Winter Storm, Central and Se Phillips
- When
- December 29, 6:30 AM MST to 8:30 PM MST
- Where
- Central and Se Phillips forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.259, -107.913 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm in Montana, December 29, 1996
A winter storm moving across eastern Montana produced 4 to 6 inches of snow and 10 to 20 mph winds. The winds in combination with the very cold conditions dropped wind chill readings to near 60 below.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 12 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 12
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS GGW wrote it up.
A winter storm moving across eastern Montana produced 4 to 6 inches of snow and 10 to 20 mph winds. The winds in combination with the very cold conditions dropped wind chill readings to near 60 below. The storm caused blowing and drifting snow which made travel hazardous.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
12 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Central and Southern Valley
- When
- December 29, 6:30 AM MST to 8:30 PM MST
- Where
- Central and Southern Valley forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.365, -106.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Daniels
- When
- December 29, 6:30 AM MST to 8:30 PM MST
- Where
- Daniels forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.784, -105.549 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Sheridan
- When
- December 29, 6:30 AM MST to 8:30 PM MST
- Where
- Sheridan forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.721, -104.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Western Roosevelt
- When
- December 29, 6:30 AM MST to 8:30 PM MST
- Where
- Western Roosevelt forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.295, -105.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Petroleum
- When
- December 29, 6:30 AM MST to 8:30 PM MST
- Where
- Petroleum forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.118, -108.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Garfield
- When
- December 29, 6:30 AM MST to 8:30 PM MST
- Where
- Garfield forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.278, -106.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, McCone
- When
- December 29, 6:30 AM MST to 8:30 PM MST
- Where
- McCone forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.645, -105.795 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Richland
- When
- December 29, 6:30 AM MST to 8:30 PM MST
- Where
- Richland forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.788, -104.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Dawson
- When
- December 29, 6:30 AM MST to 8:30 PM MST
- Where
- Dawson forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 47.266, -104.899 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Prairie
- When
- December 29, 6:30 AM MST to 8:30 PM MST
- Where
- Prairie forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.861, -105.378 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Wibaux
- When
- December 29, 6:30 AM MST to 8:30 PM MST
- Where
- Wibaux forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 46.965, -104.249 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Lightning Strike in Louisiana, December 29, 1996
- Heavy Rain in Washington, December 29 to 31, 1996
- Flood in Washington, December 29 to 31, 1996
- Ice Storm in Washington, December 29 to 30, 1996
- Heavy Rain in California, December 29, 1996
- High Wind in Nevada, December 29, 1996
- High Wind in Nevada, December 29, 1996
- High Wind in Nevada, December 29, 1996
- Flooding in California, December 29 to 31, 1996
- Dense Fog in Florida, December 29, 1996
- Winter Storm in Montana, December 29, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Washington, December 29, 1996
More
Every storm in Montana in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 1996
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5583172, 5583173, 5583174, 5583175, 5583176, 5583177, 5583178, 5583179, 5583180, 5583181, 5583182, 5583183.