Alert archive / Montana / Winter Storm Warnings in 2016

Winter Storm Warning 2, NWS Missoula, MT

January 14, 2016Flathead County, Lake County, Sanders County, Montana

NWS Missoula, MT issued this winter storm warning at Jan 14, 2016, 10:19 AM MST for Flathead County, Lake County, Sanders County, Montana. It was in force for 7 hr. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jan 14, 2016, 10:19 AM MST (17:19 UTC)
Expired
Jan 14, 2016, 5:00 PM MST
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS Missoula, MT

Counties Flathead County, MT, Lake County, MT, Sanders County, MT

The radar

The Missoula radar (KMSX), 98 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:25 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jan 14, 4:20 PM MSTHEAVY SNOW 104 Sse Creston, MT3.5 INCHES BY 10 AM. ADDITIONS 6.5 INCHES SINCE 10 AM

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Spokane, WA (KOTX), launched 12:00Z, 5.3 hours before the alert went out and 149 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Spokane, WA at 12:00Z on 2016-01-14Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Spokane, WA at 12:00Z on 2016-01-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -14 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1224 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
11 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-14 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
18 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

705 
WWUS45 KMSO 141719
WSWMSO

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
1019 AM MST THU JAN 14 2016


IDZ005-006-009-010-MTZ004>006-141830-
/O.CAN.KMSO.WW.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-160114T1800Z/
1019 AM MST THU JAN 14 2016 /919 AM PST THU JAN 14 2016/

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MISSOULA HAS CANCELLED THE WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY. 

$$

MTZ003-150000-
/O.UPG.KMSO.WW.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-160114T1800Z/
/O.NEW.KMSO.WS.W.0002.160114T1719Z-160115T0000Z/
1019 AM MST THU JAN 14 2016

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MISSOULA HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WARNING FOR WET HEAVY SNOW AND HAZARDOUS WINTER TRAVEL...WHICH
IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON. THE WINTER WEATHER
ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* IMPACTS/TIMING: PROLONGED WET, HEAVY SNOW HAS BEEN INTENSIFYING
  ACROSS MAINLY THE FLATHEAD VALLEY, AND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
  AT A HEAVY RATE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. POWER LINES MAY BE
  DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY WET HEAVY SNOWFALL, WITH POWER OUTAGES A
  HIGH PROBABILITY. ROAD CONDITIONS WILL CAUSE HAZARDOUS DRIVING
  CONDITIONS DURING THIS TIME. SNOWFALL ALONG THE SOUTH END OF
  FLATHEAD LAKE THROUGH THE MISSION VALLEY MAY ONLY SEE PERIODS OF
  INTENSE SNOWFALL, WITH LESS EXTREME ACCUMULATIONS THAN THOSE IN
  THE FLATHEAD VALLEY.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 3 TO 7 INCHES IN VALLEYS... WITH HIGHER
  TERRAIN RECEIVING OVER ONE FOOT OF SNOW THROUGH LATE THIS AFTERNOON.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...FLATHEAD LAKE...FLATHEAD VALLEY...
   MISSION VALLEY...POLSON

$$

MTZ002-150000-
/O.UPG.KMSO.WW.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-160115T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMSO.WS.W.0002.160114T1719Z-160115T0000Z/
1019 AM MST THU JAN 14 2016

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MISSOULA HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WARNING FOR WET HEAVY SNOW AND HAZARDOUS WINTER TRAVEL...WHICH
IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON. THE WINTER WEATHER
ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* IMPACTS/TIMING: PROLONGED WET, HEAVY SNOW HAS BEEN INTENSIFYING
  AND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AT A HEAVY RATE THROUGH THIS
  AFTERNOON. POWER LINES MAY BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY WET HEAVY
  SNOWFALL, WITH POWER OUTAGES A HIGH PROBABILITY. ROAD CONDITIONS
  WILL CAUSE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS DURING THIS TIME.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 3 TO 7 INCHES FOR VALLEYS. HIGHER AMOUNTS
  OF OVER ONE FOOT OF SNOW IN THE HIGHER TERRAIN.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...BAD ROCK CANYON...ESSEX...HIGHWAY 
  83 BIGFORK TO SWAN LAKE...MARIAS PASS...POLEBRIDGE

$$

MTZ001-150000-
/O.EXT.KMSO.WW.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-160115T0000Z/
1019 AM MST THU JAN 14 2016

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS
AFTERNOON...

* IMPACTS/TIMING: THE COMBINATION FOR FREEZING RAIN... FREEZING
  FOG... AND SNOW WILL CONTINUE THE THREAT OF ICY CONDITIONS.
  THESE CHANGEABLE ROAD CONDITIONS WILL MAKE FOR POTENTIALLY
  HAZARDOUS TRAVEL THROUGH THIS EVENING.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: VALLEYS COULD SEE UP TO 3 INCHES... WITH 
  HIGHER TERRAIN RECEIVING 6 TO 10 INCHES. 

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...HIGHWAY 2 KALISPELL TO LIBBY... 
  HIGHWAY 37 EUREKA TO LIBBY...HIGHWAY 56 BULL LAKE ROAD...
  HIGHWAY 93 EUREKA TO WHITEFISH

$$

MTZ043-150000-
/O.CON.KMSO.WW.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-160115T0000Z/
1019 AM MST THU JAN 14 2016

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS
AFTERNOON...

* IMPACTS/TIMING: WET HEAVY SNOW WILL CONTINUE THE THREAT OF
  SNOWY, ICY TRAVEL. CHANGEABLE ROAD CONDITIONS WILL MAKE FOR
  POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS TRAVEL THROUGH LATER THIS AFTERNOON.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: AN ADDITIONAL 3 TO 5 INCHES. HIGHER AMOUNTS
  LIKELY NORTH OF CONDON ALONG HIGHWAY 83.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...HIGHWAY 200 BONNER TO GREENOUGH...
   HIGHWAY 83 SEELEY LAKE TO CONDON...I-90 EAST MISSOULA TO 
  BEARMOUTH

$$
1 follow-up statement
798 
WWUS45 KMSO 150001
WSWMSO

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
501 PM MST THU JAN 14 2016


MTZ002-003-151600-
/O.EXP.KMSO.WS.W.0002.000000T0000Z-160115T0000Z/
/O.EXB.KMSO.WW.Y.0004.160115T0001Z-160115T1600Z/
501 PM MST THU JAN 14 2016

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM MST FRIDAY...
...WINTER STORM WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 5 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MISSOULA HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND SLICK ROADS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 9 AM MST FRIDAY.

* IMPACTS/TIMING: WIDESPREAD SNOW WILL STEADILY DECREASE OVER
  NIGHT, BUT TEMPERATURES IN THE TWENTIES WILL CAUSE REFREEZE OF
  WET AND SLUSHY ROADS CREATING HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS
  THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: UP TO AN INCH OF NEW SNOW WITH BIGFORK AND
  CRESTON AREA GETTING AN ADDITION 1 TO 3 INCHES. 

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...BAD ROCK CANYON...ESSEX...HIGHWAY 
  83 BIGFORK TO SWAN LAKE...MARIAS PASS...POLEBRIDGE...FLATHEAD 
  LAKE...FLATHEAD VALLEY...MISSION VALLEY...POLSON

$$

MTZ001-150115-
/O.EXP.KMSO.WW.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-160115T0000Z/
501 PM MST THU JAN 14 2016

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 5 PM MST THIS
AFTERNOON...

* IMPACTS/TIMING: SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OUT OF THE AREA THIS
  EVENING. 

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...HIGHWAY 2 KALISPELL TO LIBBY... 
  HIGHWAY 37 EUREKA TO LIBBY...HIGHWAY 56 BULL LAKE ROAD...
  HIGHWAY 93 EUREKA TO WHITEFISH

$$

MTZ043-150115-
/O.EXP.KMSO.WW.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-160115T0000Z/
501 PM MST THU JAN 14 2016

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 5 PM MST THIS
AFTERNOON...

* IMPACTS/TIMING: SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OUT OF THE AREA THIS
  EVENING. 

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...HIGHWAY 200 BONNER TO GREENOUGH...
   HIGHWAY 83 SEELEY LAKE TO CONDON...I-90 EAST MISSOULA TO 
  BEARMOUTH

$$

Nearby

Winter Storm Warnings in Montana, 2016Every winter storm warning in 2016

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.