textproduct: Grand Forks

KEY MESSAGES

- Moderate to heavy snow will continue across parts of eastern North Dakota, northwest Minnesota, and west central Minnesota through around midday. Additional accumulations of 1-6 inches are possible, with patchy drifting snow this afternoon as winds increase.

UPDATE

Issued at 725 AM CDT Sat Apr 4 2026

The heaviest snow this morning is falling across a fairly wide swath extending from Valley City through Fosston. Snowfall rates of one inch per hour or more have been reported, with totals reaching over 6 inches so far in Fargo, and 5 inches in northeast Mahnomen County. A heavy band has been in place now for several hours in Becker, Clay, Norman, and Mahnomen counties, with visibility falling to 1/4 mile during periods of heavy snow. This is expected to continue through mid morning before the system moves off to the east, then northeast during the afternoon.

..Heavy Snow Friday Evening into Saturday

The main forecast challenge is the track of the strong low pressure system that will impact the region from this evening into Saturday. Over the past few days, model guidance has wavered back and forth between a further north track and one further to the south. The latest surface analysis shows a low over Kansas/Nebraska, which would lean into the more southern spectrum of scenarios. Model guidance has also come in further to the south today, with the latest run of the NBM pushing the heaviest snow south 20 or 30 miles compared to last night. All told, this leaves much of our FA in a position to see hefty snowfall accumulations, but takes the heaviest snowfall a bit further south then previous forecasts.

As for how things will play out over the next 24 hours: snow will break out this afternoon, first in southeastern ND, expanding area wide this evening. The strongest forcing arrives after sunset, which will drive a period of 1+ inch per hour snowfall rates in a band somewhere from southeastern ND into northwestern MN. During the heaviest snowfall rates, conditions will rapidly deteriorate. Expect these poor conditions to last into Saturday morning. As the upper low pulls away and fills late Saturday morning into the afternoon, snowfall rates will decrease, with snow then ceasing from west to east. Snowfall will end area wide by late Saturday evening.

There remains uncertainty on where the cutoff of heavy snowfall will occur on the systems northern edge. Northern portions of the warning will ride the line on if they see 6 inches or more of snow. The gradient of snowfall totals will likely be very tight, which means totals will vary significantly over small distances, especially in the advisory and northern edge of the warned areas. Based on the latest forecast track of the system, the likelihood for heavy (6+ inch) accumulations to extend all the way northward into the advisory area is low. Headlines remain unchanged for these reasons. The bottom line is that travel will be difficult in the warned area after dark this evening, persisting into Saturday morning. If you must travel, make sure to check the latest forecast information.

AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY/

Issued at 641 AM CDT Sat Apr 4 2026

IFR to LIFR conditions prevail this morning at all TAF sites except KDVL. Look for continued light to moderate snow through around midday, with occasional heavier snow at KFAR and KBJI. Visibility as low as 1/2 mile is possible at times during heavy snow. Winds begin to increase starting as early as mid morning, with gusts up to 25 knots this afternoon. This could bring periods of blowing and drifting snow, mainly during the early to mid afternoon. Wind gusts will diminish late in the afternoon, remaining out of the northwest at 7 to 12 mph.

FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

ND...Winter Storm Warning until 7 PM CDT this evening for NDZ024- 026>030-038-039-049-052-053. MN...Winter Storm Warning until 7 PM CDT this evening for MNZ001>003-029-040. Winter Storm Warning until 1 AM CDT Sunday for MNZ005-006-008- 009-013>017-022>024-027-028-030>032.