While much of eastern North Dakota experienced heavy snow and blizzard conditions, the western half of the state did not get the storm we were expecting. Several factors likely contributed to less snow and weaker winds than were forecasted along and west of Highway 83, as shown in this graphic. These factors carry some level of predictability, but how they interact with each other and how strongly they influence the outcome of an event can be very challenging to anticipate. If 2 of these 3 factors had been changed, or perhaps even just one, this event likely would have played out much differently.
