States › North Dakota › McLean County › Winter
Winter in McLean County, North Dakota
108 winter storms and snow events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Winter Storm, Winter Weather, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Lake-Effect Snow, Sleet.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 108 winter events in McLean County, North Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 28 years.
December is the busiest month, with 26 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 67 events against 41 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.7% of the 6,541 winter events recorded in North Dakota; its 5.1 per 100 square miles compares with 9.5 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to winter storms and snow.
Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.
Compared with North Dakota
| Measure | McLean County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter events since 1950 | 108 | 6,541 | 287,339 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.1 | 9.5 | 8.1 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 110.2 | 84.4 | 8.7 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 27 | 2,509 |
| Busiest month | December | December | January |
By year
Seasonality
17Feb
12Mar
14Apr
16May
3Jun
1Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
6Nov
13Dec
26
Recorded events
All 108 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Apr 2026 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Dec 2025 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Nov 2024 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Nov 2024 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Mar 2024 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Dec 2023 | Ice Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Oct 2023 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Apr 2023 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Mar 2023 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Dec 2022 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Dec 2022 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Dec 2022 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Nov 2022 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Apr 2022 | Blizzard | — | $3.0M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Apr 2022 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Dec 2021 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Dec 2021 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Nov 2019 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Oct 2019 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Oct 2019 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Feb 2019 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Dec 2018 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Mar 2018 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Mar 2018 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Dec 2017 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Jan 2017 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Dec 2016 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Dec 2016 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Nov 2016 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Mar 2014 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jan 2014 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Dec 2013 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Dec 2013 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Apr 2013 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Feb 2013 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jan 2013 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Nov 2012 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 May 2011 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Apr 2011 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Apr 2011 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Mar 2011 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Mar 2011 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Mar 2011 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Dec 2010 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Dec 2010 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Dec 2010 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 May 2010 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Apr 2010 | Winter Storm | — | $350K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Mar 2010 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Jan 2010 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2010 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Jan 2010 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Dec 2009 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Dec 2009 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Jun 2009 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Mar 2009 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Feb 2009 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Jan 2009 | Winter Weather | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jan 2009 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jan 2009 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Dec 2008 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Dec 2008 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Dec 2008 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Nov 2008 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Mar 2007 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Feb 2007 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | 2 | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Dec 2006 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Feb 2006 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Oct 2005 | Blizzard | — | $100K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jan 2005 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Mar 2004 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Feb 2004 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Feb 2004 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Feb 2004 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Jan 2004 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Apr 2003 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Apr 2003 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Dec 2002 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 May 2002 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Apr 2002 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Dec 2000 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Nov 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Nov 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Apr 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Apr 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Feb 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Feb 2000 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Dec 1999 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Apr 1999 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Apr 1999 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jan 1999 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jan 1999 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Nov 1998 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Nov 1998 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Feb 1998 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | 2 | Forecast zone |
| 4 Apr 1997 | Blizzard | — | $1.5M | — | — | 1 | Forecast zone |
| 12 Mar 1997 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Jan 1997 | Blizzard | — | $1.5M | — | — | 1 | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jan 1997 | Blizzard | — | $250K | — | — | 2 | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jan 1997 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Dec 1996 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Nov 1996 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Nov 1996 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Oct 1996 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Mar 1996 | Winter Storm | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Feb 1996 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Jan 1996 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many winter events has McLean County had?
108 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of winter storms and snow became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded winter event in McLean County?
3 Apr 2026 (Heavy Snow). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging winter event recorded in McLean County?
The blizzard of 23 Apr 2022, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.0M.
How does McLean County compare with North Dakota for winter?
5.1 events per 100 square miles against 9.5 statewide; the county holds 108 of the state's 6,541 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Winter hub and the county page.