North Dakota Severe Weather Driving

A "ground blizzard" on North Dakota highways refers to:

By DMV Master Editorial Team Updated Verified against NDDOT Driver Manual — Winter Driving
A

Any heavy snowfall event.

Ground blizzards occur without active snowfall.

B

Blowing snow (without active snowfall) that reduces visibility to near-zero.

Correct answer

C

A thunderstorm in winter.

Different phenomenon entirely.

D

Snow on the ground before a storm arrives.

Ground blizzards are about airborne snow, not snow at rest.

Detailed Explanation

A ground blizzard occurs when strong winds (typically 35+ mph) lift existing snow from fields and roadways into the air, reducing visibility to near-zero — even when the sky is otherwise clear. They're especially common on North Dakota's open prairie. If caught in one, slow down, increase following distance, and if visibility drops to zero, carefully pull off the road and wait.

Source: NDDOT Driver Manual — Winter Driving

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