Montana, 2007

Heavy Snow and High Wind in Montana, December 23 to 24, 2007

December 23 to 24, 2007 · NWS TFX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A Pacific storm system brought moisture and high winds to the Rocky Mountain Front and to the high country of Southwest Montana. Snowfall in excess of 8 inches was reported along with sustained winds greater than 40 mph.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

A Pacific storm system brought moisture and high winds to the Rocky Mountain Front and to the high country of Southwest Montana. Snowfall in excess of 8 inches was reported along with sustained winds greater than 40 mph.

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 23, 4:46 PM MST, 6 hours 34 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 23, 4:46 PM MST, 6 hours 34 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 23, 4:00 PM MST, 7 hours 20 minutes before
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Event by event

2 heavy snow, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, North Rocky Mountain Front

When
December 23, 11:20 PM MST to December 24, 1:00 AM MST
Where
North Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured
39 kt (45 mph) measured sustained
Reported by
Department of Highways

Sustained winds of 45 mph were reported at the Two Medicine DOT site. In addition to the high winds, snow was also falling causing areas of blowing and drifting snow.

Heavy Snow, Gallatin

When
December 24, 6:00 AM MST to 3:00 PM MST
Where
Gallatin forecast zone
Reported by
Public

Eight inches of snow was reported at the Bridger Bowl Ski Resort (elevation 7500 feet).

Heavy Snow, Madison

When
December 24, 8:00 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet

Eight inches of snow was reported at the Lone Mountain SNOTEL site (elevation 8880 feet).

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Montana in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 2007

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 66806, 66808, 66807.