textproduct: Grand Forks

KEY MESSAGES

- A major winter storm will impact the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest this weekend. Accumulating snow will begin this afternoon, lasting through Sunday. Highest snowfall totals near the South Dakota border into central Minnesota.

- Blowing snow will increase late tonight into Sunday. Widespread blowing snow will periodically reduce visibility to whiteout in the southern Red River Valley.

- Freezing rain and accumulating snow may bring travel impacts Tuesday into Wednesday. The probability for advisory level impacts is 40%.

UPDATE

Issued at 717 AM CDT Sat Mar 14 2026

Update to aviation discussion.

UPDATE Issued at 411 AM CDT Sat Mar 14 2026

Coordination was done especially by southern neighboring WFOs to stick closer to what was continuity in regards to snowfall and QPF as NBM was trending a bit too far north with QPF. Impact of this wasnt great in our area, but it does keep snowfall along Valley City-Fargo-Wadena area more in line with what global models indicate, which performed much better with this most recent event. Net result of this colloboration was no change to headlines or starting times and snow accumulations remained similar.

..WINTER PRECIPITATION TUESDAY

Another swath of precipitation is expected to dive down Tuesday. However, mean temperature profiles increase as a building ridge upstream begins to take hold. This brings a nice temperature gradient and zone of higher forcing to our area, with precipitation expected Tuesday afternoon/evening. Temperature profiles will be variable with a potential range of scenarios from rain, freezing rain, and snow. Still, QPF signals are fairly light and generally a few tenths, so the greatest impacts will likely have to come from any freezing rain or all snow. The probability of advisory impacts is 40% because any freezing rain is enough to generate impacts, while a combo of freezing rain/snow appears to be a more likely scenario. Regardless, this carries a shorter predictability horizon, so stay tuned for further updates as we get closer.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 717 AM CDT Sat Mar 14 2026

Light winds to start the day and light most of the day in fact, mainly from the northeast or east. Winds increase from the northeast tonight with gusts over 20 kts by 06z and then by 12z Sunday southern Red River valley to see gusts 35 kts or higher with a more north-northeast wind. Scattered pockets of MVFR stratocu in northeast ND and far northwest MN this morning, so BKN to SCT DVL, GFK, TVF sites. Otherwise increasing mid clouds and then overnight lowering cloud heights with snow advancing into Fargo.

FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

ND...Winter Weather Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 7 PM CDT Sunday for NDZ038-039. Winter Storm Warning from 1 PM this afternoon to 7 PM CDT Sunday for NDZ049-052-053. MN...Winter Weather Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 7 PM CDT Sunday for MNZ003. Winter Weather Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 7 PM CDT Sunday for MNZ024-027-028. Winter Storm Warning from 1 PM this afternoon to 7 PM CDT Sunday for MNZ029. Winter Storm Warning from 7 PM this evening to 7 PM CDT Sunday for MNZ030>032-040.