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North Dakota Nature

Historic Levels Of Snow Fell On North Dakota Last Week And It May Result In Flooding

By Leah | Published October 16, 2019

Winter came early for North Dakota, with record-breaking levels of snow falling across the state. Now that the big storm is over, some people may be sighing in relief – however, it may not be over yet. With higher temps coming, it’s likely a lot of this snow will start to melt, and after an already wet fall season – the water may have nowhere to go. Here’s what you should know:

The beautiful colors of fall were quickly covered in snow due to a big winter storm that happened over the midwest last week, hitting pretty much everywhere across North Dakota.

With over two feet of snow in some North Dakota towns falling over three days straight, it wasn't long before everything was entirely covered in snow - leaves still on the trees and some fields yet to be harvested. Places like Harvey, North Dakota saw a whopping 27 inches of heavy, wet snowfall.

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Although the snowy weather has ended and everyone has been dug out, there is still a concern for what's happening next.

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After this system, there is a forecast for warmer weather and potential rain or rain-snow mixture. Temperatures above 40, and possibly even 60, degrees are expected and the snow will start to melt. The chance of additional rain doesn't help matters.

The hope is that the snow will melt slow enough that the chance of flooding will be minimal, however with the ground so saturated after a rainy season and the rivers already looking swollen, flooding may just happen in certain areas.

Only time will tell what the rest of the season will look like for North Dakota, but it's certainly been a wild one so far. If it does flood in your area, stay safe and avoid driving through flooded roads. Keep up with your local weather station to see the current situation.

How much snow did you get in your area? Many people shared photos of the snow they got in our North Dakota Nature Lovers Facebook group.

North Dakota is no stranger to blizzards and bad storms. You might remember this spring storm that resulted in immense flooding in 1997.

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