1966 — March 2-5, snowstorm/blizzard, especially MN (7), NE (1), ND (5), SD (7-8) –20-21

–20-21 Blanchard total from State breakouts below. (One traffic death in SD “possibly” storm-related.)
— 7 Minnesota
— 1 Nebraska
— 5 North Dakota
–7-8 South Dakota
— 19 UPI. “For three days and three nights, time stood still on the Northern Plains – 19 dead.” 3-7-1966.
— 18 AP. “Wind Curtails Road Clearing on Monday.” Fergus Falls Daily Journal, MN. 3-8-1966, 1.
(MN, ND, SD)
–>18 NWS, Grand Forks, ND WFO. “The Historic Blizzard of March 2-5, 1966.” Accessed 5-6-2022.
–>4 Minnesota
–>5 North Dakota
–>6 South Dakota
— 16 AP. “Rescue, Search Groups Aiding Blizzard Areas.” Evening Tribune, Albert Lea MN, 3-7-1966, 1.
–5 Minnesota
–5 North Dakota
–6 South Dakota.

Minnesota (7)
–7 Blanchard total from locality and cause of death breakouts below.
–6 AP. “Six Deaths In Minnesota Blizzard.” Winona Daily News, MN. 3-7-1966, p. 13.
–4 Environmental Data Service. Storm Data, Vol. 8, No. 3, March 1966, p. 17.
— 1 Bear River area. Exposure; woman “froze to death” after leaving stranded car.
–>1 Moorhead. Heart attack while shoveling snow. Probable reference to Harlow Frost.
–>1 Park Rapids, Hubbard County. Heart attack while shoveling snow.
— 1 Warroad. Apparent heart attack. “…man fell dead…wading through deep drifts.”
Breakout of blizzard related deaths by locality:
–1 Bagley (rural). Apparent heart attack from snow removal; Mrs. Eliza R. Iverson, 61.
–1 Duluth. Suffocation; power out, candle lit, sets fire to parent’s home; David Coleman, 10.
–1 Moorhead area, March 3. Heart attack shoveling snow; Deputy Sheriff Harlow A. Frost.
–1 Park Rapids (rural). Heart attack shoveling snow; Sylvester Hocoske, 70.
–1 Pine River, March 3. Heart attack after shoveling snow around stuck car; Arthur Aamot.
–1 Thief River Falls area. Heart attack removing snow in farmyard; Manuel C. Rude, 57.
–1 Warroad. Apparent heart attack; Lawrence Budd.

Nebraska (1)
–1 Environmental Data Service. Storm Data, Vol. 8, No. 3, March 1966, p. 18.
–1 Sheridan County. Exposure; “woman froze to death…walking from stalled automobile.”
–1 ~White Clay, Sheridan Co. Exposure; car stalls in snow, Mrs. Elmer Throne, 51, tries to walk home.

North Dakota (5)
–5 Environmental Data Service. Storm Data, Vol. 8, No. 3, March 1966, p. 18.
–1 Driscoll. Exposure or heart attack; farmer, 73, found frozen to death in farm yard.
–1 Linton. Heart attack in car after trying to get it back on road after skidding off.
–1 Strasburg. Exposure; girl, 6, becomes lost on way from house to barn, freezes.
–1 Woodworth/Goldwin area. Exposure; girl 12, left house for chicken-coop; became lost.
–1 No location. Heart attack after shoveling snow at a school; janitor.
–5 NWS, Grand Forks, ND WFO. “The Historic Blizzard of March 2-5, 1966.” Accessed 5-6-2022.
–1 Sterling (rural). Body of Lowell Brown, 65, found draped over windmill brace at his farm.

South Dakota (7-8)
–7-8 Blanchard total. (Not entirely clear that 8th death (Faith car accident) was storm related.)
— 6 AP. “Blizzard Death Toll in State Stands at Six.” Daily Republic, Mitchell, SD, 3-7-1966, 1.
— 6 Environmental Data Service. Storm Data, Vol. 8, No. 3, March 1966, p. 20.
–3 Exposure
–2 Heart attacks
–1 Asphyxiation.
–1 Draper. Frozen body of Freemont Sands, 66, ranch-hand, found on ranch March 5th.
–1 East Yankton, Hwy. 50, March 6. Car skids off icy road, Ronald Gilbert, 24 thrown out.
–1 Faith. Exposure; car went into ditch; Earl Thomas of Rapid City, SD froze to death.
–1 Fort Pierre. Heart attack shoveling snow; Hubert Dunigan, 51.
–1 Madison area. CO or exposure; car found buried in snow; Albert E. Herrboldt, 64.
–1 Morristown. Exposure; elderly rancher; had stomped out “Help” in snow; found too late.
–1 Sturgis. Heart attack shoveling snow; Henry Cooper, 61.
–1 Wall, 4th. CO asphyxiation; gas oven fumes “pressed into emergency service to heat…home.”

Narrative Information

Environmental Data Service. Storm Data, Minnesota:
“Northern, west central and upper central and east central divisions…2nd-5th …4 [killed] Blizzard

“Snowfalls of over 2 feet and high winds paralyzed most of the region for up to 4 days. Although temperatures did not drop sharply, duration marks this as one of worst blizzards on record. Heart attacks while shoveling snow caused deaths at Moorhead and Park Rapids. At Warroad a man fell dead while wading through deep drifts. A woman froze to death near Bear River after leaving her stranded car. Unlike the Dakotas, Minnesota experienced little stock losses, apparently because state has large forest regions and this holds down drifting problem. The trees act as shelterbelts. Mink ranches near Warroad had losses due to heavy snow. At Hallock farmers forced to dump milk. Many radio and TV towers took severe damage from winds. Highway patrols set up road blocks much of region allowing only emergency trips with snowplows. Snowmobiles became usual means of transportation. At Crookston, police borrowed 10 snowmobiles and used them in place of squad cars for emergency runs. Many reports of snow causing roofs to cave in. In Duluth blizzard combined with ice storm. Heavily iced (up to 3 inches) power lines down throughout the city were tossed around streets by high winds. Other smaller towns in the area also without power most of 5th. The heavy snows set April stage for some of worst flooding in history along the Red River of the North and its tributaries as well as along the Mississippi River head waters.” (Environmental Data Service. Storm Data, Vol. 8, No. 3, March 1966, p. 17.)

Environmental Data Service. Storm Data, Nebraska:
“All sections…2nd-4th …1 [killed]…Blizzard, damaging winds.

“Intense spring storm began in NW on 2nd, spread most of state, persisted until 4th-5th. Winds were in excess of 50 MPH with stronger gusts. Broken Bow reported gusts above 100 MPH. Visibility near zero in blowing snow north, and blowing dust and snow south. Snow drifts of 10-20 feet in north. Extensive wind damage to trees, antennae, and buildings in all sections except extreme SE. Cattle loss estimated at several thousand head. Seventeen semi-trailers reported overturned between Holdrege and McCook alone. Lightning strikes in eastern Nebraska. Hail covered ground in some areas. Woman froze to death in Sheridan County while waling from stalled automobile. Additional ‘storm related’ deaths and injuries. Property damage mainly from winds, cattle loss from wind-driven snow.” (Environmental Data Service. Storm Data, V8, N3, March 1966, p. 18.)

Environmental Data Service. Storm Data, North Dakota:
“North Dakota – all portions except the extreme northwest…2nd-5th …5 [killed]…Blizzard

“Snow began over the southern half of the state Wednesday morning, March 2, and spread northward by Thursday to all of North Dakota except the extreme northwest and north central portions. By Friday all parts of the state were under the influence of a severe blizzard except the three extreme northwestern counties which experience high winds and dust storms but no snowfall.

“In some respects, this blizzard of 1966 can be considered one of the most severe in the history of the state. The legendary January 12, 1888 blizzard, which left at least 112 persons dead, lasted for 14 hours. The unusually severe blizzard of March 15, 1941, 2ith 70 m.p.h. winds, crossed the state from northwest to southeast in only 7 hours, leaving 39 dead in eastern North Dakota, where the storm was most severe.

“In the 1966 storm, winds reported over 70 m.p.h. continued unabated for up to four days in some areas. Snowfall, reported as much as 38 inches in the northeastern part of the state, was piled into mountainous drifts 30 to 40 feet high in many places over the state. For the first time in the history of many towns, schools were closed, all business was suspended, newspapers failed to publish, and all forms of traffic came to a complete halt.

“Minimum temperatures during the blizzard were, in general, in the teens, with below zero temperatures not reported until Saturday and Sunday, after the blizzard had passed. This lack of severely low temperatures, which usually accompany such severe North Dakota blizzards, undoubtedly was partly responsible for the relatively few deaths which occurred directly as a result of the storm. Timely warnings, at least a day in advance of the storm; good dissemination; and modern communications undoubtedly all helped to keep the number of deaths to a minimum. No deaths could be ascribed to lack of warnings or forecasts, the cause of many deaths in earlier days.

“Five persons in North Dakota died due to some related effect of the storm. A six-year old girl, of Strasburg, fully clothed for the outdoors, became separated from her two brothers when the children went from their home to a barn 60 feet away. She was found two days later a quarter of a mile from home, frozen to death.

“Another girl, age 12, of Woodworth, slipped out of the house to close a chicken-coop door. She was never again seen alive after she started back to the house about 100 feet away. Her frozen body was found the next day, half-a-mile from home.

“Three elderly men died as a result of heart attacks, probably brought on by overexertion. A 60 year old man in Linton died in his car after vainly trying to extricate it from a ditch into which it had skidded. A janitor was found inside a school where he had collapsed after shoveling snow from the walks. The third man, age, 73, a farmer of Driscoll, was found frozen to death in his farm yard only a few yards from his home. Many minor injuries, directly related to the storm, occurred but none proved fatal.

“The loss in livestock was serious, with an estimated loss of 18,500 cattle, 7,500 sheep, and 600 hogs. On a farm in eastern North Dakota, 7,000 turkeys perished. Many cattle suffocated in barns which became completely sealed in by huge snowdrifts. Pole barns, in which stock were herded before the storm struck collapsed, resulting in many dead and injured animals. The total loss of livestock was estimated at near $4 million dollars.

“The continual high winds piled snow in corrals and feed lots. Cattle, in their milling around, tramped down and compacted the snow until the level of the snow became higher than the fence. The cattle then wanders off and perished in the open fields.

“All transportation ceased by the second day of the storm. Three transcontinental trains were trapped in railway cuts and within a short time were nearly covered with rock-hard snow, which defeated all efforts to free the trains until after the storm ended. Five hundred passengers were trapped for a time. Automobile travel even early in the storm, was prevented by the huge drifts and by near zero visibility which in Bismarck continued for 42 hours without any let-up.

“Power and telephone service were interrupted for up to several days in many areas, by the high winds and driven snow. Heavy drifts crushed sheds and aircraft hangers and many store windows were blown in. Snow was driven into attics and chimney vents were frozen, resulting in a number of cases of gas poisoning. Many all-time records for monthly snowfall, for snowfall during one storm and for 24-hour snowfall were broken. The length of duration of the blizzard, particularly in the southern half of the state, set many records as did the length of zero and near-zero visibility conditions. The snow, which carried large quantities of dirt, was dubbed ‘smirt’.

“This 1966 blizzard can therefore be considered as an all-time record blizzard for North Dakota for sustained severity, low visibilities, and amount of snowfall.” (Environmental Data Service. Storm Data, Vol. 8, No. 3, March 1966, pp. 18-19.)

Environmental Data Service. Storm Data, South Dakota: “
“Statewide…2nd-5th …3 [killed]…Blizzard and heavy snow.

“The blizzard began late on 2nd in west and moved very slowly across state reaching extreme east on 4th continuing into 5th. Snow depth ranged from 2-4 inches in southeast to 35 inches at Mobridge in north central. Winds of 40-55 M.P.H. with gusts to 100 M.P.H. caused blowing snow which reduced visibility to near zero during storm. Drifts of up to 30 feet were reported in sheltered areas while open fields were nearly bare. The storm caused heavy livestock losses. Estimated losses were 50,000 cattle, 46,000 sheep and 1800 hogs. The larges losses were in the central and north central part of state. Livestock deaths were mostly caused by suffocation due to snow packing in the nostrils. The heavy snow collapsed a number of structures and caused some livestock losses that were sheltered inside. Three deaths were directly caused by storm due to exposure and 3 deaths were indirectly caused by storm; 2 due to heart attacks and 1 by asphyxiation. The blizzard was rated as one of the most severe that has been experienced in the state. Many roads were blocked by the snow. Schools and many business places were closed due to storm.” (Environmental Data Service. Storm Data, Vol. 8, No. 3, March 1966, p. 20.)

National Weather Service, Grand Forks, ND, Weather Forecast Office:

“One of the most severe blizzards on record to impact the Northern Plains occurred 50 years ago between March 2-5 of 1966. The blizzard was particularly memorable for its long duration, as well as for its very heavy snowfall totals of 20 to 30 inches in some locations and wind gusts exceeding 70 mph at times. Snowfall totals reached as high as 38 inches, with drifts 30 to 40 feet high in some locations.

“News accounts vary…but at least 18 reported deaths occurred across the Great Plains states due to the blizzard. At least nine people were killed across North Dakota (5) and Minnesota (4), and at least another 6 (possibly more) people died in South Dakota. A few of the fatalities were from overexertion from shoveling snow, while other deaths occurred as a result of becoming disoriented while out in the treacherous blizzard conditions. In addition, tens of thousands of livestock perished in the storm.

“Transportation became impossible, with schools and businesses shut down across the area, and power and telephone service outages which lasted for many days….

“Meteorological Synopsis

“An intense ‘Colorado Low’ weather system lifted into eastern South Dakota early on March 3, 1966, and slowly progressed into central Minnesota on March 4. These type of weather systems are capable of producing very heavy precipitation, as abundant moisture can be transported northward ahead of the strong low pressure systems. With cold enough temperatures, heavy snow and very strong winds often occur to the northwest of the track of the low pressure system, as was the case with this blizzard.

“Snow began in southern North Dakota during the morning of March 2, and spread northward into March 3. At Fargo, the visibility remained one quarter mile or less for over 30 consecutive hours from March 3-5, coinciding with strong northerly winds gusting frequently over 40 or 50 mph.

“Unlike many of the ‘killer blizzards’ which had previously occurred in the Northern Plains [Schoolhouse Blizzard, 11-12 Jan 1888; Armistice Day Blizzard, 11 Nov 1940; and Ides of March Blizzard, 14-15 Mar 1941], temperatures were relatively mild during much of this blizzard. At Fargo, temperatures held steady in the 20s during the start of the blizzard, falling into the teens during the height of the blizzard, when winds were strongest and visibility lowest. By the time the blizzard was winding down, temperatures had dropped into the single digits.

“At Grand Forks, 27.8 inches of snow was measured, with the heaviest snow falling on March 4, when 17.0 inches fell. For Grand Forks, the 17.0 inches on March 4 set a record for most snowfall during one calendar day, while the 27.8 inches for the blizzard as a whole still remains the heaviest event total snowfall on record in Grand Forks.

“Finally by later on March 5, the low pressure system began to move away, with winds subsiding, and colder subzero temperatures moving into the region….” (National Weather Service, Grand Forks, ND, Weather Forecast Office. “The Historic Blizzard of March 2-5, 1966.” Accessed 5-6-2022.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Blizzard Death Toll in State Stands at Six.” Daily Republic, Mitchell, SD, 3-7-1966, p.1. Accessed 5-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/mitchell-daily-republic-mar-07-1966-p-1/

Associated Press. “Deadly Storm Begins Easing Over 3 States.” Daily Plainsman, Huron, SD, 3-6-1966, p. 1. Accessed 5-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/huron-daily-plainsman-mar-06-1966-p-1/

Associated Press. “Death Toll Reaches 16 — Rescue, Search Groups Aiding Blizzard Areas.” Evening Tribune, Albert Lea, MN, 3-7-1966, p1. Accessed 5-5-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/albert-lea-evening-tribune-mar-07-1966-p-1/

Associated Press. “Mission Hill Man Killed in Auto Mishap.” Daily Republic, Mitchell, SD, 3-7-1966, p2. Accessed 5-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/mitchell-daily-republic-mar-07-1966-p-2/

Associated Press. “Six Deaths In Minnesota Blizzard.” Winona Daily News, MN. 3-7-1966, p. 13. Accessed 5-5-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/winona-daily-news-mar-07-1966-p-24/

Associated Press. “Wind Curtails Road Clearing on Monday.” Fergus Falls Daily Journal, MN. 3-8-1966, p1. Accessed 5-5-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/fergus-falls-daily-journal-mar-08-1966-p-12/

Brainerd Daily Dispatch, MN. “Weather (continued from p.1).” 3-5-1966, p. 2. Accessed 5-5-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/brainerd-daily-dispatch-mar-05-1966-p-2/

Daily Plainsman, Huron, SD. “Storm-Related Death in CSD [Central South Dakota].” 3-6-1966, p. 1. Accessed 5-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/huron-daily-plainsman-mar-06-1966-p-1/

Environmental Data Service, Environmental Science Services Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Storm Data, Vol. 8, No. 3, March 1966, Asheville: 1966. Accessed 5-3-2022 at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/orders/IPS/IPS-307345E3-9050-4296-90CC-6121572B6AD9.pdf

Evening Tribune, Albert Lea, MN. “9 Missing in Blizzard That Hit Dakotas, State.” 3-4-1966, p. 1. Accessed 5-5-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/albert-lea-evening-tribune-mar-04-1966-p-1/

Evening Tribune, Albert Lea, MN. “Blizzard Area Gets Plowed Out (cont. from p.1.).” 3-7-1966, p. 2. Accessed 5-5-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/albert-lea-evening-tribune-mar-07-1966-p-2/

National Weather Service, Grand Forks, ND, Weather Forecast Office. “The Historic Blizzard of March 2-5, 1966.” Accessed 5-6-2022 at: https://www.weather.gov/fgf/blizzardof66

United Press International. “For three days and three nights, time stood still on the Northern Plains – 19 dead.” Columbus Daily Telegram, NE, 3-7-1966, p. 1. Accessed 5-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/columbus-daily-telegram-mar-07-1966-p-1/

UPI (United Press International). “Near Blizzard Car Stall Is Fatal.” Lincoln Evening Journal and Nebraska State Journal, 3-4-1966, p.8. Accessed 5-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lincoln-evening-journal-and-nebraska-state-journal-mar-04-1966-p-8/