Blizzard, Central and Se Phillips
- When
- March 12, 9:45 AM MST to 9:00 PM MST
- Where
- Central and Se Phillips forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.259, -107.913 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard in Montana, March 12, 1997
Moist air overrunning an arctic air mass over northeast Montana caused areas of heavy snow to develop. East winds at 30 to 40 miles an hour with gusts to 45 miles an hour caused blizzard conditions north of the Missouri River.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
- 5
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.
Moist air overrunning an arctic air mass over northeast Montana caused areas of heavy snow to develop. East winds at 30 to 40 miles an hour with gusts to 45 miles an hour caused blizzard conditions north of the Missouri River. While only 2 to 3 inches of snow was reported, drifts as high as 6 to 10 feet were reported in the warned area. Travel was not possible and many motorists were stranded.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
5 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Blizzard, Central and Southern Valley
- When
- March 12, 9:45 AM MST to 9:00 PM MST
- Where
- Central and Southern Valley forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.365, -106.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Daniels
- When
- March 12, 9:45 AM MST to 9:00 PM MST
- Where
- Daniels forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.784, -105.549 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Sheridan
- When
- March 12, 9:45 AM MST to 9:00 PM MST
- Where
- Sheridan forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.721, -104.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Western Roosevelt
- When
- March 12, 9:45 AM MST to 9:00 PM MST
- Where
- Western Roosevelt forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 48.295, -105.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Blizzard
- Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Winter Weather in Vermont, March 12, 1997
- Flood in Oklahoma, March 12, 1997
- Winter Storm in North Dakota, March 12 to 13, 1997
- Flash Flood in Texas, March 12, 1997
- Flooding in South Dakota, March 12 to 31, 1997
- Winter Storm in South Dakota, March 12 to 14, 1997
- Winter Storm in South Dakota, March 12 to 13, 1997
- Flooding in Iowa, March 12 to 31, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, March 12 to 13, 1997
- Winter Storm in Montana, March 12 to 13, 1997
- Winter Storm in Minnesota, March 12 to 14, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Montana, March 12 to 13, 1997
More
Every storm in Montana in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, March 1997
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: 5614297, 5614298, 5614299, 5614300, 5614301.