Winter Storm in Montana, December 13 to 14, 2003

Name: Winter Storm in Montana, December 13 to 14, 2003
Start: 2003-12-13T21:00
End: 2003-12-14T12:30
Location: Montana

December 13 to 14, 2003 · NWS TFX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Heavy snow fell over the Rocky Mountain Front and portions of Southwest Montana during the afternoon of the 13th through midday on the 14th. Reported snow fall amounts include: 11 inches at the Pike Creek SNOTEL site, 10 inches at the Black Bear SNOTEL site, 7 inches at the Copper Camp SNOTEL site, 7 inches at the Darkhorse Lake SNOTEL site and 6 inches at the Badger Pass SNOTEL site.

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 TFX wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 13, 8:50 PM MST, 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 13, 8:50 PM MST, 10 minutes before

SOUTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
850 PM MST SAT DEC 13 2003

.DISCUSSION...

UPDATE...LOOKING AT THE LATEST RUC AND THE OOZ DATA WE HAVE DECIDED
TO LOWER POPS FOR THE NORTHERN PLAINS REGION FOR THE OVERNIGHT
PERIOD. THE BEST LIFTING MECHANISMS WILL REMAIN TO THE WEST OF THE
AREA. THIS THOUGHT IS ALSO BACKED WELL BY IR TRENDS WITH THE COLDEST
CLOUD TOPS SPLITTING THE AREA TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH. WILL ALSO DROP
SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OVER THE SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS FOR TONIGHT AND UPDATE
TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS.  CALLS TO SPOTTERS IN THE AREA AND RECENT
SNOTEL REPORTS INDICATE THAT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS HAVE BEEN MINIMAL
TO THIS POINT. THE ONLY OTHER CHANGES MADE WILL BE TO LOWER OVERNIGHT
LOWS IN HAVRE AND HELENA A COUPLE OF DEGREES. SCHAUMANN

SHORT TERM...HAVE STAYED WITH THE GFS MODEL SOLUTION. SNOW OCCURRING
OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND WILL MOVE EASTWARD THROUGH THE NIGHT. SNOW
WILL TAPER OFF FROM THE WEST SUNDAY. WINTER STORM WARNINGS ON TRACK.
MAY NEED TO LOOK AT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE EASTERN ZONES
SUNDAY AS UPSLOPE TO DEVELOP.  COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE
AREA ON SUNDAY. LOOK FOR CLEARING SKIES AND COLDER TEMPERATURES
SUNDAY NIGHT. FOG MAY DEVELOP OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN ZONES SUNDAY
NIGHT/EARLY MONDAY MORNING. UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS OVER
WESTERN MONTANA MONDAY FOR NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES. CAMP

.LONG TERM...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...RIDGE BUILDS IN MONDAY
NIGHT ALONG WITH A SURFACE TROF FOR DOWNSLOPE WINDS OVER THE EAST
SLOPE OF THE ROCKIES AND ADJACENT PLAINS. THIS A GOOD PATTERN FOR
MILDER OVERNIGHT LOWS OVER THE PLAINS BUT VERY COLD MORNINGS OVER THE
SW VALLEYS. MAY EVEN SEE SOME FOG DEVELOP IN THE BIG HOLE. RIDGE
CONTINUES TO INFLUENCE WEATHER ACROSS THE CWA TUESDAY BEFORE FLOW
TURNS A BIT MORE SOUTHWEST WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. QUICK
HITTING SHORT WAVE PUNCHES THROUGH THE NORTH THURSDAY FOR COOLER
TEMPERATURES BUT RIDGE BUILDS IN QUICKLY FRIDAY. WILL KEEP CHANCE
POPS IN FOR HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE ROCKIES TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY
AS FLOW REMAINS FAIRLY MOIST. WILL KEEP INHERITED LOW POPS FOR
ROCKIES AND SOUTHWEST MOUNTAINS FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY WITH SWIFT
WEST TO SOUTHWEST FLOW SUGGESTED BY GFS. DITTMANN

.CCF NUMBERS
GTF EB 030/038 018/033 025 07233
    NEBBB 044/030 046/021 040/017 040/021 038 00000000000
CTB EN 029/034 016/031 022 07233
    NCEEE 042/028 044/019 037/018 040/022 038 00000000000
HLN EB 030/040 019/032 018 07333
    NBBEE 043/025 043/021 039/020 036/020 034 00000000000
BZN CB 029/041 017/030 010 07854
    BBBEE 039/016 035/011 034/019 031/019 029 00000000000
WEY JB 022/024 012/023 004 07987
    BBBEE 030/009 028/010 028/012 025/009 023 00-----3333
DLN WB 031/035 015/030 015 07985
    BBBEE 038/019 039/021 038/017 035/017 033 00---111111
HVR EB 025/037 015/031 015 07133
    NEBBB 042/022 041/018 038/017 035/019 033 00000000000
LWT EB 028/038 019/032 017 07133
    BBBBB 040/026 044/020 039/019 038/021 036 00000000000

.TFX...WINTER STORM WARNING TONIGHT THROUGH NOON SUNDAY
       FOR THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT ABOVE 4500 FEET...
    ...WINTER STORM WARNING TONIGHT THROUGH NOON SUNDAY FOR
       SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK COUNTY ABOVE 5000 FEET...
    ...WINTER STORM WARNING TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOR
       BEAVERHEAD...MADISON AND GALLATIN COUNTIES ABOVE 5500 FEET...

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 13, 1:40 PM MST, 7 hours 20 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
140 PM MST SAT DEC 13 2003

MTZ009-048-141310-
NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN-
140 PM MST SAT DEC 13 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATING SNOW IS EXPECTED OVER ELEVATIONS ABOVE
4500 FEET THIS AFTERNOON. A WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR
THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT. PLEASE REFER TO GTFWSWTFX FOR DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING
FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 4500 FEET. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT
THROUGH SUNDAY AT NOON. PLEASE REFER TO GTFWSWTFX FOR DETAILS.

HIGH WINDS POSSIBLE TUESDAY NEAR AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 15 OVER THE
EAST SLOPES OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

MTZ014-141310-
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-
140 PM MST SAT DEC 13 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR A PORTION OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATING SNOW IS EXPECTED OVER ELEVATIONS ABOVE 5000
FEET TODAY. A WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS AREA.
PLEASE REFER TO GTFWSWTFX FOR DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING
FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 5000 FEET. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT
THROUGH SUNDAY AT NOON. PLEASE REFER TO GTFWSWTFX FOR DETAILS.

MTZ008-015-055-141310-
BEAVERHEAD-MADISON-GALLATIN-
140 PM MST SAT DEC 13 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATING SNOW IS EXPECTED OVER ELEVATIONS ABOVE 5500
FEET TODAY. A WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THESE
LOCATIONS. REFER TO GTFWSWTFX FOR DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT
FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 5500 FEET. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN PLACE
THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. REFER TO GTFWSWTFX FOR DETAILS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

MTZ010>013-044>054-141310-
GLACIER-HILL-CASCADE-CHOUTEAU-TOOLE-LIBERTY-EASTERN
PONDERA-BLAINE--EASTERN TETON-JUDITH
BASIN-FERGUS-JEFFERSON-BROADWATER-MEAGHER-
140 PM MST SAT DEC 13 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND PORTIONS
OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA

.DAY ONE...TODAY

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

NO WATCHES, WARNINGS, OR ADVISORIES CURRENTLY IN EFFECT

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

Event by event

5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, North Rocky Mountain Front

When: December 13, 9:00 PM MST to December 14, 12:30 PM MST
Where: North Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Winter Storm, Southern Rocky Mountain Front

When: December 13, 9:00 PM MST to December 14, 12:30 PM MST
Where: Southern Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Winter Storm, Southern Lewis and Clark

When: December 13, 9:00 PM MST to December 14, 12:30 PM MST
Where: Southern Lewis and Clark forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Winter Storm, Beaverhead

When: December 13, 9:00 PM MST to December 14, 12:30 PM MST
Where: Beaverhead forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Winter Storm, Gallatin

When: December 13, 9:00 PM MST to December 14, 12:30 PM MST
Where: Gallatin forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

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

Every storm in Montana in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, December 2003

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: 5328031, 5328032, 5328033, 5328034, 5328035.