Surface low pressure moving across southern Canada, along with high pressure over the Great Basin, produced high winds along the Northern Rocky Mountain Front and portions of southwest Montana.
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 TFX wrote it up.
Surface low pressure moving across southern Canada, along with high pressure over the Great Basin, produced high winds along the Northern Rocky Mountain Front and portions of southwest Montana.
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 26, 5:50 PM MST, 52 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 550 PM MST FRI DEC 26 2008 .UPDATED AVIATION... .DISCUSSION... TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...WEAK RIDGE ALOFT BUILDS OVER THE REGION TONIGHT AHEAD OF THE NEXT PACIFIC WEATHER SYSTEM TO MOVE THROUGH THE REGION THIS WEEKEND. EXPECT GENERALLY DRY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT UNDER THE RIDGE. HOWEVER...INCREASING WINDS ALONG THE ROCKY MTN FRONT AND ADJACENT PLAINS WILL SPREAD EAST ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL MT AS A LEE-SIDE SURFACE TROUGH NOSES SOUTH UNDER INCREASING WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT. WITH PLENTY OF FRESH SNOW ON THE GROUND...EXPECT SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW IN OPEN AREAS ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MT TONIGHT THROUGH TOMORROW MORNING AND WILL ISSUE A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BLOWING SNOW THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE ACROSS THE REGION ON SATURDAY WITH HIGH WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 50KTS POSSIBLE SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING AS STRONGEST WINDS ALOFT PASS OVER THE THE AREA IN CONJUNCTION WITH A SURFACE TROUGH AND MID-LEVEL SHORTWAVE MOVING ALONG THE ALBERTA BORDER SATURDAY NIGHT. THE HIGH WIND WATCH WILL BE UPGRADED TO A HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE ROCKY MT FRONT AND ADJACENT PLAINS...INCLUDING EASTERN GLACIER COUNTY. EXPECT BLOWING SNOW TO BECOME MORE LOCALIZED WITH A LESSER IMPACT BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND TEMPS REACH NEAR FREEZING. MOISTURE IN THE WESTERLY FLOW WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE DAY AS WELL ON SATURDAY WITH OROGRAPHIC ENHANCEMENT BRINGING WIDESPREAD SNOW TO AREAS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE NORTH OF ROGERS PASS. SNOW WILL BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON ALONG THE DIVIDE AND WILL ISSUE A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE MTNS ALONG ROCKY MTN FRONT AND GLACIER PARK AREA. OTHERWISE...THE PLAINS AND LARGER VALLEYS SHOULD LARGELY REMAIN DRY THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING WITH JUST A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW AT TIMES. BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON CHANCES FOR SNOW AT LOWER ELEVATIONS WILL INCREASE SOME AS THE TROUGH AXIS ALOFT SHIFTS EAST ACROSS THE REGION. HOENISCH SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...MEAN ZONAL FLOW ALOFT MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY FOR MILD TEMPERATURES AND LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PRECIP OVER THE PLAINS. MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY A PAIR OF SHORT WAVES MOVING THROUGH SOUTHERN ALBERTA DRAG A WEAK COLD FRONTS ACROSS THE STATE. ONLY EFFECT WILL BE TO DROP TEMPERATURES A COUPLE DEGREES WITH INCREASED WINDS ALONG THE EAST SLOPES. SOUTHWEST WINDS ACCOMPANYING THESE DISTURBANCES WILL LIMIT PRECIPITATION TO MOUNTAINS WHILE THE PLAINS WILL REMAIN MOSTLY DRY. BY FRIDAY UPPER RIDGE BEGINS BUILDING INTO WESTERN MONTANA FOR A RETURN TO MILDER TEMPERATURES NEARER TO SEASONAL NORMALS. BRITTON && .AVIATION... UPDATED 0050Z. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL AT MAJORITY OF TAF SITES OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HOWEVER...ONE EXCEPTION IS AT KCTB WHERE SOUTHWEST WINDS HAVE INCREASED AND ARE GUSTING UP TO 35 MPH CAUSING OCCASIONAL MVFR CONDITIONS. WEST-SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE OVERNIGHT AND WHEN COMBINED WITH THE FRESHLY FALLEN SNOW...SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED. BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES DOWN TO IFR AND LIFR CONDITIONS AT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE NEXT 24 HOURS...ESPECIALLY AT KCTB..KGTF..AND KHVR TAF SITES SO HAVE INCLUDED BLSN IN THOSE FORECAST LOCATIONS. TOWARDS THE END OF THE PERIOD...A SHORTWAVE EMBEDDED IN AN UPPER-LEVEL STORM SYSTEM MAY PRODUCE SOME LIGHT SNOW FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA BUT DUE TO WEST-SOUTHWEST WINDS THINK THAT MOISTURE WILL BE LIMITED SO ONLY INCLUDED VCSH FOR KBZN..KHLN..KCTB..KGTF AFTER 2000Z SATURDAY. ALONG THE NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT...MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW WILL CAUSE MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION STARTING AFTER 1200Z SATURDAY BUT THIS SHOULD NOT AFFECT ANY OF THE TAF SITES. MLS && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 4 34 29 35 / 0 10 10 30 CTB 6 33 25 31 / 0 10 10 30 HLN 9 32 26 37 / 10 20 20 40 BZN -3 27 20 37 / 10 20 20 30 WEY -14 14 13 25 / 30 60 70 70 DLN -1 25 20 33 / 10 30 20 40 HVR 3 31 22 29 / 0 10 10 20 LWT 1 31 22 34 / 0 10 10 20 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 11 AM MST SATURDAY FOR MTZ009-010- 012-013-044>046-048>050. HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 11 AM SATURDAY TO 11 AM MST SUNDAY FOR MTZ009-010-048. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 11 AM SATURDAY TO 5 PM MST SUNDAY FOR MTZ009-048. && SHORT TERM...HOENISCH LONG TERM...BRITTON AVIATION...SUK WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 526 PM MST FRI DEC 26 2008 MTZ012-013-044>046-049-050-280030- CASCADE-CHOUTEAU-TOOLE-LIBERTY-EASTERN PONDERA-EASTERN TETON- JUDITH BASIN- 526 PM MST FRI DEC 26 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA AND NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BLOWING SNOW IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MST SATURDAY. STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT AS A PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM ENTERS THE REGION...CAUSING SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. TRAVELERS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR LOW VISIBILITIES AND HAZARDOUS ROAD CONDITIONS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BLOWING SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 11 AM MST SATURDAY. SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL GUST UP TO 40 MPH AT TIMES ON SATURDAY CAUSING AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...BUT AS TEMPERATURES WARM IN THE AFTERNOON BLOWING SNOW WILL TAPER. BE ALERT FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AND USE EXTRA CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ009-010-048-280030- NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN GLACIER- SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT- 526 PM MST FRI DEC 26 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT WEST-SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE OVERNIGHT WITH AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW REDUCING VISIBILITIES AND CAUSING HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM MST SATURDAY UNTIL 11 AM MST SUNDAY. VERY STRONG WEST-SOUTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TONIGHT AS A PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM ENTERS THE REGION. SUSTAINED SPEEDS OF 25 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 65 MPH WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. TRAVELERS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR LOW VISIBILITIES AND HAZARDOUS ROAD CONDITIONS. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT BEGINNING 11 AM MST SATURDAY THROUGH 5 PM MST SUNDAY FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 5000 FEET. MOISTURE FROM A PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM WILL SPREAD OVER THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOW AND DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ011-047-051-280030- HILL-BLAINE-FERGUS- 526 PM MST FRI DEC 26 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA AND NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER TONIGHT IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY GUSTY WEST-SOUTHWEST WINDS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. TRAVELERS SHOULD USE CAUTION AND BE PREPARED FOR BRIEFLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ008-014-015-052>055-280030- BEAVERHEAD-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-MADISON-JEFFERSON- BROADWATER-MEAGHER-GALLATIN- 526 PM MST FRI DEC 26 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER TONIGHT IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY GUSTY WEST-SOUTHWEST WINDS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. TRAVELERS SHOULD USE CAUTION AND BE PREPARED FOR BRIEFLY REDUCED VISIBILITIES...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
247 PM MST FRI DEC 26 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0500 AM HEAVY SNOW 5 SW GREAT FALLS 44.96N 113.14W
12/26/2008 M9.1 INCH BEAVERHEAD MT OFFICIAL NWS OBS
12 HOUR SNOWFALL...10.4 INCHES STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL.
0500 AM SNOW 3 ENE HELENA 46.61N 111.96W
12/26/2008 M4.0 INCH LEWIS AND CLARK MT OFFICIAL NWS OBS
12 HOUR SNOWFALL
0600 AM HEAVY SNOW 4 N GALLATIN GATEWAY 45.65N 111.20W
12/26/2008 M8.0 INCH GALLATIN MT TRAINED SPOTTER
7-8 INCHES SNOWFALL PAST 12 HOURS...15-18 INCHES TOTAL
SNOWDEPTH.
0800 AM SNOW 1 ESE WEST YELLOWSTONE 44.66N 111.09W
12/26/2008 M8.5 INCH GALLATIN MT CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR SNOWFALL
0800 AM SNOW 16 NW WOLF CREEK 47.17N 112.31W
12/26/2008 M3.0 INCH LEWIS AND CLARK MT CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR SNOWFALL
0800 AM SNOW FORT BENTON 47.83N 110.65W
12/26/2008 M2.3 INCH CHOUTEAU MT CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HROUR SNOWFALL
&&
EKPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
250 PM MST FRI DEC 26 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0500 AM SNOW 3 ENE HELENA 46.61N 111.96W
12/26/2008 M4.0 INCH LEWIS AND CLARK MT OFFICIAL NWS OBS
12 HOUR SNOWFALL
0500 AM HEAVY SNOW 5 SW GREAT FALLS 47.45N 111.37W
12/26/2008 M9.1 INCH CASCADE MT OFFICIAL NWS OBS
12 HOUR SNOWFALL...10.4 INCHES STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL.
0600 AM HEAVY SNOW 4 N GALLATIN GATEWAY 45.65N 111.20W
12/26/2008 M8.0 INCH GALLATIN MT TRAINED SPOTTER
7-8 INCHES SNOWFALL PAST 12 HOURS...15-18 INCHES TOTAL
SNOWDEPTH.
0800 AM SNOW 1 ESE WEST YELLOWSTONE 44.66N 111.09W
12/26/2008 M8.5 INCH GALLATIN MT CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR SNOWFALL
0800 AM SNOW 16 NW WOLF CREEK 47.17N 112.31W
12/26/2008 M3.0 INCH LEWIS AND CLARK MT CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HOUR SNOWFALL
0800 AM SNOW FORT BENTON 47.83N 110.65W
12/26/2008 M2.3 INCH CHOUTEAU MT CO-OP OBSERVER
24 HROUR SNOWFALL
&&
MPJ6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A wind gust to 93 mph was reported at Babb 1NE. Additionally, a gust to 67 mph was reported at the Two Medicine DOT site, a gust to 61 mph was reported at Browning and a gust to 60 mph was reported at Cut Bank.
A wind gust to 70 mph was reported at Augusta.
A gust to 61 mph was reported at Ennis.
A wind gust to 82 mph was reported at Townsend 1W.
A wind gust to 59 mph was reported at Dupuyer.
A gust to 65 mph was reported at Silver City.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 2008
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: 145569, 145570, 145667, 145663, 145662, 145664.