textproduct: Grand Forks

KEY MESSAGES

- Patchy light freezing rain and wintry mix are possible tonight along and south of I-94.

- Blowing snow will impact travel conditions into Saturday morning across portions of the Devils Lake basin and far western Red River Valley in northeast North Dakota.

UPDATE

Issued at 908 PM CST Fri Dec 19 2025

Lingering area of blowing snow has since ceased within the east-central and northeast Red River Valley in Minnesota.

A cold front is sweeping through our area from the west, bringing gusty west-northwest winds. Strongest winds gusting to 50 mph are forecast to be in an area of eastern Devils Lake basin near the far western edge of the Red River Valley. This is where blowing snow is expected to produce occasional whiteout conditions, impacting travel conditions tonight into Saturday morning. Icy roads presently reported in this area may linger through this period of impactful blowing snow, further degrading travel conditions. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued in this area for this hazard/impact. Other locations within northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota will see drifting snow and patchy blowing snow through Saturday.

Elsewhere tonight, patchy freezing rain remains possible along and south of I-94 before 3AM. Confidence in this resulting in impacts remains low due to uncertainty in coverage due to dry low levels preventing much precipitation aloft from reaching the ground. Perhaps the area favored the most for actually having precipitation reach the ground in a more steady-rate is the higher elevations of west-central Minnesota. Should this hazard come to fruition, it will be relatively brief as the cold front quickly overcomes this area by 3AM, ending chance for freezing rain and resultant light icing.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY/

Issued at 1134 AM CST Fri Dec 19 2025

VFR to MVFR conditions are expected outside areas of snowfall heading into the afternoon. A band of light to moderate snow is moving across the area, with KDVL already seeing snow earlier this morning. During periods of moderate snow, visibility will be reduced, possibly as low as 1/4 mile, along with IFR ceilings. Winds this afternoon prevail out of the south before shifting to the west, then northwest during the evening and overnight. LLWS is likely as the wind shift occurs as a 50-60 knot LLJ increases across the area. BLSN is likely this afternoon, with diminishing chances this evening.

AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 908 PM CST Fri Dec 19 2025

Aviation impacts are forecast at TAF sites due to reduced visibility, lowered ceilings, and gusty winds leading to blowing snow.

Cold front sweeps through the area tonight, turning winds west- northwest between 20-30 mph, gusting 35-50 mph, highest in northeast North Dakota. These gusty winds will create blowing snow, reducing visibility generally between 2-5SM. The exception to this will be within northeast North Dakota (including KDVL), where visibilities may dip 1SM or less before 15Z.

MVFR ceilings are also forecast at several TAF sites throughout the TAF period. Confidence is this, however, is low to medium.

FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

ND...Winter Weather Advisory until 9 AM CST Saturday for NDZ007-015- 026-028-029-054. MN...None.