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Below zero temperatures across shivering North Dakota

By Staff | Nov 10, 2017

So you think it was a little nippy out there? Well, it certainly was overnight Monday and well into Tuesday morning as the first real cold wave of the season brought below zero temperatures to a wide region of the state.

The thermometer plunged to 8 degrees below zero early Tuesday morning in Dunseith, an area of the state known for often charting colder temperatures than the rest of the state. However, many other reporting points shared in the latest blast of cold air.

Minus 6 was recorded at Harvey, Hazen and Golden Valley. Included in the cities dipping down to 4 below was Rolla, Crosby and Willow City. Other points reporting below zero temperatures included Coleharbor, Tioga, Rugby, Garrison, Belcourt, Blaisdell and Upham.

The overnight low Monday at the Minot International Airport was 5 degrees above zero. That compares to the historic average low for the date of 24 degrees. The difference in degrees emphasizes just how unpredictable North Dakota’s winter temperatures can be.

Looking ahead, quite a switch is in store. The National Weather Service in Bismarck says high temperatures in parts of the state could surpass 40 degrees Friday through Sunday. Minot is expected to see daytime highs in the low 30’s Saturday and Sunday and perhaps 40 on Monday. Beyond that the outlook favors a chance of similar warm daytime high temperatures for several more days.

The recent outlooks contrast sharply with the one-month temperature forecast for November issued by the Climate Prediction Center. That outlook says the entire state has a greater than normal chance of experiencing below normal temperatures through the end of this month.

Nevertheless, nighttime lows are expected to fall in line with long-term averages as early as Friday night. That means the prospect of overnight temperatures in the low 20’s, much more agreeable than the below zero blast many state residents woke up to Tuesday morning.

Fundingsland is a staff writer for the Minot Daily News.