The Redwater River swelled due to above normal snowmelt and ice jams.
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.
The Redwater River swelled due to above normal snowmelt and ice jams.
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 17, 8:59 AM MST, 1 hour 46 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT 959 AM MDT THU MAR 17 2011 .SHORT TERM...FOR NORTHEAST MONTANA...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY... MORNING UPDATE... A FRONT IS DRAPED ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER OF THE CWA WITH SIGNIFICANT CLOUD COVER TO THE NORTH AND PARTLY CLOUDY TO CLEAR SKIES TO THE SOUTH. A SLIGHT SLIGHT CHANGE WAS MADE FOR A WIND SHIFT LINE WITH THIS FRONT WHERE NORTHWEST WINDS EXIST TO THE NORTH AND SOUTHWEST WINDS EXIST TO THE SOUTH. POP GRIDS NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED UPWARDS AS WELL AS THE SLIGHT CONVERGENCE. ALONG THE LINE IS LEADING TO ENOUGH LIFT TO GENERATE LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS AND FLURRIES THIS MORNING FROM MALTA TO GLASGOW. GAH PREVIOUS SHORT TERM DISCUSSION... WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND 500 MB HEIGHT FIELD SHOWS A BROAD WEAK TROUGH OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST... A WEAK RIDGE OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN CONUS... AND A SHORTER SCALE UPPER TROUGH MOVING OFF THE EAST COAST. ALSO... A SMALL UPPER LOW IS QUICKLY SPINNING EAST AND AWAY ACROSS SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN. AS THIS SMALLER UPPER LOW MOVES EAST... IT IS DRAGGING A COLD FRONT AND SOME LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS OUR FAR NORTHERN ZONES EARLY THIS MORNING. FORECAST CHALLENGES FOCUS MAINLY ON TEMPERATURES... ESPECIALLY OVERNIGHT MINIMUM TEMPERATURES. ATTENTION WILL ALSO NEED TO BE CONSTANTLY FOCUSED ON FLOODING CONCERNS FROM SEASONAL SNOW MELT ACROSS NORTHEAST MONTANA. REFER TO THE HYDROLOGY DISCUSSION BELOW. THE TRAILING COLD FRONT BEING DRAGGED THROUGH OUR NORTHERN ZONES WILL PROVIDE THE FOCUS FOR SOME LIGHT LINGERING SNOW SHOWERS TODAY. AT THIS TIME... I DO NOT EXPECT MUCH MORE THAN A FEW TENTHS OF AN INCH OF SNOW FALL PER SIX HOURS. SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS MAY TRY TO SNEAK IN OVER OUR FAR SOUTHWESTERN ZONES TODAY AS WELL. FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING... UPPER LEVEL RIDGING TAKES OVER ACROSS MONTANA... BRINGING DRY TRANQUIL AND COMPARATIVELY WARM WEATHER TO THE REGION. SATURDAY AFTERNOON... MONTANA WILL BEGIN TO FEEL THE EFFECTS OF A VERY LARGE UPPER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST... WHICH WILL BE POISED TO EJECT MULTIPLE SHORT WAVE DISTURBANCES ACROSS NORTHEAST MONTANA THROUGH THE WEEKEND. INCREASED CLOUDINESS AND SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA LATER ON SATURDAY. BMICKELSON .LONG TERM...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY... THE EXTENDED PERIOD BEGINS WITH AN UPPER TROUGH MOVING THROUGH THE REGION WITH MIXED PRECIPITATION EXPECTED FOR THE REGION ON SUNDAY. ON MONDAY SHORT LIVED RIDGE MOVES THROUGH THE REGION AS AN PACIFIC UPPER LOW ENTERS THE GREAT BASIN. MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT NORTHEAST MONTANA WILL BE IMPACTED FROM THE PACIFIC SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH THE REGION. DEPENDING ON THE PLACEMENT OF FEATURES WILL DETERMINE THE PRECIPITATION TYPE AND AMOUNT FOR THE REGION. FOR NOW WILL PLAY IT CONSERVATIVE AND NOT TRY TO PICK ALL SNOW OR A MIX AT THIS TIME. WILL GO WITH THE TREND UPWARDS ON POPS FOR THIS EVENT WITH BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF ONBOARD WITH THE IDEA OF A WET AND COOLER TUESDAY FOR THE AREA. WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE TREND WILL BE TOWARD WARMER AND DRIER FOR THE REGION AS RIDGING IS FORECASTED FOR THE AREA. PROTON && .AVIATION... A WEAK COLD FRONT DROPPING SOUTH THROUGH THE REGION WILL BRING MVFR CEILINGS AND OCCASIONAL DROPS IN VISIBILITY IN LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS. THE LOW CLOUDS SHOULD CLEAR THE REGION THROUGH THE AFTERNOON WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT AND INTO FRIDAY. RAE && .HYDROLOGY... ICE JAMS AND SNOW MELT ARE CAUSING FLOODING PROBLEMS IN MANY AREAS IN NORTHEAST MONTANA AND ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO DO SO FOR THE NEXT WEEK. OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS...TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE 40S IN THE AFTERNOONS AND BELOW FREEZING AT NIGHT. THERE IS ALSO SOME CHANCE FOR NEW PRECIPITATION. CONSEQUENTLY...CONTINUED FLOODING PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT WEEK AS THE SUBSTANTIAL LOAD OF SURFACE ICE GRADUALLY MELTS AND ICE BREAKS-UP ON AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS. CURRENTLY...A FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER FROM NEAR SAVAGE TO NEAR TERRY DUE TO 3 KNOWN ICE JAMS. ONE ICE JAM IS AFFECTING THE AREA FROM 5 MILES WEST OF TERRY TO PAST FALLON. THIS ICE JAM IS THREATENING NEARBY RAILROAD TRACKS. A SECOND ICE JAM IS AFFECTING AREAS NORTH OF THE I 94 BRIDGE IN GLENDIVE...AND IS CAUSING LOW LAND FLOODING. A THIRD ICE JAM IS AFFECTING THE AREA FROM SAVAGE TO NEAR THE DAWSON COUNTY LINE. SMALL STREAMS THAT FEED BEAVER CREEK IN WIBAUX COUNTY ARE RUNNING OUT OF THEIR BANKS AND HAVE FLOODED HIGHWAY SEVEN 12-13 MILES SOUTH OF WIBAUX NEAR THE PINE UNIT TURNOFF. HIGHWAY 7 IS CLOSED AS A RESULT. A FLOOD WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR AREAS ALONG THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES THROUGH FRIDAY DUE TO THE EXPECTATION OF FURTHER ICE JAM FLOODING. OF PARTICULAR CONCERN IS THE FACT THAT ICE JAMS CAN BREAK UP AND REFORM DOWN STREAM. ALSO OF CONCERN IS THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING SHOULD AN ICE JAM SUDDENLY COLLAPSE. ALONG THE MUSSELSHELL RIVER...A FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES THROUGH FRIDAY FOR AREAS IN PETROLEUM AND GARFIELD COUNTIES DUE TO SWOLLEN CREEKS FROM SNOW MELT RUN OFF AND ICE JAMS. THE MUSSELSHELL RIVER IS CURRENTLY RIGHT AT FLOOD STAGE AT MOSBY...HOWEVER AN ICE JAM EXISTS 5 MILES NORTH OF THE 200 BRIDGE. EARLIER ICE JAMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED AS CLEARED AT MOSBY AND FLATWILLOW. IT IS EXPECTED THAT ICE JAMS WILL CONTINUE TO BREAK-UP AND REFORM AT DOWN STREAM LOCATIONS WITH THE AREA FROM NORTH OF THE 200 BRIDGE TO THE MOUTH OF THE MUSSELSHELL MOST AT RISK. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED ON THE 79 TRAIL NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE MUSSELSHELL RIVER WITH A SUBDIVISION SURROUNDED BY WATER AND WATER OVER THE 79 TRAIL ROAD. IN GARFIELD COUNTY...A FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT. STEVE FORKS CREEK AND THE MIDDLE FORK OF LODGEPOLE CREEK HAVE BEEN REPORTED OUT OF THEIR BANKS DUE TO HIGH RUN OFF. THIS HAS FORCED ROAD CLOSURES IN NORTHWEST GARFIELD COUNTY. THIS FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE UNTIL AT LEAST SATURDAY AS SNOW CONTINUES TO MELT. IN PHILLIPS COUNTY...A FLOOD ADVISORY CONTINUES UNTIL MONDAY. MINOR FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED ON PEOPLES CREEK WITH OTHER STREAMS AND CREEKS RISING. THE MILK RIVER HAS ALSO BEEN RISING IN THIS AREA WITH THE GAUGE AT DODSON BEING JUST ABOVE FLOOD STAGE BY LESS THAN 0.5 FEET. THIS FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AND BECOME MORE SIGNIFICANT AS SNOW CONTINUES TO MELT. && .GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLOOD WATCH THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR RICHLAND...DAWSON... WIBAUX. && WEATHER.GOV/GLASGOW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT 1047 AM MDT THU MAR 17 2011 MTZ016-021-022-024>027-060-180515- CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PHILLIPS-PETROLEUM-GARFIELD-RICHLAND-DAWSON- PRAIRIE-WIBAUX-SOUTHWEST PHILLIPS- 1047 AM MDT THU MAR 17 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT FLOOD WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES ARE CURRENTLY IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA. ICE JAMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED AT SEVERAL PLACES ALONG THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER NORTH OF TERRY AND ALONG THE MUSSELSHELL RIVER NORTH OF HIGHWAY 200. IN ADDITION...STREAMS IN NORTHWEST GARFIELD COUNTY AND WESTERN PHILLIPS COUNTY HAVE BEEN REPORTED OUT OF THEIR BANKS. PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN OCCURRING FROM BOTH ICE JAMS AND FROM STREAM AND RIVER RISES DUE TO SNOW MELT RUNOFF. THE ICE JAMS HAVE BEEN BREAKING UP AND REFORMING AT DOWNSTREAM LOCATIONS AND MAY CONTINUE TO DO SO. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY FORECAST HIGH TEMPERATURES RANGE FROM THE UPPER 30S TO AROUND 50 FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. CONSEQUENTLY...THE LARGE AMOUNT OF SURFACE ICE IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO MELT AND RAISE CREEKS AND RIVERS. CONTINUED PROBLEMS FROM ICE JAM FORMATION ARE ALSO EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ017>020-023-059-061-062-180515- CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY-DANIELS-SHERIDAN-WESTERN ROOSEVELT- MCCONE-NORTHERN PHILLIPS-NORTHERN VALLEY-EASTERN ROOSEVELT- 1047 AM MDT THU MAR 17 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE EXPECTED TO RISE INTO AT LEAST NEXT WEEK WITH AN INCREASE IN FLOODING PROBLEMS. HIGH TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO RANGE FROM THE MID 30S TO LOWER 40S FOR THE NEXT WEEK. THIS IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO MELT THE LARGE AMOUNT OF SURFACE ICE. TRIBUTARIES OF MAIN STEM RIVERS ARE EXPECTED TO FLOOD FIRST FOLLOWED BY MAIN STEM FLOODING. SOME FLOODING DUE TO ICE JAMS ARE ALSO EXPECTED. THE TIMING AND EXTENT OF FLOODING IS STILL UNCERTAIN. .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.
3 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Small creeks and streams as well as the Redwater River were out of their banks.
Small creeks and streams as well as the Redwater River were out of their banks.
Small creeks and streams as well as the Redwater River were out of their banks.
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, March 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: 288683, 288686, 288688.