Flooding occurred on the Milk River near Harlem.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 TFX wrote it up.
Flooding occurred on the Milk River near Harlem.
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 Apr 10, 8:25 AM MST, 49 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 925 AM MDT SUN APR 10 2011 .UPDATE...A BAND OF MID LEVEL CLOUDS IS SLOWLY MOVING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA THIS MORNING. HAVE UPDATED FORECAST TO SHOW MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES IN THIS AREA BUT EXPECT SKIES IN NORTH CENTRAL TO GO BACK TO PARTLY CLOUDY THIS AFTERNOON...WHILE MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES PERSIST IN SOUTHWEST MONTANA. ONLY ISOLATED SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA TODAY WITH TEMPERATURES CONTINUING TO WARM BACK TOWARD SEASONAL AVERAGES. REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST IS ON TRACK WITH NO OTHER CHANGES ANTICIPATED. MPJ && .AVIATION... UPDATED 1155Z. VFR CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE AT THE TFX TERMINALS THROUGH AT LEAST 12Z MONDAY. THE MOIST NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT OVER NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA WILL BECOME MORE WESTERLY TODAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OVER THE STATE. MID LEVEL CLOUDS WITH OCCASIONAL LIGHT PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY OBSCURE MOUNTAIN TOPS AT TIMES. OVER THE PLAINS...AN AREA OF MID CLOUDS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING...THEN MAINLY HIGH CLOUDINESS WILL LINGER THROUGH THE AFTERNOON/EVENING. OVERNIGHT...INCREASING MOISTURE IN THE FLOW ALOFT WILL BRING INCREASING MID LEVEL CLOUDINESS ONCE AGAIN. GUSTY WESTERLY SURFACE WINDS WILL ALSO INCREASE THIS MORNING...THEN DECREASE AGAIN THIS EVENING. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL BE ALONG THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT WHERE GUSTS TO 45 KT WILL BE POSSIBLE. COULSTON && .HYDROLOGY... HILL AND BLAINE COUNTY OFFICIAL REPORT THAT SEVERAL STREAMS AND CREEKS HAVE OVERFLOWED THEIR BANKS. LOW LAND FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED...AS WELL AS FLOODING OF SOME ROADS. COOLER TEMPERATURES HAVE SLOWED THE SNOWMELT SOMEWHAT...BUT TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO WARM BACK TOWARD SEASONAL AVERAGES TODAY AND MONDAY. AS A RESULT...AREAL FLOOD ADVISORIES FOR THESE COUNTIES ARE IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY. LATEST RIVER FORECASTS PROJECT THAT THE MILK RIVER AT HARLEM COULD RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE BY TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY. CLOSE MONITORING OF THIS SITUATION WILL CONTINUE AND...ASSUMING THE CURRENT HYDRO FORECAST TREND HOLDS TRUE...ADDITIONAL RIVER HIGHLIGHTS WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED SOON. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 555 AM MDT SUN APR 10 2011/ TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING...CURRENT SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS AXIS OF THE BROAD UPPER LEVEL TROF OVER THE NORTHERN/CENTRAL ROCKIES HAS MOVED DOWNSTREAM INTO ERN MONTANA. PRIMARY AREA OF MOISTURE WITH THIS SYSTEM HAS PUSHED EAST AS WELL...RESULTING IN MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES ACROSS OUR REGION THIS MORNING...EXCEPT FOR RESIDUAL CLOUD COVER ACROSS SOUTHERN MADISON/GALLATIN COUNTIES. FORECAST MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT THE TROF WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SLOW BUT STEADY EASTWARD PROGRESS TODAY...ALLOWING A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE TO GRADUALLY MOVE IN FROM THE WEST. THIS WILL MAKE FOR PLEASANT SEASONAL CONDITIONS TODAY...WITH PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES AND HIGH TEMPERATURES CLIMBING INTO THE UPPER 40S TO MID/UPPER 50S. DOWNSLOPE WINDS WILL BECOME GUSTY ALONG THE ROCKY MTN FRONT AND ADJACENT PLAINS THIS AFTN BUT SHOULD STAY BELOW CRITERIA FOR A HIGH WIND WARNING. PLUME OF PACIFIC MOISTURE CROSSING THRU THE TOP OF THE RIDGE WILL BRING INCREASING CLOUDS TONIGHT WITH A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AND IN FAR SOUTHWEST MT. RIDGE MOVES INTO ERN MONTANA ON MON MORNING TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT PACIFIC WEATHER SYSTEM WHICH MOVES INTO WESTERN MT BY MIDDAY. VALLEY RAIN/MTN SNOW SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MT LATE MON AFTN INTO MON EVE IN CONJUNCTION WITH PASSAGE OF SURFACE COLD FRONT. HAVE KEPT MENTION OF SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS FOR MUCH OF THE AREA ON MON AS MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW MARGINAL INSTABILITY ALONG/AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...THOUGH THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE WILL BE SPOTTY AT BEST. STRONG WEST/SOUTHWEST FLOW AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL PRODUCE WIDESPREAD GUSTY WINDS OVER THE HILINE AND CENTRAL PLAINS THRU MON EVE. ENTIRE PACIFIC SYSTEM SHOULD EXIT INTO ERN MT BY TUES MORNING...BRINGING GRADUALLY CLEARING SKIES THOUGH SHOWERS AND CLOUDS WILL LINGER OVER SOUTHWEST MT INTO TUES AFTN. EXPECT TEMPS TO REACH MID TO UPPER 50S ON MON UNTIL THE FRONT ARRIVES AND THEN COOL BACK TO THE UPPER 40S-LOW 50S ON TUES. WARANAUSKAS TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...AN UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE OVER THE TFX CWA TUESDAY NIGHT...KEEPING MOST OF THE AREA DRY WITH NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES. HOWEVER...A DISTURBANCE WITH ASSOCIATED MOISTURE MOVING THROUGH THE RIDGE OVER SOUTHWEST MONTANA MAY BRING A FEW SHOWERS THERE OVERNIGHT. THIS SHORTWAVE RIDGE WILL BE FORCED OUT OF THE AREA BY AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST. THIS TROUGH WILL LIKELY BRING SHOWERS TO THE AREA...ESPECIALLY ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH THE STRONGEST LIFT JUST AHEAD OF THE TROUGH. WARM AIR (THOUGH WITH JUST NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES) AHEAD OF THE TROUGH WILL KEEP PRECIPITATION MOSTLY RAIN OR A RAIN/SNOW MIX AT LOWER ELEVATIONS...WHILE MOUNTAIN LOCATIONS WILL LIKELY RECEIVE A WET SNOW. THIS SYSTEM WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED FOR POSSIBLE WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS...BUT MAINLY FOR THE MOUNTAINS...IF ANY ARE NEEDED. THE MAIN AREA OF MOISTURE WILL LIFT NORTHEAST OUT OF THE AREA WITH THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT...FOR A DECREASING CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION WITH ONLY SLIGHTLY COOLER AIR MOVING BACK INTO THE AREA. HOWEVER...THE MOIST WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT IN THE WAKE OF THE TROUGH WILL KEEP A CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE AREA...ESPECIALLY OVER THE WESTERN AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA MOUNTAINS. A BROAD UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN REBUILD OVER THE WESTERN UNITED STATES...BUT WEAK DISTURBANCES WITH ASSOCIATED MOISTURE EMBEDDED IN THE RESULTING WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL KEEP A CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION OVER THE AREA FOR SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...ESPECIALLY OVER THE MOUNTAINS. TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO WARM BACK TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS DURING THIS TIME. COULSTON && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 55 36 58 29 / 10 10 30 40 CTB 54 35 54 28 / 10 10 20 10 HLN 54 33 56 30 / 10 10 40 40 BZN 53 30 56 30 / 10 10 40 50 WEY 39 24 42 23 / 20 20 40 60 DLN 50 30 51 28 / 20 10 40 40 HVR 58 34 59 31 / 10 0 20 20 LWT 51 31 55 29 / 10 0 30 50 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM MDT TUESDAY HILL. AREAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM MDT TUESDAY BLAINE. FLOOD WATCH FOR THE MILK RIVER AT HARLEM IN BLAINE COUNTY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. && WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 941 AM MDT SUN APR 10 2011 MTZ047-111030- BLAINE- 941 AM MDT SUN APR 10 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE MILK RIVER AT HARLEM. A FLOOD ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR BLAINE COUNTY. SNOW MELT WILL CAUSE THE MILK RIVER AND LOCAL STREAMS TO CONTINUE TO RISE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THE FLOOD WATCH FOR THE MILK RIVER AT HARLEM REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THE RIVER IS PROJECTED TO REACH FLOOD STAGE BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL AT LEAST TUESDAY MORNING. WARMING TEMPERATURES WILL INCREASE SNOW MELT ACROSS THE AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUIRED ALONG THE MILK RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES. REPORTS OF FLOODING WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. MTZ011-111030- HILL- 941 AM MDT SUN APR 10 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FLOOD ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR HILL COUNTY. SNOW MELT WILL CAUSE THE MILK RIVER AND LOCAL STREAMS TO CONTINUE TO RISE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THE FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL AT LEAST TUESDAY MORNING. WARMING TEMPERATURES WILL INCREASE SNOW MELT ACROSS THE AREA...AND ADDITIONAL FLOOD HIGHLIGHTS MAY BE REQUIRED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER AND IMPACTS...INCLUDING FLOOD CONDITIONS...TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREAT FALLS. MTZ009-048-111030- NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT- 941 AM MDT SUN APR 10 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINDS ALONG THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT AND ADJACENT PLAINS WILL INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON...WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS NEAR 50 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER AND IMPACTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREAT FALLS. MTZ008-010-012>015-044>046-049>055-111030- BEAVERHEAD-EASTERN GLACIER-CASCADE-CHOUTEAU- CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-MADISON-TOOLE-LIBERTY- EASTERN PONDERA-EASTERN TETON-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS-JEFFERSON- BROADWATER-MEAGHER-GALLATIN- 941 AM MDT SUN APR 10 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER THROUGH TONIGHT IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A PACIFIC WEATHER SYSTEM WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF VALLEY RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW LATE WEDNESDAY. SNOW TOTALS IN SOME MOUNTAIN LOCATIONS MAY REQUIRE WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER AND IMPACTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREAT FALLS.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
KFBB reported that many homes along the Milk River became isolated due to inundation.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, April 2011
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: 370032.