Beaver, Larb and other smaller creeks flooded across Phillips and Valley counties.
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 GGW wrote it up.
Beaver, Larb and other smaller creeks flooded across Phillips and Valley counties.
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 Apr 6, 7:50 PM MST, 4 hours 14 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT 850 PM MDT WED APR 6 2011 .SHORT TERM...FOR NORTHEAST MONTANA...TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY... UPDATE...ONLY LIGHTNING THIS EVENING IS IN THE FAR SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE STATE THEREFORE GOING TO DROP THE THUNDER WORDING FOR TONIGHT. OTHERWISE NO CHANGES TO THE GOING FORECAST AT THIS TIME. PROTON PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...ISOLATED SHOWERS ARE BEGINNING TO TAKE SHAPE THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS MUCH OF THE TREASURE STATE. EXPECT THIS TREND TO CONTINUE ...WITH ISOLATED THUNDER POSSIBLE THIS EVENING AS MOISTURE IS ADVECTED IN AHEAD OF A DIGGING PACIFIC TROUGH. LATE ON TONIGHT THIS DIGGING FEATURE WILL PUSH A WARM FRONT THROUGH NORTHEAST MONTANA...BRINGING THE POTENTIAL FOR MIXED PRECIPITATION...INCLUDING FREEZING RAIN. ALTHOUGH THE FORECAST MODELS ARE IN A BIT BETTER AGREEMENT DIFFERENCES STILL CONTINUE TO DRAG DOWN CONFIDENCE ON THE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY SYSTEM. THURSDAY THE INITIAL IMPACTS OF THE DIGGING SYSTEM WILL BE FELT. ACROSS THE FAR EAST NON ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL BE PROBABLE ALONG A DEVELOPING WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY. ELSEWHERE EXPECT RAIN SHOWERS...AND POSSIBLY EVEN THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHEAST. THURSDAY WILL ALSO BRING INCREASING EAST-NORTHEAST WINDS AS THE GRADIENT TIGHTENS BEHIND AN INVERTED SURFACE TROUGH. THURSDAY EVENING AND OVERNIGHT SAID FRONT WILL SLOWLY MEANDER TO THE EAST...BRINGING THE SNOW LINE WITH IT. ACCUMULATIONS LOOK BETTER AFTER MIDNIGHT AS TEMPERATURES COOL. NORTHEAST WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BLOW...POSSIBLY CAUSING BLOWING SNOW ISSUES. THAT IS IF THE SNOW IS NOT TOO HEAVY AND WET. FRIDAY THE INVERTED SURFACE TROUGH WILL PUSH OFF AS A WEAK SURFACE HIGH BUILDS IN BEHIND IT. THIS WILL ALLOW WINDS TO SLOWLY TAPER FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON. SNOW POTENTIAL WILL REMAIN MODERATE TO HIGH AS MOISTURE CONTINUES TO BE FED INTO NORTHEAST MONTANA BY THE UPPER TROUGH...NOW OVER THE GREAT BASIN. GILCHRIST .LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY... THE STRONG STORM SYSTEM ANCHORED BY THE LARGE UPPER TROUGH CENTERED OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FRIDAY NIGHT WILL BEGIN MOVING EAST. THIS WILL TAKE NORTHEAST MONTANA OUT FROM UNDER THE WET SOUTHWESTERLY UPPER FLOW. HOWEVER A MUCH WEAKER SECONDARY SHORTWAVE TROUGH...SPLIT FROM THE MAIN TROUGH...SETTLES OVER THE FORECAST AREA BEFORE MOVING ON LATE SATURDAY NIGHT. THIS OVERALL GENERAL TROUGHINESS WILL KEEP THE AREA UNSETTLED WITH CLOUD COVER AND LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. HOWEVER A SURFACE HIGH SHOULD KEEP CONDITIONS ON THE DRY SIDE TOWARD THE NORTH. BY SUNDAY A LONGWAVE UPPER RIDGE MOVES OVER THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE WHICH SHOULD KEEP CONDITIONS DRY AND FAIR UNTIL SOMETIME MONDAY WHEN THE NEXT UPPER LEVEL TROUGH DIGS INTO THE NORTHWEST. THE TROUGH MOVING EAST SPINS UP A COMPACT CYCLONIC STORM OVER THE CANADIAN PRAIRIE WHICH WILL SEND A DISTINCT COLD FRONT INTO NEMONT AROUND MONDAY OR MONDAY NIGHT. THE FRONT WILL INITIATE PRECIPITATION AND UNSETTLED CONDITIONS UNTIL AROUND WEDNESDAY WHEN THE NEXT UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BRINGS ON ANOTHER DRY PERIOD. TEMPERATURES OVERALL SHOULD BEGIN SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL THEN TREND TO NORMAL THROUGH TUESDAY. THE UPPER RIDGE COULD BRING THE WARMEST TEMPERATURES THIS YEAR BY WEDNESDAY. WITH MODELS IN FAIR TO GOOD AGREEMENT FOR THE PERIOD... ONLY A FEW CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE INHERITED GRIDS...MAINLY FOR COORDINATION. SCT PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... THE LONG TERM FORECAST PERIOD WILL BE CHARACTERIZED BY A LARGE SCALE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH PUSHING THROUGH THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE CONUS WHILE ANOTHER UPPER LOW CENTER FOLLOWS INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND NORTHERN ROCKIES. FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...THE MAIN STORM SYSTEM FOR THE EARLY PART OF THIS WEEKEND WILL BE EXITING THE REGION EASTWARD LEAVING ONLY SCATTERED LIGHT RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL SET IN OVER NORTHEAST MONTANA AS A BRIEF PERIOD OF UPPER LEVEL RIDGING MOVES OVER THE REGION. MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY...ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL TROUGH... ALBEIT LESS INTENSE...SWEEPS ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. THIS WILL BRING SOME SCATTERED SLIGHT CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION. NOTHING OF GREAT CONSEQUENCE. EXTENDED MODEL SOLUTIONS IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT...WITH GENERAL UPPER LEVEL FLOW. BEYOND THE END OF THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD...THE GFS ADVERTISES A VERY LARGE AND VERY DEEP UPPER LOW CHURNING OFF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST WHICH COULD BEGIN TO AFFECT MONTANA BY MID APRIL. BMICKELSON && .AVIATION... MOSTLY VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT. A DEVELOPING WESTERN CONUS TROUGH WILL SEND INCREASING SKY COVER INTO THE AREA TONIGHT. THIS COULD BRING IN SOME RAIN SHOWER ACTIVITY...AND WITH SURFACE BASED CAPE OF A FEW HUNDRED J/KG...MAYBE A FEW CB/S AND A LIGHTNING STRIKE OR TWO AT KGDV...AND POSSIBLY KSDY...INTO THE EVENING. THIS EVENING AS THE SURFACE HIGH SHIFTS EAST WINDS WILL BACK TO THE EAST AND SETTLE DOWN TO TO AROUND 10 KTS OR LESS. THE BASE OF THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL DROP FARTHER SOUTH INTO CALIFORNIA PICKING UP ADDITIONAL PACIFIC MOISTURE BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THIS TROUGH WILL EJECT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PACIFIC MOISTURE INTO THE CENTRAL ROCKIES AND EASTERN MONTANA THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. EXPECT DEGRADED FLYING CONDITIONS DUE TO STORMY WEATHER WITH LOW CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES FROM RAIN AND/OR SNOW TOWARD THE END OF THE TAF CYCLE AND BEYOND. SCT/BMICKELSON && .HYDROLOGY... GENERALLY WARMER TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE WITH TEMPERATURES NEXT WEEK RUNNING 6 TO 10 DEGREES ABOVE THOSE OF THIS WEEK. THERE IS ALSO THE POSSIBILITY OF SIGNIFICANT RAIN OR SNOW ON FRIDAY. ANY SNOW WILL QUICKLY MELT AND ADD TO RUN OFF AS HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE WARMER AFTER THE FRIDAY EVENT. CONSEQUENTLY...THE SPRING THAWING AND RIVER RISES ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AND PROBABLY INCREASE OVER THE NEXT WEEK. IT WILL BE AT LEAST 2 WEEKS BEFORE FLOOD ISSUES SUBSIDE PERMANENTLY...THOUGH RIVER LEVELS MAY FLUCTUATE SOME. ANTELOPE CREEK WAS REPORTED TO BE UP 1 AND A HALF FEET OVER YESTERDAY. A SMALL STREAM FLOOD WARNING WAS ISSUED FOR THIS CREEK AS WELL AS NEARBY BUFFALO AND WILLOW CREEKS IN SOUTHERN VALLEY COUNTY. A SMALL STREAM FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR BEAVER CREEK IN WESTERN VALLEY AND EASTERN PHILLIPS COUNTIES. THE SACO/GUSTON COULEE GAGE ON BEAVER CREEK IS SLOWLY FALLING BUT THE GAGE AT HINSDALE IS STILL RISING. IT WILL TAKE 2-3 DAYS FOR THE WATER TO START FALLING AT HINSDALE. CREEKS WERE RUNNING HIGH IN NORTHERN MCCONE AND RICHLAND COUNTIES BUT NO SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED. A MAIN STEM FLOOD WARNING WAS ISSUED FOR THE TAMPICO...GLASGOW...AND NASHUA POINTS ON THE MILK RIVER. GLASGOW REACHED FLOOD STAGE WEDNESDAY AND CONTINUES TO RISE. TAMPICO AND NASHUA ARE EXPECTED TO REACH FLOOD STAGE WITHIN THE NEXT TWO DAYS. TAMPICO IS EXPECTED TO CREST LATE FRIDAY WHILE GLASGOW AND NASHUA ARE EXPECTED TO CREST LATE SATURDAY. CONTINUED FLOODING WITH MORE CRESTS ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS. MARTIN/BMICKELSON && .GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && WEATHER.GOV/GLASGOW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT 340 PM MDT WED APR 6 2011 MTZ016>020-059-061-062-071200- CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PHILLIPS-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY- DANIELS-SHERIDAN-WESTERN ROOSEVELT-NORTHERN PHILLIPS- NORTHERN VALLEY-EASTERN ROOSEVELT- 340 PM MDT WED APR 6 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FLOOD WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR BEAVER CREEK IN WESTERN VALLEY AND EASTERN PHILLIPS COUNTIES UNTIL THURSDAY MORNING AND FOR THE WILLOW...BRAZIL AND ANTELOPE IN SOUTHERN VALLEY COUNTY. A FLOOD WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE MILK RIVER AT GLASGOW AND AT NASHUA. A LIGHT MIX OF RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY SNOW MELT RUN OFF WILL CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS WITH ADDITIONAL FLOODING POSSIBLE. A STRONG SPRING STORM SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPACT PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. CURRENTLY THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF UNCERTAINTY WITH THE SYSTEM AND CONFIDENCE IS MODERATE AT BEST. EXPECT POSSIBLE ACCUMULATING HEAVY WET SNOW COMBINED WITH POSSIBLE RAIN SHOWERS THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY ACROSS NORTHEAST MONTANA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ021>027-060-071200- PETROLEUM-GARFIELD-MCCONE-RICHLAND-DAWSON-PRAIRIE-WIBAUX- SOUTHWEST PHILLIPS- 340 PM MDT WED APR 6 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A LIGHT MIX OF RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY A STRONG SPRING STORM SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPACT PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. CURRENTLY THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF UNCERTAINTY WITH THE SYSTEM AND CONFIDENCE IS MODERATE AT BEST. EXPECT POSSIBLE ACCUMULATING HEAVY WET SNOW COMBINED WITH POSSIBLE RAIN SHOWERS THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY ACROSS NORTHEAST MONTANA. .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 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Beaver and Larb creeks flooded. Saco Flats flooded, surrounding Saco with water.
Beaver Creek and other tributaries to the Milk River (as well as the Milk River) are flooding. Roads closed included, but not limited to: the North Tampico Road, 6th Avenue, Whately Road, Lenz Road, Canal Road (west of Glasgow), Rahlf Lane.
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: 307736, 307739.