Cold/Wind Chill, Kootenai/Cabinet Region
- When
- January 5, 6:00 AM MST to January 6, 10:00 AM MST
- Where
- Kootenai/Cabinet Region forecast zone
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 48.171, -114.863 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold in Montana, January 5 to 6, 2004
As skies cleared and winds diminished behind a strong arctic cold front, record cold temperatures were experienced across all of western Montana. On both the 5th and 6th of January, minimum temperatures dropped to 20 to 50 degrees below zero.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
- 8
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.
As skies cleared and winds diminished behind a strong arctic cold front, record cold temperatures were experienced across all of western Montana. On both the 5th and 6th of January, minimum temperatures dropped to 20 to 50 degrees below zero. The Polebridge and Libby areas in northwest Montana, experienced the coldest readings with minimums of 42 to 50 degrees below zero on both the 5th and 6th. Water pipes in portions of northwest Montana froze and/or broke from the extreme cold. Discovery Ski Resort in southwest Montana closed for the day on the 5th due to extreme cold temperatures. Numerous automobiles had to be jump started. Official record lows on the 5th and 6th included: Eureka, 35 below zero on the 5th, and 31 below zero on the 6th; Olney, 34 below zero on the 5th; Polebridge, 45 below zero on the 5th; Hamilton, 28 below zero on the 5th; Anaconda, 27 below zero on the 5th, and 28 below zero on the 6th; Drummond, 36 below zero on the 5th; and Seeley Lake, 40 below zero on the 6th.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
8 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.
Cold/Wind Chill, West Glacier Region
- When
- January 5, 6:00 AM MST to January 6, 10:00 AM MST
- Where
- West Glacier Region forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 47.971, -114.069 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Flathead/Mission Valleys
- When
- January 5, 6:00 AM MST to January 6, 10:00 AM MST
- Where
- Flathead/Mission Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 47.872, -114.424 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Lower Clark Fork Region
- When
- January 5, 6:00 AM MST to January 6, 10:00 AM MST
- Where
- Lower Clark Fork Region forecast zone
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 47.286, -114.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Missoula / Bitterroot Valleys
- When
- January 5, 6:00 AM MST to January 6, 10:00 AM MST
- Where
- Missoula / Bitterroot Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 46.560, -114.023 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Bitterroot / Sapphire Mountains
- When
- January 5, 6:00 AM MST to January 6, 10:00 AM MST
- Where
- Bitterroot / Sapphire Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 46.508, -113.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Butte / Pintlar Region
- When
- January 5, 6:00 AM MST to January 6, 10:00 AM MST
- Where
- Butte / Pintlar Region forecast zone
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 46.306, -113.025 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Cold/Wind Chill, Blackfoot Region
- When
- January 5, 6:00 AM MST to January 6, 10:00 AM MST
- Where
- Blackfoot Region forecast zone
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 46.986, -113.597 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Cold/Wind Chill
- Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Cold in Nebraska, January 5 to 6, 2004
- Cold in Oregon, January 5 to 6, 2004
- Flood in Ohio, January 5 to 6, 2004
- Flood in West Virginia, January 5 to 6, 2004
- Flooding in Indiana, January 5 to 17, 2004
- Cold in Iowa, January 5 to 6, 2004
- High Surf in Hawaii, January 5 to 6, 2004
- Flooding in Illinois, January 5 to 20, 2004
- Cold in Missouri, January 5 to 6, 2004
- Ice Storm in Pennsylvania, January 5, 2004
- Cold in California, January 5, 2004
- Flooding in Illinois, January 5 to 19, 2004
More
Every storm in Montana in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, January 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5382147, 5382148, 5382149, 5382150, 5382151, 5382152, 5382153, 5382154.