A storm system moving through the region caused strong low pressure to form over Alberta. As a result, very strong winds occurred in the favored areas of the Beartooth and Absaroka Mountains.
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.
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.
The episode as NWS BYZ wrote it up.
A storm system moving through the region caused strong low pressure to form over Alberta. As a result, very strong winds occurred in the favored areas of the Beartooth and Absaroka Mountains. In addition, a strong cold front moved across the forecast area bringing in much cooler temperatures. The mountains experienced the heaviest snowfall late Christmas Eve into Christmas morning as a result of an unstable airmass that allowed for rapid accumulations. Windy conditions also contributed to areas of blowing and drifting snow. The following snow totals were received: 9 inches 10WSW Limestone(Placer Basin Snotel), 6 inches 2S Otter and in Otter and 8 inches 5NE Ridge.
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 Billings, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 23, 9:01 PM MST, 4 hours 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT
901 PM MST SUN DEC 23 2007
.SHORT TERM...VALID FOR MON AND TUE...
UPDATE TO FORECAST AND AFP. HIGH WIND WARNING STILL ON TRACK FOR
LATE TONIGHT AS PRESSURE GRADIENTS CONTINUING TO INCREASE IN THE
GAP FLOW AREAS. WINDS IN LIVINGSTON ARE SUSTAINED AT NEAR 40 MPH
WITH GUSTS WELL OVER 50 MPH. STRONGEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP AFTER
MIDNIGHT AS APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE DEEPENS LEE SIDE
TROUGH. STRONG SHORT WAVE TO IMPACT THE AREA TOMORROW. LOWERED
SNOW AMOUNTS IN COOKE CITY AS THEY WILL BE SHADOWED IN NORTHWEST
FLOW. DID RAISE SNOW AMOUNTS AND POPS OVER THE NORTHWEST FACING
SLOPES WHERE OROGRAPHIC LIFTING WILL BE MAXIMIZED.
00Z NAM CATCHING UP TO THE GFS IN PLACING HIGH QPF ACROSS THE
BEARTOOTH AND ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS...AS WELL AS SHERIDAN COUNTY.
UPSLOPE FLOW DEVELOPING ACROSS SOUTHERN BIG HORN AND SHERIDAN
COUNTY TOMORROW WITH RAIN MIXED WITH SNOW INITIALLY STARTING OUT.
AIR MASS WILL COOL QUICKLY AND RAIN WILL CHANGE TO ALL SNOW BY
18Z. WILL GO AHEAD AND ISSUE A SNOW ADVISORY FOR 3 TO 5 INCHES OF
SOUTHERN BIG HORN AND SHERIDAN COUNTY WYOMING FOR 18Z THROUGH 03Z
TOMORROW. RICHMOND
.LONG TERM...VALID FOR WED...THU...FRI...SAT...SUN...
VERY LITTLE TO CHANGE IN THE EXTENDED FORECAST THIS AFTERNOON AS
MODELS CONTINUE TO BE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT FOR MUCH OF THE
EXTENDED.
UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY MORNING
LEAVING MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS FOR THE LOWER ELEVATIONS. DID LEAVE
THE MOUNTAIN POPS IN THERE AS THE NEXT SYSTEM LOOKS TO MOVE INTO
THE AREA BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THIS SYSTEM PUSHES ACROSS THE
AREA ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. PRECIP CHANCES AT THIS TIME DO NOT LOOK
THAT GREAT FOR THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AND HAVE KEPT JUST A SLIGHT
CHANCE OF PRECIP IN AT THIS TIME. SYSTEM DOES LINGER INTO THE
THURSDAY AND HAVE KEPT POPS MAINLY ACROSS THE EASTERN AND WESTERN
ZONES WITH THE CENTRAL ZONES DRY. BEYOND THURSDAY...MODELS KEEP
THE AREA FAIRLY DRY THROUGH THE REST OF THE EXTENDED WITH THE
EXCEPTION OF THE MOUNTAINS.
TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN AT OR SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL
THROUGH MUCH OF THE EXTENDED. SOLUM
&&
.AVIATION...
AN APPROACHING STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING AN INCREASE OF CLOUDS AND
A CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION TO THE WEST TONIGHT AND SPREAD EAST ON
MONDAY. THE BEST CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION WILL BE OVER THE
MOUNTAINS...BUT THE LOWER ELEVATIONS WILL ALSO HAVE A CHANCE TO
SEE SOME PRECIPITATION. MVFR AND IFR CONDITIONS WILL BE COMMON
OVER THE MOUNTAINS WITH LOCALIZED MVFR CONDITIONS ACROSS THE
LOWER ELEVATIONS WITH THE PRECIPITATION MONDAY. VERY STRONG WINDS
UP TO 40 KNOTS WILL CONTINUE IN THE LIVINGSTON AREA AND ALONG THE
FOOTHILLS OF THE ABSAROKA AND BEARTOOTH MOUNTAINS TONIGHT BEFORE
DECREASING MONDAY. BT
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...
MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN
-----------------------------------------------------------
BIL 025/039 022/031 017/032 015/030 011/026 015/032 018/036
24/O 21/B 00/B 20/B 00/B 00/B 02/S
LVM 030/036 020/027 014/032 016/030 010/027 014/032 019/034
17/S 42/S 02/S 22/S 00/B 22/S 22/S
HDN 020/038 022/032 013/032 013/030 010/029 013/031 015/034
06/O 32/S 00/B 22/S 00/B 00/B 02/S
MLS 017/036 018/030 012/032 009/031 010/030 012/030 014/030
03/S 22/S 00/U 22/S 00/B 00/B 02/S
4BQ 017/037 017/031 011/028 008/028 008/028 011/028 012/031
07/O 82/S 00/B 22/S 00/B 00/B 02/S
BHK 015/037 017/029 008/027 006/029 009/028 011/028 011/028
03/S 42/S 00/U 22/S 00/B 00/B 02/S
SHR 018/034 017/030 010/028 009/031 007/028 009/030 011/033
09/S 92/S 00/B 22/S 00/B 00/B 02/S
&&
.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MST MONDAY FOR
ZONE 38.
HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM MST MONDAY FOR ZONES
65-66.
WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MONDAY TO MIDNIGHT
MST MONDAY NIGHT FOR ZONE 67.
WY...SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 8 PM MST MONDAY FOR
ZONE 99.
WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 12 PM MONDAY TO 6 AM MST
TUESDAY FOR ZONE 98.
&&
WEATHER.GOV/BILLINGSHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT 948 PM MST SUN DEC 23 2007 MTZ028-029-034-035-038>042-056-057-063>068-WYZ098-099-250500- SOUTHERN WHEATLAND-MUSSELSHELL-NORTHERN STILLWATER-YELLOWSTONE- SOUTHERN BIG HORN-EASTERN CARBON-NORTHERN PARK- NORTHERN SWEET GRASS-GOLDEN VALLEY-RED LODGE FOOTHILLS- NORTHERN BIG HORN-JUDITH GAP-PARADISE VALLEY-LIVINGSTON AREA- BEARTOOTH FOOTHILLS-ABSAROKA/BEARTOOTH MOUNTAINS-CRAZY MOUNTAINS- NORTHEAST BIG HORN MOUNTAINS-SHERIDAN FOOTHILLS- 948 PM MST SUN DEC 23 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA...SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND NORTH CENTRAL WYOMING. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT STRONG SOUTHWEST 40 TO 55 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 75 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE LIVINGSTON AND NYE AREA. THOSE PLANNING TRAVEL ON INTERSTATE 90 SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF DANGEROUS CROSS WINDS IN THE LIVINGSTON AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A STRONG FAST MOVING PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. BEFORE TEMPERATURES WARM MONDAY MORNING...THE STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING A CHANCE OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN TO THE AREA. PRECIPITATION IS THEN EXPECTED TO BE A MIX OF RAIN AND OR SNOW LATER IN THE DAY...AND ALL SNOW BY LATE AFTERNOON. ACCUMULATIONS OF AN INCH OR TWO WILL BE POSSIBLE IN MOST AREAS. MORE SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW FROM 2 TO 4 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR THE MOUNTAINS FROM LIVINGSTON SOUTH AND EAST TO THE RED LODGE AREA AS WELL AS SOUTHERN BIG HORN COUNTY AND SHERIDAN WYOMING. HEAVIER AMOUNTS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES ARE EXPECTED IN THE MOUNTAINS. WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN MONDAY MORNING...COMBINED WITH RAIN AND OR SNOW LATER IN THE DAY...AREA ROADS MAY BECOME ICY AND CAUSE HAZARDOUS TRAVELING CONDITIONS. THOSE PLANNING TRAVEL ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTH EASTERN MONTANA AS WELL AS SHERIDAN COUNTY WYOMING MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER FORECAST FOR UPDATES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ030>033-036-037-058-250500- TREASURE-NORTHERN ROSEBUD-CUSTER-FALLON-POWDER RIVER-CARTER- SOUTHERN ROSEBUD- 948 PM MST SUN DEC 23 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER TONIGHT IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A STRONG FAST MOVING PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. BEFORE TEMPERATURES WARM MONDAY MORNING...THE STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING A CHANCE OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN TO PORTIONS OF THE AREA...MAINLY IN ROSEBUD AND TREASURE COUNTY. PRECIPITATION IS THEN EXPECTED TO BE A MIX OF RAIN AND OR SNOW LATER IN THE DAY...BECOMING ALL SNOW BY LATE AFTERNOON. ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED TO BE AN INCH OR LESS. MORE SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 4 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE IN POWDER RIVER AND CARTER COUNTY BY MONDAY EVENING. WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN MONDAY MORNING...COMBINED WITH RAIN OR SNOW LATER IN THE DAY...AREA ROADS MAY BE BECOME ICY AND TRAVEL POSSIBLY HAZARDOUS AT TIMES. THOSE PLANNING TRAVEL ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MONTANA MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER FORECAST FOR UPDATES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind, 2 heavy snow, 1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
East Livingston DOT measured 62 mph sustained winds with a gust of 78 mph.
Sustained winds of 50 mph were reported at the Stillwater Mine.
Placer Basin Snotel had a 9 hour total of 9 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 2007
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: 65489, 111001, 65516, 65518, 65519.