Fargo, ND – North Dakota may experience some of the nation’s most dangerous Thanksgiving-week cold, raising serious frostbite and hypothermia concerns, according to updated projections from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Nov. 19 climate outlook highlights a major pattern shift beginning November 25, with sharply colder-than-normal temperatures likely across the Northern Plains through early December.
According to NOAA, the expected cold surge is being driven by ongoing La Niña conditions, the Madden–Julian Oscillation, and the potential for a rare late-November sudden stratospheric warming event. These factors may unleash intense Arctic air into the North-Central U.S., positioning North Dakota at the core of the below-normal temperature zone.
With hunters, travelers, and holiday shoppers spending extended time outdoors, state health officials warn that frostbite and hypothermia can develop extremely quickly — particularly when powerful winds drive wind chills well below zero.
Common frostbite symptoms include:
• Numbness or loss of feeling
• Tingling or prickling sensations
• Cold, hard, waxy-looking skin
• Skin discoloration (red, white, blue, gray, or purple)
• Blisters that may appear after rewarming
Ten key signs of hypothermia:
Shivering, slurred speech, shallow breathing, weak pulse, confusion, memory loss, severe fatigue, stumbling or clumsiness, drowsiness, and — in severe cases — loss of consciousness. Infants may show bright red, cold skin and unusually low energy.
NOAA urges North Dakotans to dress in insulated layers, fully protect extremities, and limit outdoor exposure during the coldest parts of the holiday week. Anyone showing frostbite or hypothermia symptoms should seek immediate medical attention and begin warming with warm — not hot — water or gentle body heat.
