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Cellpic Sunday—When Spring Hit Pause

Flakes drifting through the garage lights

National Weather Service Bulletin
Fargo, ND — Issued April 4, 2026
A powerful spring storm delivered 9.6 inches of snow to Fargo on Saturday, setting a new single‑day snowfall record for April 4. The previous record of 4.7 inches, set in 2023, was more than doubled by this event. Forecasters noted the storm carried unusually high moisture, producing heavy, wet snow across southeast North Dakota.

Fargo Snowfall 4-2026-2
Wet snow coats the branches

In the opening photo, taken at 6:32 AM, the only movement was the steady fall of flakes drifting through the garage lights, as if spring itself had stopped mid‑stride. About forty minutes later, when I stepped back into the backyard, the storm’s official numbers already made sense. The heavy, wet snow clung to every branch and rooftop, muting the neighborhood into a kind of suspended quiet. Shortly after sunrise, the world looked even softer, the weight of the record snowfall settling into every corner of the yard.

Just a week earlier, we were wrapping up our time in Tucson after a stretch of heat that felt more like early summer than spring. March had already delivered four days over 100°F (37.8°C)—an unusually early burst of desert heat in a month that typically sees none. Leaving that warmth behind in late March, we expected a gentle transition into spring back home. Instead, Fargo greeted us with a record snowfall that brought the season to a sudden, unmistakable pause.

In the days since, the snow has already begun to settle and melt, but that morning pause still lingers in my mind. Spring will find its footing again soon enough, but for a few hours, the season reminded us that North Dakota still has a few surprises left.

About the photos: When I awoke early Saturday morning, I was ready to work on photo processing from our Tucson trip. While I brewed my coffee, I opened the shades and noticed that the forecast high winds hadn’t materialized; instead, a gentle but heavy snowfall was settling in. I could have grabbed the Nikon, but using my Samsung S25 Ultra felt right for a Cellpic Sunday dedicated to this record‑breaking storm. With the Expert RAW app, I captured several DNG files from the patio. The stark whites against the buildings and trees immediately suggested black‑and‑white. After basic tweaks in Adobe Lightroom Classic, I sent the files to Silver Efex for conversion, chose a preset that fit the mood, and returned them to Lightroom for final adjustments to contrast and clarity. I’ve posted 2K HD versions of the images in my Flickr gallery here.

I invite fellow bloggers to join in by creating their own Cellpic Sunday posts. There’s no set theme—the only rule is that your photo must be captured with a cell phone, iPad, or other mobile device. The second rule is simple: link your challenge response to this post or drop a comment here with your link so others can find it. And remember, despite the name, there’s no penalty for sharing on a day other than Sunday.

John Steiner

19 comments

  6. Wow, it looks like the beginning of winter, not April in Fargo, John! We had snow here last week, but not to those levels! It must be quite a shock to return from summer-like conditions into that winter postcard, John.

    Beautiful, magical photos, John. I love the light source from the snow itself and that of the outdoor lighting.

    Thank you for your processing techniques; as always, I learned new insights from your wisdom.

    Stay warm and safe.I hope you do not have much shoveling to contend with.

    Reply

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