMOUNTS
      FROM SUNDAY EVENING TO MONDAY NOON...


NORTH DAKOTA                                   RAIN
 LOCATION (COUNTY):                           FALL (IN)

 MOORETON (RICHLAND)..........................3.00
 DWIGHT (RICHLAND)............................2.35
 LIDGERWOOD (RICHLAND)........................1.47
 NDAWN @ WAHPETON (RICHLAND)..................1.46
 NDAWN @ WYNDMERE (RICHLAND)..................1.26
 CAYUGA (SARGENT).............................1.10
 WEST FARGO 4SSE (CASS).......................0.98
 VALLEY CITY (BARNES).........................0.91
 NDAWN @ PILLSBURY (BARNES)...................0.80
 NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV (CASS)...............0.77
 FORMAN (SARGENT).............................0.74
 ASOS @ FARGO AIRPORT (CASS)..................0.69
 NDAWN @ DAZEY (BARNES).......................0.67
 FARGO 5NW (CASS).............................0.64
 HAVANA (SARGENT).............................0.62
 ENDERLIN (RANSOM)............................0.57
 ASOS @ GRAND FORKS AP (GRAND FORKS)..........0.54
 MAYVILLE (TRAILL)............................0.54
 GRAND FORKS NWS (GRAND FORKS)................0.50
 NDAWN @ MAYVILLE (TRAILL)....................0.48
 ASOS @ GRAND FORKS AFB (GRAND FORKS).........0.44
 NDAWN @ GALESBURG (TRAILL)...................0.43
 NDAWN @ HILLSBORO (TRAILL)...................0.36
 COLGATE (STEELE).............................0.32
 STARKWEATHER (RAMSEY)........................0.29
 PEMBINA (PEMBINA)............................0.25
 NDAWN @ CAVALIER (PEMBINA)...................0.21
 EDMORE (RAMSEY)..............................0.21
 NDAWN @ FOREST RIVER (WALSH).................0.21
 CAVALIER (PEMBINA)...........................0.17
 LANGDON EXP FARM (CAVALIER)..................0.16
 SARLES 5NE (CAVALIER)........................0.15
 NDAWN @ LANGDON (CAVALIER)...................0.14
 HANSBORO (TOWNER)............................0.11
 NDAWN @ MICHIGAN 2W (NELSON).................0.08
 NDAWN @ BAKER (BENSON).......................0.07
 NDAWN @ MCHENRY (EDDY).......................0.07
 NDAWN @ CANDO (TOWNER).......................0.06
 CHURCHS FERRY (RAMSEY).......................0.02

MINNESOTA                                      RAIN
 LOCATION (COUNTY):                           FALL (IN)

 PHELPS MILL (OTTER TAIL).....................2.50
 BRECKENRIDGE (WILKIN)........................1.90
 ELIZABETH 3W (OTTER TAIL)....................1.79
 NEW YORK MILLS (OTTER TAIL)..................1.67
 OTTERTAIL (OTTER TAIL).......................1.65
 SEBEKA (WADENA)..............................1.55
 ROTHSAY (WILKIN).............................1.50
 ITASCA U OF M (CLEARWATER)...................1.42
 PELICAN RAPIDS (OTTER TAIL)..................1.37
 WHEATON (TRAVERSE)...........................1.37
 LONG LOST LAKE (CLEARWATER)..................1.34
 WASKISH (BELTRAMI)...........................1.32
 BEMIDJI (BELTRAMI)...........................1.30
 CAMP NORRIS DNR (BELTRAMI)...................1.29
 TAMARAC WILDLIFE REFUGE (BECKER).............1.22
 SABIN (CLAY).................................1.17
 BARNESVILLE (CLAY)...........................1.11
 MUSKRAT LAKE 1S (BELTRAMI)...................1.10   
 MOORHEAD.....................................0.97
 WARROAD (ROSEAU).............................0.91
 ROOSEVELT 5N (LAKE OF THE WOODS).............0.86
 PINECREEK 4W (ROSEAU)........................0.56
 PINE CREEK (ROSEAU RIVER WMA) (ROSEAU).......0.56
 NDAWN @ PERLEY (NORMAN)......................0.56
 RED LAKE FALLS (RED LAKE)....................0.46
 ARGYLE (MARSHALL)............................0.39
 HALSTAD (NORMAN).............................0.39
 GREENBUSH (ROSEAU)...........................0.38
 NDAWN @ STEPHEN (MARSHALL)...................0.36
 CLIMAX 3WNW (POLK)...........................0.27
 HUMBOLT (KITTSON)............................0.25

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
1119 AM CDT WED MAR 25 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
           ..REMARKS..

1053 AM     SNOW             HANSBORO                
48.95N 99.38W 03/25/2009  E1.5 INCH        TOWNER             ND   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             CANDO                   
48.49N 99.20W 03/25/2009  E3.0 INCH        TOWNER    
         ND   LAW ENFORCEMENT 
1053 AM     SNOW             LANGDON                 
48.76N 98.37W 03/25/2009  E2.6 INCH        CAVALIER           ND   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             STARKWEATHER            
48.45N 98.88W 03/25/2009  E1.5 INCH        RAMSEY             ND   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             EDMORE                  
48.41N 98.45W 03/25/2009  E1.3 INCH        RAMSEY             ND   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             CHURCHS FERRY           
48.27N 99.19W 03/25/2009  E0.2 INCH        RAMSEY             ND   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             PEMBINA                 
48.97N 97.25W 03/25/2009  E3.5 INCH        PEMBINA            ND   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             ST. THOMAS             
 48.62N 97.45W 03/25/2009  E4.0 INCH        PEMBINA            ND   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             GRAFTON                 
48.42N 97.40W 03/25/2009  E4.0 INCH        WALSH              ND   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             PETERSBURG              
48.01N 98.00W 03/25/2009  E8.0 INCH        NELSON             ND   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             NORTHWOOD               
47.74N 97.57W 03/25/2009  E8.0 INCH        GRAND FORKS        ND   PUBLIC          

1053 AM     SNOW             COOPERSTOWN             
47.44N 98.12W 03/25/2009  E3.0 INCH        GRIGGS             ND   LAW ENFORCEMENT 
1053 AM     SNOW             FINLEY                  
47.51N 97.84W 03/25/2009  E8.0 INCH        STEELE             ND   LAW ENFORCEMENT 
1053 AM     SNOW             MAYVILLE                
47.50N 97.33W 03/25/2009  E4.5 INCH        TRAILL             ND   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             VALLEY CITY            
 46.92N 98.01W 03/25/2009  E2.0 INCH        BARNES             ND   LAW ENFORCEMENT 
1053 AM     SNOW             CHAFFEE                 
46.77N 97.35W 03/25/2009  E3.0 INCH        CASS               ND   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             LISBON                  
46.44N 97.68W 03/25/2009  E4.0 INCH        RANSOM             ND   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             CAYUGA                  
46.08N 97.38W 03/25/2009  E4.0 INCH        SARGENT            ND   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             LIDGERWOOD              
46.07N 97.15W 03/25/2009  E2.0 INCH        RICHLAND           ND   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             GRAND FORKS             
47.92N 97.07W 03/25/2009  M5.2 INCH        GRAND FORKS        ND   OFFICIAL NWS OBS

1053 AM     SNOW             SE GRAND FORKS          
47.92N 97.07W 03/25/2009  M7.5 INCH        GRAND FORKS        ND   NWS EMPLOYEE    

1053 AM     SNOW             HALLOCK                 
48.77N 96.94W 03/25/2009  E8.0 INCH        KITTSON            MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT 
1053 AM     SNOW             GREENBUSH               
48.70N 96.18W 03/25/2009  E5.0 INCH        ROSEAU             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             4 W WARROAD             
48.91N 95.41W 03/25/2009  E6.6 INCH        ROSEAU             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             WARROAD                 
48.91N 95.32W 03/25/2009  E4.5 INCH        ROSEAU             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             ROOSEVELT               
48.80N 95.10W 03/25/2009  E5.0 INCH        ROSEAU             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             21 S BAUDETTE           
48.41N 94.59W 03/25/2009  E3.0 INCH        LAKE OF THE WOODS  MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             THORHULT               
 48.23N 95.25W 03/25/2009  E2.0 INCH        BELTRAMI           MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             GATZKE                  
48.42N 95.78W 03/25/2009  E5.0 INCH        MARSHALL           MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

           THIEF LAKE REFUGE TOTAL.

1053 AM     SNOW             ARGYLE                  
48.34N 96.82W 03/25/2009  E8.0 INCH        MARSHALL           MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             EAST GRAND FORKS        
47.93N 97.02W 03/25/2009  E8.0 INCH        POLK               MN   NWS EMPLOYEE    

1053 AM     SNOW             CROOKSTON               
47.77N 96.61W 03/25/2009  E4.0 INCH        POLK               MN   EMERGENCY MNGR  

1053 AM     SNOW             THIEF RIVER FALLS       
48.11N 96.18W 03/25/2009  E3.0 INCH        PENNINGTON         MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             RED LAKE FALLS          
47.89N 96.27W 03/25/2009  E3.0 INCH        RED LAKE           MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT 
1053 AM     SNOW             SOLWAY                 
 47.52N 95.13W 03/25/2009  E2.0 INCH        BELTRAMI           MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             HALSTAD                 
47.35N 96.82W 03/25/2009  E3.0 INCH        NORMAN             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             SABIN                   
46.78N 96.65W 03/25/2009  E3.2 INCH        CLAY               MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             5 E RICHWOOD            
46.97N 95.72W 03/25/2009  E0.4 INCH        BECKER             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             PELICAN RAPIDS          
46.57N 96.09W 03/25/2009  E0.0 INCH        OTTER TAIL         MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             SEBEKA                  
46.63N 95.09W 03/25/2009  E0.0 INCH        WADENA             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             WADENA                  
46.44N 95.13W 03/25/2009  E0.0 INCH        WADENA             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             DALTON                 
 46.17N 95.92W 03/25/2009  E0.8 INCH        OTTER TAIL         MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             ROTHSAY                 
46.47N 96.29W 03/25/2009  E1.0 INCH        WILKIN             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             BRECKENRIDGE            
46.26N 96.59W 03/25/2009  E3.0 INCH        WILKIN             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  

1053 AM     SNOW             MOORHEAD                
46.86N 96.76W 03/25/2009  E3.3 INCH        CLAY               MN   CO-OP OBSERVER  



Last modified: January 9, 2017
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