Do you enjoy winter in North Dakota? No matter how much snow in North Dakota piles up this year, this probably won’t be the state’s worst winter. You may or may not remember the winter of 1983-84 here in the Peace Garden State, but in all of North Dakota’s history that one was a doozy. And it makes just about any winter look downright mild. Here’s why:

In late December of 1983, North Dakota plunged into an arctic freeze unlike any other.

gopher7777/Youtube

December 22 alone blasted most of North Dakota with windchills at 100 below zero - and that’s not an exaggeration. It really was that outrageously cold.

gopher7777/Youtube

Williston, ND had its record-breaking temp at -50 degrees, not including the windchill. Many parts of the state never saw temps above zero for days.

gopher7777/Youtube

Not only was it extremely cold that winter, but later in the season in February of 1984, there was also a massive blizzard that went down in history as one of the worst.

gopher7777/Youtube Driving during that blizzard was nearly impossible with pretty much no visibility. It was like driving with a white sheet over your windshield.

Hundreds of cars became stuck in snow drifts and ditches or were otherwise abandoned during the blizzard.

gopher7777/Youtube Unfortunately, it also caused multiple deaths due to exposure when people left their stuck vehicles and tried to walk through the storm.

With such frigid temperatures and a snowstorm known as one of North Dakota’s worst, it makes this winter look like a warm walk in the park.

gopher7777/Youtube Check out this video for an in-depth look at this record-breaking winter:

Do you remember that nasty winter in North Dakota? It’s crazy how cold and snowy it was! It certainly puts other winters to shame. But living in North Dakota it is pretty much to be expected. Check out more of North Dakota’s worst winters — and yes, this one made the list of course!

gopher7777/Youtube

Driving during that blizzard was nearly impossible with pretty much no visibility. It was like driving with a white sheet over your windshield.

Unfortunately, it also caused multiple deaths due to exposure when people left their stuck vehicles and tried to walk through the storm.

Check out this video for an in-depth look at this record-breaking winter:

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.

Address: North Dakota, USA

The OIYS Visitor Center

Fun Facts About Winter in North Dakota November 26, 2022 Chris Muras Does North Dakota have harsh winters? North Dakota can safely claim to have some of the harshest winters in the lower 48 states. With the cold season running for four months from November until late March you’d better pack your long johns. North Dakota ranks as the coldest state in the lower 48. How do people survive winter in North Dakota? It is no joke that winters in North Dakota can be pretty intimidating. Being prepared when winter comes blowing into town is a must. Here are a few things that will help you survive winter in North Dakota:

  1. Have sand, salt, or cat litter in your car: Just in case you find a stray cat, or maybe just in case you get stuck and need to lay the smackdown on some icy spots beneath your tires.
  2. Allow extra driving time: You’ll need to stop at every coffee shop to warm up. It’s just a cold weather rule.
  3. Pack extra socks: You never know when the urge to play sock puppets will strike.
  4. Tell someone where you are going: If a sasquatch abducts you from your car they need to know where to start the search.
  5. Have an emergency bag: Chocolate, snacks, and a few shots of whisky should do the trick. And bandaids in case you cut yourself on the chocolate bar wrapper.
  6. Charge your phone: You never know when you’ll be trapped behind a snow plow and can fire off a few quick rounds of solitaire.
  7. Wear the right clothing: Bundle up buttercup. Save the Bermuda shorts for your trip to, well, Bermuda.
  8. Always fill the tank: Getting stranded because you didn’t have enough gas in the tank is a bonehead move - especially in the winter. Now that you know how to survive winter in North Dakota, here are some things you probably didn’t know about ND winters that locals will tell you about.

The OIYS Visitor Center

Fun Facts About Winter in North Dakota

November 26, 2022

Chris Muras

Does North Dakota have harsh winters? North Dakota can safely claim to have some of the harshest winters in the lower 48 states. With the cold season running for four months from November until late March you’d better pack your long johns. North Dakota ranks as the coldest state in the lower 48. How do people survive winter in North Dakota? It is no joke that winters in North Dakota can be pretty intimidating. Being prepared when winter comes blowing into town is a must. Here are a few things that will help you survive winter in North Dakota:

  1. Have sand, salt, or cat litter in your car: Just in case you find a stray cat, or maybe just in case you get stuck and need to lay the smackdown on some icy spots beneath your tires.
  2. Allow extra driving time: You’ll need to stop at every coffee shop to warm up. It’s just a cold weather rule.
  3. Pack extra socks: You never know when the urge to play sock puppets will strike.
  4. Tell someone where you are going: If a sasquatch abducts you from your car they need to know where to start the search.
  5. Have an emergency bag: Chocolate, snacks, and a few shots of whisky should do the trick. And bandaids in case you cut yourself on the chocolate bar wrapper.
  6. Charge your phone: You never know when you’ll be trapped behind a snow plow and can fire off a few quick rounds of solitaire.
  7. Wear the right clothing: Bundle up buttercup. Save the Bermuda shorts for your trip to, well, Bermuda.
  8. Always fill the tank: Getting stranded because you didn’t have enough gas in the tank is a bonehead move - especially in the winter. Now that you know how to survive winter in North Dakota, here are some things you probably didn’t know about ND winters that locals will tell you about.

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

North Dakota can safely claim to have some of the harshest winters in the lower 48 states. With the cold season running for four months from November until late March you’d better pack your long johns. North Dakota ranks as the coldest state in the lower 48.

How do people survive winter in North Dakota?

It is no joke that winters in North Dakota can be pretty intimidating. Being prepared when winter comes blowing into town is a must. Here are a few things that will help you survive winter in North Dakota:

  1. Have sand, salt, or cat litter in your car: Just in case you find a stray cat, or maybe just in case you get stuck and need to lay the smackdown on some icy spots beneath your tires.
  2. Allow extra driving time: You’ll need to stop at every coffee shop to warm up. It’s just a cold weather rule.
  3. Pack extra socks: You never know when the urge to play sock puppets will strike.
  4. Tell someone where you are going: If a sasquatch abducts you from your car they need to know where to start the search.
  5. Have an emergency bag: Chocolate, snacks, and a few shots of whisky should do the trick. And bandaids in case you cut yourself on the chocolate bar wrapper.
  6. Charge your phone: You never know when you’ll be trapped behind a snow plow and can fire off a few quick rounds of solitaire.
  7. Wear the right clothing: Bundle up buttercup. Save the Bermuda shorts for your trip to, well, Bermuda.
  8. Always fill the tank: Getting stranded because you didn’t have enough gas in the tank is a bonehead move - especially in the winter.

Now that you know how to survive winter in North Dakota, here are some things you probably didn’t know about ND winters that locals will tell you about.