Winter Storm in Montana, December 7 to 8, 2004

Name: Winter Storm in Montana, December 7 to 8, 2004
Start: 2004-12-07T15:00
End: 2004-12-08T18:00
Location: Montana

December 7 to 8, 2004 · NWS MSO · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

A vigorous winter storm brought strong winds and heavy snow to portions of western Montana. Snowfall ranged from 6 to 8 inches in the valleys, up to 11 inches in the mountains.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

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 MSO wrote it up.

A vigorous winter storm brought strong winds and heavy snow to portions of western Montana. Snowfall ranged from 6 to 8 inches in the valleys, up to 11 inches in the mountains. Wind gusts of 25 to 30 mph caused areas of blowing and drifting snow. A wind gust was reported as high as 74 mph in Glacier National Park.

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 Missoula, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 7, 2:41 PM MST, 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 7, 2:41 PM MST, 19 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
241 PM MST TUE DEC 7 2004

.SHORT TERM...ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN AS NEXT PACIFIC SYSTEM MOVES
THROUGH THE REGION LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY. WILL BE UPGRADING
ALL WATCHES TO WARNINGS AND ADD A WATCH FOR LEMHI COUNTY AND
BUTTE/PINTLAR REGIONS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING.
MOIST PACIFIC SYSTEM WILL BRING STRONG SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS TO
THE AREA AS A 150KT UPPER JET MOVES OVER THE AREA. THIS WILL ENHANCE
OROGRAPHIC SNOWS ALONG SOUTHWEST AND WEST FACING SLOPES. THE MODELS
ARE TRYING TO BRING A LOT OF WARM AIR INTO THE AREA...BUT WITH THE
ATMOSPHERE REMAINING SATURATED CURRENT THINKING IS MOST LOCATIONS
WILL SEE SNOW AS PREDOMINANT PRECIPITATION TYPE WITH LITTLE
TEMPERATURE DIFFERENTIAL NEXT 36 HOURS. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THE
MISSOULA/FLATHEAD/MISSION VALLEYS TO SEE 2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW AS
WELL DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY...BUT WITH THE TEMPERATURE UNCERTAINTY
WILL NOT ISSUE AN ADVISORY AT THIS TIME. THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS WILL
LIKELY SEE ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 18 INCHES BY THURSDAY MORNING. WILL
ALSO SEE SOME BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS OVER THE PASSES AND HIGHER
ELEVATIONS CREATING HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE CAMAS PRAIRIE
WILL ALSO BE WINDY OVERNIGHT...BUT WILL REMAIN BELOW ANY ADVISORY
SPEEDS. AS THE WINDS BECOME WESTERLY OVER NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO DURING
THE DAY WEDNESDAY...THE GRANGEVILLE AREA WILL ALSO HAVE TO BE
MONITORED FOR POTENTIAL ACCUMULATING/ADVISORY SNOW. AGAIN THE
TEMPERATURES WILL DETERMINE THIS AND HAVE TO BE MONITORED.

.LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...SEEING SOME MODEL CHANGES
OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS...THOUGH OVERALL PATTERN REMAINS SIMILAR.
AS A RESULT...FAIRLY CONFIDENT IN OVERALL FORECAST TREND...THOUGH
PRECIPITATION AND TIMING DETAILS ARE STILL SUSPECT.  IN ADDITION...
NEW GFS MODEL IS SUGGESTING MUCH HEAVIER PRECIPITATION IN THE
IDAHO CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS ON THURSDAY WITH WARM FRONT PRODUCING
WIDESPREAD LIFTING.
SUMMARY DISCUSSION...RIDGE WILL BUILD THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WITH
TEMPERATURES WARMING.  HAVE INCREASED PRECIPITATION CHANCES ON
THURSDAY...ESPECIALLY IDAHO CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS.  IN ADDITION...WEST
CENTRAL IDAHO WILL SEE SNOW LEVELS RISING RAPIDLY THURSDAY WITH SNOW
CHANGING OVER TO RAIN. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO RISE THROUGH
FRIDAY BEFORE WEAK PACIFIC FRONT MOVES THROUGH ON SATURDAY.  RIDGE
REBUILDS SUNDAY AND MONDAY AND AT LEAST ONE MODEL IS SUGGESTING THE
NEXT PACIFIC SYSTEM MOVING INTO THE AREA ON TUESDAY.
&&

.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...WINTER STORM WARNING WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING
MTZ 001-004-006.
...WINTER STORM WARNING WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING
MTZ002-043.
...WINTER STORM WATCH MTZ007 WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY
MORNING.
ID...WINTER STORM WARNING IDZ005-006 WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH
THURSDAY MORNING.
...WINTER STORM WATCH IDZ009-010 WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY
MORNING.
 &&

SHORT TERM/MEAD/WHITMORE
LONG TERM/MWJ

weather.gov/missoula

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 7, 6:36 AM MST, 8 hours 24 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
635 AM MST (535 AM PST) TUE DEC 7 2004

IDZ007-008-081336-
OROFINO/GRANGEVILLE REGION-LOWER HELLS CANYON/SALMON RIVER-

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO AND WESTERN
MONTANA

.DAY ONE... TODAY

A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA TODAY RESULTING IN
STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS.  A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MAINLY
THE CAMAS PRAIRIE AREA AND LOWER HELLS CANYON REGION...SEE KMSO
GTFNPWMSO FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

ANOTHER STRONG WEATHER SYSTEM WILL ENTER THE REGION WEDNESDAY...
WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS ALSO POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

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

IDZ005-006-MTZ004-006-081336-
NORTHERN CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS-SOUTHERN CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS-
LOWER CLARK FORK REGION-BITTERROOT/SAPPHIRE MOUNTAINS-

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO AND WESTERN
MONTANA

.DAY ONE... TODAY

A MOIST PACIFIC WEATHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION TODAY.
AREAS OF LIGHT SNOW WILL INCREASE IN INTENSITY THIS MORNING. IN
ADDITION...LOCALLY STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CREATE AREAS OF
BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW OVER MOUNTAIN PASSES. A SNOW AND BLOWING
SNOW ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY. PLEASE SEE KMSO GTFWSWMSO FOR
FURTHER DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

ANOTHER MOIST SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY...POSSIBLY
BRINGING MORE HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO THE MOUNTAINS
BY AFTERNOON. A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY MORNING
THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING IN THE MOUNTAINS...PLEASE SEE KMSO GTFWSWMSO
FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

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

MTZ002-043-081336-
WEST GLACIER REGION-BLACKFOOT REGION-

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO AND WESTERN
MONTANA

.DAY ONE... TODAY

A MOIST PACIFIC WEATHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION TODAY.
AREAS OF LIGHT SNOW WILL INCREASE IN INTENSITY THIS MORNING. IN
ADDITION...LOCALLY STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CREATE AREAS OF
BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW OVER MOUNTAIN PASSES. A SNOW AND BLOWING
SNOW ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY. PLEASE SEE KMSO GTFWSWMSO FOR
FURTHER DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

ANOTHER MOIST SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY AND
THURSDAY...POSSIBLY BRINGING HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO THE
MOUNTAINS BY AFTERNOON. A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY
MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING IN THE MOUNTAINS...PLEASE SEE KMSO
GTFWSWMSO FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

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

MTZ001-081336-
KOOTENAI/CABINET REGION-

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO AND WESTERN
MONTANA

.DAY ONE... TODAY

SNOW WILL FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHWEST MONTANA WITH
ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 2 INCHES.

PUT HAZARD TEXT HERE

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

A MOIST SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...
POSSIBLY BRINGING HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO THE MOUNTAINS
BY AFTERNOON. A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT WEDNESDAY MORNING
THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING IN THE MOUNTAINS...PLEASE SEE KMSO GTFWSWMSO
FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

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

NESTER

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Lower Clark Fork Region

When: December 7, 3:00 PM MST to December 8, 3:00 PM MST
Where: Lower Clark Fork Region forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.286, -114.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Kootenai/Cabinet Region

When: December 7, 3:32 PM MST to December 8, 3:32 PM MST
Where: Kootenai/Cabinet Region forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.171, -114.863 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, West Glacier Region

When: December 7, 4:00 PM MST to December 8, 4:00 PM MST
Where: West Glacier Region forecast zone
Reported by: PARK/FOREST SERVICE
Coordinates: 47.971, -114.069 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Blackfoot Region

When: December 7, 4:00 PM MST to December 8, 4:00 PM MST
Where: Blackfoot Region forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.986, -113.597 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Bitterroot / Sapphire Mountains

When: December 7, 6:00 PM MST to December 8, 6:00 PM MST
Where: Bitterroot / Sapphire Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY
Coordinates: 46.508, -113.828 (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

Every storm in Montana in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, December 2004

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: 5430380, 5430381, 5430382, 5430383, 5430379.