A strong clipper system moved southeast from the Canadian Prairies into the Northern Plains bringing widespread high winds from southern Alberta, through northeast Montana and into the Dakotas. Highest observed gusts were on this day were over 70 mph.
Every event with a place to put it; 16 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.
A strong clipper system moved southeast from the Canadian Prairies into the Northern Plains bringing widespread high winds from southern Alberta, through northeast Montana and into the Dakotas. Highest observed gusts were on this day were over 70 mph. This system the day earlier brought wind gusts over 100 mph in north-central 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 Glasgow, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 12, 9:15 PM MST, 2 hours 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT 915 PM MST SAT FEB 12 2011 .SHORT TERM...FOR NORTHEAST MONTANA...TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY... UPDATE TONIGHT TO BUMP UP THE TEMPERATURES GIVEN THE PERSISTENT CLOUD COVER AND RECENT TRENDS TO WARM MORE THAN FORECASTED. JUST SMALL ADJUSTMENTS ELSEWHERE. WILL KEEP THE CURRENT HIGH WIND WARNING AND HIGH WIND WATCH GOING AS IS AND DECIDE WITH THE NEXT FULL FORECAST ISSUANCE WHETHER AND WHERE TO UPGRADE TO THE HIGH WIND WARNING. PRELIMINARY THOUGHTS ARE TO UPGRADE ALONG OUR SOUTHERN ZONES WHERE MODEL LAPSE RATES ARE MAXIMIZED SUNDAY. BMICKELSON PREVIOUS SHORT TERM DISCUSSION...UPPER RIDGE OVER OUR AREA BRINGING DRY AND WARMER WEATHER AGAIN TODAY. HIGHS HAVE REACHED THE 40S OR LOWER 50S WITH A FAIR AMOUNT OF SUN AND W WINDS...HELPED BY AN UNSEASONABLY MILD OVERNIGHT. HIGH CLOUDS CONTINUE TO MOVE THRU THE RIDGE TONIGHT...OTHERWISE LITTLE CHANCE AND ANOTHER MILD NIGHT EXPECTED. A SHORTWAVE MOVING THRU OR AND WA TODAY IS EXPECTED TO MOVE QUICKLY THRU NE MT SUNDAY. THE BIG QUESTION REMAINS HIGH WIND POTENTIAL. THE FRONT ITSELF IS DRY AND QUITE PROGRESSIVE...WHICH ADDS TO WIND THREAT. MODELS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY SHOWING 50-80 KT AT 850 MB MOST OF SUNDAY...GFS STRONGEST AGAIN. MODELS HAVE COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE TIMING AND INTENSITY OF THE SHORTWAVE THOUGH. HOWEVER COOL ADVECTION IS MODERATE AT BEST AND SHORT-LIVED. THE SURFACE LOW IS WELL TO OUR E WHICH MAKES THE FRONT PASS THRU HERE SOMEWHAT ORIENTED E-W...WHICH IS NOT AS FAVORABLE FOR WIND HERE. FORECAST SOUNDINGS LOOK A LITTLE LESS THAN IDEAL WITH THE LAPSE RATES SUNDAY TO BRING THIS WIND DOWN TO SURFACE...HOWEVER OUR SE WILL BE VERY CLOSE TO DRY ADIABATIC. MODELS TEND TO BE A LITTLE CONSERVATIVE ON LAPSE RATES TOO. THERE IS SLIGHT INSTABILITY AND MODERATE DOWNWARD MOTION AS WELL BEHIND THE FRONT. THE PROLONGED NATURE OF THE STRONG WINDS ALOFT ARE ANOTHER FACTOR. THEREFORE... CLOSENESS OF THIS THREAT WILL MERIT ISSUING A HIGH WIND WATCH FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF STRONG WINDS. DO TO DOUBTS WILL STAY CONSERVATIVE ON SPEEDS FOR NOW SINCE IT IS A WATCH...BUT COULD BE A LOT HIGHER. WINDS QUICKLY DIE OUT WITH SURFACE RIDGE MOVING IN BY SUNDAY EVE. A COOLER AIR MASS WI TH CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS BY LATE SUNDAY NIGHT DROPS LOWS TO THE TEENS TO LOWER 20S. UPPER RIDGE REBOUNDS MON...JUST AS STRONG AND EVEN A LITTLE WARMER THAN TODAY PUSHING HIGHS BACK TO THE 40S AND LOWER 50S...ALTHOUGH SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENTS NOT ORIENTED FOR AS MUCH WARMING IN OUR N. SIMONSEN .LONG TERM...MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY... MODELS ARE STILL IN DISAGREEMENT WITH SNOW FOR LATER THIS WEEK. HAVE GENERALLY MADE LITTLE CHANGES DURING THE PERIOD THAT IT IS EXPECTED BUT DID TRIM OUT THE MENTION FOR SNOW ON WEDNESDAY IN MOST AREAS. THE ECMWF IS SHOWING THAT THE OVERRUNNING THAT WAS EARLIER EXPECTED TO NOT OCCUR AN ARCTIC PUSH IS EXPECTED TO COME IN AFTER PACIFIC MOISTURE MOVES OUT. MODELS ARE ALSO IN DISAGREEMENT WITH ARCTIC AIR MASS DROPPING SOUTH EAST OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES LATE NEXT WEEK. CHANGES MADE IN THIS REGARDS WERE TO HELP WITH INTRA OFFICE COORDINATION. REST OF FORECAST LOOKS GOOD. JAMBA PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... MAIN FEATURE FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD IS COLD FRONT THAT DROPS THROUGH THE STATE LATE MIDWEEK. UPPER RIDGE OVER THE HIGH PLAINS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK WILL GRADUALLY FLATTEN AS TROF MOVES TOWARD THE WEST COAST. UPPER FLOW TURNING FROM WEST TO SOUTHWEST PUMPS WARM AND INCREASINGLY MOIST AIR NORTHWARD. BY WEDNESDAY A SHORTWAVE SLIDING THROUGH CENTRAL CANADA WILL PUSH COLD FRONT SOUTH OF THE BORDER...BUT STRONGEST COLD AIR ADVECTION HOLDS OFF UNTIL THURSDAY WHEN ANOTHER SHORTWAVE PUSHES THROUGH THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. THIS SECOND WAVE WILL PUSH MOISTURE OVER THE INCOMING ARCTIC AIR FOR CHANCES OF SNOW. STILL SOME TIMING ISSUES WITH THIS SYSTEM AND AMOUNT OF SNOW FALL WILL LIKELY HINGE ON HOW QUICKLY THE COLD AIR FILTERS SOUTHWARD. UPPER TROF WILL LINGER OVER THE WESTERN STATE INTO NEXT WEEKEND... KEEPING THE COLDER AIR MASS IN PLACE ALTHOUGH CHANCES OF SNOW WILL DIMINISH. EBERT && .AVIATION... VFR CEILINGS THROUGH SUNDAY ARE EXPECTED. WINDS AT MID-LEVELS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE OVERNIGHT...WITH VERY WINDY CONDITIONS EXPECTED ON SUNDAY. WIND SHEAR IS A POSSIBILITY ESPECIALLY TONIGHT AS LOW LEVEL WINDS REMAIN LIGHT. JAMBA/GILCHRIST && .HYDROLOGY... THERE CONTINUES THE POSSIBILITY BY EARLY NEXT WEEK OF RUNOFF ON CREEKS AND STREAMS ESPECIALLY SOUTH AND WEST OF A WHITEWATER- GLASGOW-GLENDIVE LINE. THE MUSSELSHELL RIVER SO FAR HAS STAYED WITHIN IT/S BANKS BUT TODAY/S MELTING MAY RAISE THESE LEVELS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. FLOOD STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED IF LEVELS RISE TO OR ABOVE THEIR RESPECTIVE FLOOD STAGES. && .GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WATCH FROM 8 AM MST SUNDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PHILLIPS...CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY...DANIELS...SHERIDAN...WESTERN ROOSEVELT...PETROLEUM... GARFIELD...MCCONE...RICHLAND...DAWSON...PRAIRIE...WIBAUX... NORTHERN PHILLIPS...NORTHERN VALLEY...EASTERN ROOSEVELT. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 3 PM MST SUNDAY FOR SOUTHWEST PHILLIPS. && WEATHER.GOV/GLASGOW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT 306 PM MST SAT FEB 12 2011 MTZ016>027-059-061-062-131200- CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PHILLIPS-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY- DANIELS-SHERIDAN-WESTERN ROOSEVELT-PETROLEUM-GARFIELD-MCCONE- RICHLAND-DAWSON-PRAIRIE-WIBAUX-NORTHERN PHILLIPS-NORTHERN VALLEY- EASTERN ROOSEVELT- 306 PM MST SAT FEB 12 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SEVERAL DAYS OF ABOVE FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED THIS WEEKEND THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. LOOK FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS TO BE SLUSHY. IN SOME AREAS...ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF A WHITEWATER TO GLASGOW TO GLENDIVE LINE...ENOUGH SNOW MAY MELT TO ALLOW SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS TO BEGIN TO RUN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THERE IS A HIGH WIND WATCH SUNDAY. WEST WINDS SHIFTING TO NORTHWEST 30 TO 40 MH WITH GUSTS OVER 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY. ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING CHANCES OF SNOW AND COLDER TEMPERATURES TO THE AREA LATE NEXT WEEK. SOME SNOW ACCUMULATION CAN BE EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ060-131200- SOUTHWEST PHILLIPS- 306 PM MST SAT FEB 12 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT. WEST WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS AS HIGH AS 60 MPH ARE EXPECTED. SEVERAL DAYS OF ABOVE FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED THIS WEEKEND THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. LOOK FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS TO BE SLUSHY. IN SOME AREAS...ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF A WHITEWATER TO GLASGOW TO GLENDIVE LINE...ENOUGH SNOW MAY MELT TO ALLOW SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS TO BEGIN TO RUN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE HIGH WIND WARNING EXPIRES AT 3 PM SUNDAY. ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING CHANCES OF SNOW AND COLDER TEMPERATURES TO THE AREA LATE NEXT WEEK. SOME SNOW ACCUMULATION CAN BE EXPECTED. .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.
16 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
At 0145 MST, Malta South DOT sensor observed wind gust of 78 mph; at 0445 MST Malta South DOT sensor observed wind gust of 60 mph; at 0816 MST Malta South DOT had sustained winds of 49 mph with a gust to 79 mph.
At 0325 MST, the south Sawmill RAWS measured a wind gust at 58 mph, at 0825 MST the sensor reported a wind gust to 72 mph. At 1400 MST, Rock Creek sensor reported more than 3 hours of sustained winds of 40 mph or more.
At 0655 MST, Whitewater sensor reported sustained winds of 40 mph or more for more than 2 hours. At 1000 MST, Val Marie, Sask reported 40 mph or higher sustained winds for more than 2 hours.
At 1100 MST, Bluff Creek RAWS had sustained winds over 40 mph for more than 2 hours.
At 0730 MST, a sensor located 15 miles north-northeast of Frazer measured a wind gust of 58 mph, at 0904 MST 2 miles east-southeast of Saco a sensor measured sustained winds of 40 to 45 mph for the last 2 hours with a gust to 53 mph. At 0942 MST, the Glasgow ASOS measured wind gusts of 60 mph. At 0955 MST, the Nashua Davis unit recorded a wind gust of 63 mph.
At 1100 MST, the Malta Handar reported 3 hours with sustained winds over 40 mph.
At 0800 MST, the McDonalds DOT recorded sustained winds of 40 to 55 mph with a gust to 61 mph. At 1400 MST the sensor recorded sustained winds of 51 to 66 mph with a gust to 81 mph for the past 6 hours.
At 1100 MST, the Poplar RAWS had a few hours of sustained winds over 40 mph.
At 0855 MST, the SuperAWOS at the Scobey Airport reported sustained winds of 46 to 48 mph with a gust to 57 mph for more than 2 hours.
From 0900 to 1500 MST, the spotter 10 miles west-northwest of Medicine Lake estimated sustained winds of 40 mph or higher. At 1400 MST, the Comertown DOT had sustained winds of 40 mph or higher for several hours.
At 1050 MST, the Fort Peck handar had a wind gust to 64 mph, then at 1150 MST the sensor had a wind gust to 60 mph. At 1237 MST, the Cow Creek DOT sensor had sustained winds of 42 to 52 mph with gusts to 58 mph.
At 1500 5 miles north of Mildred reported sustained winds of 40 mph since noon with gusts to 52 mph. At 1300 MST, the Buffalo Rapids Observation in Terry reported several hours of sustained winds over 40 mph.
At 1600 MST, the Sioux Pass DOT sensor had 2 hours of sustained winds over 40 mph.
At 1340 MST, the Beaver Hill DOT sensor had wind gusts to 58 mph. At 1347 MST, the sensor reported sustained winds of 40 to 48 mph for the last 2 hours.
At 1500 MST, spotter 15 miles northwest of Winnett estimated sustained winds of 40 mph with gusts to 60 mph during the day.
At 1200 MST, Lindsay Divide DOT reported more than 2 hours of sustained winds above 40 mph. At 1335 MST, the Glendive AWOS reported more than 2 hours of sustained winds of 40 mph or more.
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, February 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: 273846, 273852, 273842, 273843, 273848, 273847, 273849, 273850, 273844, 273845, 273853, 273854, 273855, 273857, 273851, 273856.