Very strong winds combined with low humidities fueled multiple wildfires across northeast Montana this afternoon. Two of these fires grew out of control for several hours and destroyed a combined 5000 acres.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 GGW wrote it up.
Very strong winds combined with low humidities fueled multiple wildfires across northeast Montana this afternoon. Two of these fires grew out of control for several hours and destroyed a combined 5000 acres.
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 Glasgow, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 24, 8:34 AM MST, 2 hours 26 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT 934 AM MDT MON MAR 24 2008 .SHORT TERM...FOR NORTHEAST MONTANA...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY PASSING THROUGH THE CWA AS EVIDENCED BY THE SHIFT OF SURFACE WINDS TO THE NORTHWEST. STRONG SURFACE LOW IS CENTERED DIRECTLY NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA WITH THE STRONGEST GRADIENT IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA...WHERE SURFACE WINDS OF 38 GUSTING TO 49 KNOTS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED AT 8AM. BUFKIT DIAGRAMS FOR BOTH GFS AND NAM EXTEND AFTERNOON MIXING ALL THE WAY UP TO 700MB WHERE THERE ARE WINDS OF 50-55 KNOTS. WITH ANY REASONABLE MIXING TODAY SHOULD EASILY SEE HIGH WARNING CRITERIA REACHED AS THE SURFACE GRADIENT TIGHTENS IN THE AFTERNOON. PRECIPITATION AREAS TODAY SHOULD SPLIT NORTH AND SOUTH AROUND THE ZONES...HOWEVER RADAR REVEALS A BAND OF LIGHT PRECIPITATION ALONG THE SOUTHERN BORDER. MOST OF THAT DISPLAY IS VIRGA SO ADDED SPRINKLES TO THOSE ZONES. GRIDS ARE IN REASONABLE AGREEMENT WITH LATEST MODEL DATA AND OBSERVATIONS. ALSO MADE A FEW ADJUSTMENT SO MORNING WINDS BASED ON CURRENT OBSERVATIONS. OTHERWISE GRIDS ARE IN FINE SHAPE. SCT PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... SOMEWHAT BUSY WEATHER SHAPING UP FOR TODAY...UNFORTUNATELY THE WIND WILL REMAIN IN THE LIMELIGHT WITH LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PERFORMANCE EXPECTED FROM THE PRECIPITATION DEPARTMENT. TODAY/S WEATHER MAKER REVOLVES AROUND A DEEPENING CLIPPER LOW...PRESENTLY 150 MILES NORTH OF MEDICINE HAT...PROGGED TO SLIDE INTO NORTHERN NORTH DAKOTA THIS EVENING. THIS LOW/S PRIMARY COLD FRONT WILL RACE ACROSS THE CWA BY MID/LATE MORNING WITH AN IMPRESSIVE PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER THE REGION. SREF/RUC/NAM/GFS AND UKMET ALL AGREE IN TRACKING A 45-50KT 850MB LLJ NEAR THE MISSOURI RIVER THIS AFTERNOON AND WITH HEALTHY 1000-850MB LAPSE RATES OF 8-9C/KM...WELL PHASED WINDS THROUGHOUT THE MIXING LAYER...AND AN AXIS OF PRESSURE RISES FILTERING IN...FEEL PROS OUTWEIGH THE CONS FOR A HIGH WIND WARNING. OTHER CONCERN TODAY IS FIRE WEATHER GIVEN DRY START TO THE MORNING THUS FAR AND FAVORABLE FUELS IN SOME LOCATIONS. HAVE HOISTED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR THE NORTHEAST ZONES...PLEASE SEE FIRE DISCUSSION FOR MORE DETAILS. TONIGHT...GRADIENT WINDS SUBSIDE TO MORE TOLERABLE LEVELS BY SUNSET ALL THE WHILE A REINFORCING COLD PUSH ARRIVES IN THE NORTHEAST ZONES. OCCASIONAL WAVES ALOFT WILL INTERACT FAVORABLY WITH THIS FRONT TO GENERATE SOME SNOW SHOWERS HERE...BUT THE FRONT IS NOT EXPECTED TO MOVE MUCH THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND AS A RESULT MUCH OF THE CWA WILL REMAIN DRY. A PACIFIC WAVE THEN BECOMES THE FOCUS FOR POTENTIALLY WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION LATER WEDNESDAY...THOUGH MODELS HAVE NOT REACHED MUCH OF A CONSENSUS WITH THE STRENGTH AND TIMING OF THIS. OVERALL MUCH OF THIS SYSTEM/S ENERGY NOW LOOKS TO HOLD OFF UNTIL THURSDAY. MCZ .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY... A SLOW MOVING UPPER AND SURFACE TROUGH WILL BRING A CHANCE OF SNOW TO THE FORECAST AREA FROM WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. MODEL HAVE THEIR DIFFERENCES IN THE LOCATION OF THE SURFACE FEATURES AND HOW MUCH PRECIPITATION THE SYSTEM WILL BRING. THE GFS IS THE WETTEST AND CANADIAN IS THE DRIEST OF THE MODELS AT THIS TIME. AT THIS TIME...THE GFS IS SHOWING BETTER RUN TO RUN CONSISTENCY. WILL INCREASE THE CHANCE OF SNOW MAINLY IN THE EAST THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT WHERE THE GFS FOCUSES ITS BEST MOISTURE AND LIFT. TEMPERATURES ALOFT WILL BE COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW FOR MOST OF THE TIME. THE TROUGH MOVES TO THE EAST ON FRIDAY AND ANOTHER UPPER TROUGH PASSES THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY WITH THE BEST CHANCE OF SNOW SATURDAY NIGHT. THEN...NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL FOLLOW THE TROUGH FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL BE BELOW NORMAL MOST OF THE TIME. FORRESTER && .AVIATION... VFR. MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS WILL CLEAR AFTER A COLD FRONT MOVE THROUGH THIS MORNING. WEST WINDS 30 TO 40 KNOTS WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 55 KNOTS WILL DEVELOP BETWEEN 15Z AND 18Z TODAY. THE STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND DIMINISH TO 15 TO 25 KNOTS AFTER 00Z. GFF && .FIRE WEATHER... HAVE ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FOR ZONE 120 GIVEN FAVORABLE FUELS COMBINED WITH STRONG WINDS BEHIND A FAST-MOVING COLD FRONT AND LOW AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES. MAXIMUM HUMIDITIES DID NOT RECOVER MUCH AT ALL OVERNIGHT/EARLY THIS MORNING...CONSEQUENTLY MINIMUM HUMIDITIES TODAY AREA WIDE WILL FALL TO 15 TO 25 PERCENT. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCASIONALLY GUST TO 55 TO 60 MPH THIS AFTERNOON WITH PREDOMINANT SPEEDS RESIDING IN THE 35 TO 45 MPH RANGE BEFORE SUBSIDING THIS EVENING. MCZ && .GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PHILLIPS-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY-PETROLEUM- GARFIELD-NORTHERN PHILLIPS-SOUTHWEST PHILLIPS-NORTHERN VALLEY. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR DANIELS- SHERIDAN-WESTERN ROOSEVELT-MCCONE-RICHLAND-DAWSON-PRAIRIE-WIBAUX- EASTERN ROOSEVELT. RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR MTZ120. && WEATHER.GOV/GLASGOW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT 425 AM MDT MON MAR 24 2008 MTZ016>027-059>062-251200- CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PHILLIPS-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY- DANIELS-SHERIDAN-WESTERN ROOSEVELT-PETROLEUM-GARFIELD-MCCONE- RICHLAND-DAWSON-PRAIRIE-WIBAUX-NORTHERN PHILLIPS- SOUTHWEST PHILLIPS-NORTHERN VALLEY-EASTERN ROOSEVELT- 425 AM MDT MON MAR 24 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR TODAY. WEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP AND INCREASE TO 35 TO 45 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH. THESE WINDS WILL SUBSIDE BY THIS EVENING TO AROUND 25 MPH. A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONE 120 WHICH INCLUDES THE FORT PECK INDIAN RESERVATION FROM 11 AM UNTIL 6 PM FOR STRONG WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT
1042 AM MDT MON MAR 24 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1041 AM NON-TSTM WND GST GLASGOW 48.20N 106.64W
03/24/2008 M58 MPH VALLEY MT ASOS
&&
JIMBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT
1103 AM MDT MON MAR 24 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1054 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 30 NW JORDAN 47.63N 107.36W
03/24/2008 E60.00 MPH GARFIELD MT MESONET
SOUTH SAWMILL RAWS SITE
&&
JIMBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT
1107 AM MDT MON MAR 24 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1054 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 30 NW JORDAN 47.63N 107.36W
03/24/2008 M60.00 MPH GARFIELD MT MESONET
SOUTH SAWMILL RAWS SITE
&&
JIMBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT
1114 AM MDT MON MAR 24 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1110 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 NW GLASGOW 48.22N 106.67W
03/24/2008 VALLEY MT TRAINED SPOTTER
ROOF BLOWN OFF MOBILE HOME ON SOUTHSIDE OF U.S. HIGHWAY
TWO. INSULATION SCATTERED EVERYWHERE.
&&
JIMBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT
1157 AM MDT MON MAR 24 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1147 AM NON-TSTM WND GST WOLF POINT 48.09N 105.64W
03/24/2008 M59 MPH ROOSEVELT MT ASOS
&&
JIMBThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
A wildfire began 12 miles north of Wolf Point and grew to approximately 1500 acres before terminating 14 miles east-northeast of Wolf Point.
A wildfire started 14 miles north-northwest of Vida and grew to 3500 acres before being extinguished approximately 15 miles northeast of Vida. Two separate property owners suffered minor burns while attempting to control the fire and a total of ten outbuildings were lost. Fencing and power poles were also damaged.
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, March 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: 79389, 81425.