April is a time of optimism as the region thaws, and thoughts turn to planting and warmer weather. However, it’s also a deceptive time, as the last gasps of winter can still wreak havoc, surprising those who believe the snow is finished. March and April storms have earned their place in residents' memories, like the March 1966 blizzard. But the 1997 blizzard, named “Hannah” by the Grand Forks Herald, came with an intensity and consequences that belied its innocent name.
The Colorado low rolled in on April 4 and lasted through April 7, bringing devastation that lingered for months and years. Much of the state felt the brunt of the storm, with the southwest hardest hit. Glen Ullin received 14 inches, and Bowman took the top spot with 24 inches. Bismarck saw 17.5 inches and produced one of the iconic images of the storm—multiple vehicles buried up to their windows in the Kirkwood Mall parking lot.
The National Weather Service noted that conditions before the storm were mild and pleasant, with high temperatures in the 60s and 70s. But as the storm pounded the state, snow accumulated at 1.5 to 2 inches per hour, and winds howled between 50 to 60 miles per hour, closing both interstates and many other roads.
Hannah worsened an already dire flood situation in the Red River Valley. It had been a snowy winter, but this storm pushed snow totals into record territory. Bismarck recorded 101.6 inches of snow for the season, while Fargo had 117 inches. Freezing rain also hit eastern North Dakota, causing widespread power outages as hundreds of utility poles snapped. The additional snow contributed to record flooding in Grand Forks, leading to its evacuation and devastation later that month.
The storm hit the ranching industry hard, with around 100,000 head of cattle (about 10% of the state’s herd) lost, many of them calves and yearlings. Two people died, sixteen were injured, and total damages reached $44.7 million. Hannah’s significance was so great that Grand Forks erected a historical marker downtown to commemorate it.
Blizzards are common in North Dakota, even late in the season, but the storm of early April 1997 capped a once-in-a-generation winter. Many now compare the 2022-2023 season to 1996-1997. It may be spring, but winter can still have surprises up its sleeve for North Dakota.
Dakota Datebook by Daniel Sauerwein
Sources:
- Lori Clark, “Weekend Blizzard Brings Winter Back,” Glen Ullin Times, April 9, 1997, accessed February 26, 2025, https://ndarchives.historyarchives.online/viewer?k=blizzard&i=f&by=1997&bdd=1990&d=04051997-04131997&m=between&ord=k1&fn=glen_ullin_times_usa_north_dakota_glen_ullin_19970409_english_1&df=1&dt=10&cid=2904.
- NOAA US Department of Commerce, “North Dakota Blizzard of April 4-7, 1997,” National Weather Service, April 4, 2022, accessed February 26, 2025, https://www.weather.gov/bis/severewx04041997.
- Jacob Morse, “25th Anniversary of April 4-7, 1997 Blizzard,” KFYRTV.com, accessed February 26, 2025, https://www.kfyrtv.com/2022/04/04/25th-anniversary-april-4-7-1997-blizzard/.
- 1997 Flood Timeline | City of Grand Forks, ND, accessed February 26, 2025, https://www.grandforksgov.com/government/city-departments/public-information-center/1997-flood/1997-flood-timeline.
- “Blizzard ‘Hannah’ Historical Marker,” Historical Marker, accessed February 26, 2025, https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=169713.
