A developing Pacific system moving northeast from California brought snow and blowing snow to areas north of the Missouri River.
Every event with a place to put it; 13 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 developing Pacific system moving northeast from California brought snow and blowing snow to areas north of the Missouri River.
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 22, 2:29 AM MST, 5 hours 31 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT 329 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 2011 .SHORT TERM...FOR NORTHEAST MONTANA...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY... ...BLIZZARD TO STRIKE PARTS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA THROUGH TODAY... WEATHER SYSTEM ARRIVING FROM THE SOUTH IS COMING IN FAIRLY DISORGANIZED AND IN CHUNKS THIS MORNING. AS OF 5AM THE SURFACE LOW IS STATIONED OVER NORTHEASTERN WYOMING AND SOUTHEASTERN MONTANA... WHILE THE MID LEVEL LOW IS STILL SPINNING ON THE IDAHO/WYOMING BOARDER. A BROKEN BAROCLINIC LEAF HAS STRETCHED OUT BETWEEN THESE TWO SYSTEMS AND IS KEEPING INDIVIDUAL LIFT ZONES FROM FOCUSING UP FOR LARGE SCALE SYNOPTIC SNOW SHOWERS. HOWEVER... THE STRETCHED OUT NATURE OF THIS SYSTEM IS ALLOWING FOR INSTABILITY TO START SNEAKING IN. CONSEQUENTLY... CONVECTIVE SNOW SHOWERS ARE BRIEFLY PASSING THROUGH SOME AREAS AND GENERATING HEAVY SNOW IN SHORT BURSTS WHICH IS REDUCING VISIBILITIES IN SPOTS. NEEDLESS TO SAY FORECAST CONFIDENCE IN ANY PARTICULAR MODEL AS THE DAY CONTINUES IS SPOTTY DUE TO A GRAB BAG OF PRECIPITATION TYPES... PLACES... AND THE PREVIOUSLY UNPREDICTED CONVECTIVE ELEMENTS... AND LOW POSITION PLACEMENT. THEREFORE... HAVE GONE WITH A BLEND OF MODELS IN A HOPE TO CATCH THE BROAD SCALE PATTERN. LATE TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT... COLD AIR ADVECTION WILL FILTER INTO THE REGION FROM THE NORTHEAST WITH A TROWEL DYNAMICS SETTING UP IN THE MID TO UPPER LEVELS. 700MB MODEL DATA SUGGESTS THAT 3 G/KG OF MOISTURE WILL BE FEEDING THE ASCENSION OF THE WARM AIR THROUGH THE DAY BEFORE THE MOISTURE SUPPORT SLOWLY EXITS OVERNIGHT. THIS AND SYNOPTIC SCALE LIFT AROUND THE 500MB LEVEL SHOULD LEAD TO WIDELY SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS WITH THE CORE OF THE SNOW ACTIVITY OCCURRING THROUGH THE DAY. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO BE STRONG THROUGH THE DAY AND THEN BEGIN TO SLOW DOWN AROUND SUNSET AS THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT SLACKENS FROM THE EXITING SYSTEM. WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... WITH THE LOWER LEVEL SUPPORT FOR THE MAIN STORM LONG GONE... THE SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL MIRROR THE MOISTURE EMBEDDED IN THE DECAYING TROWAL IN THE MID TO UPPER LEVELS AND IS ANTICIPATED TO GET STRETCHED AND THINNED OUT ACROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY. A BRIEF RIDGE OF WARMER AIR WILL OVER TAKE THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND CLEAR THE REMAINING SNOW OUT FOR A SHORT WHILE AND MAY ALSO HELP TO SHALLOW OUT THE COLD SURFACE AIR OVER THE HIGH PLAINS BRIEFLY OVERNIGHT. BY THURSDAY ANOTHER TROUGH WILL STEP ON SHORE ALONG NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND START SENDING MID LEVEL MESOSCALE SHORTWAVES WHICH COULD ACTIVATE SMALL SNOW AND RAIN SHOWERS. GAH .LONG TERM...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY... THE EXTENDED FORECAST WILL BE A PATTERN OF SETTLED WEATHER FOR THE REGION...NO MAJOR STORMS EXPECTED JUST A PERIOD OF SLIGHT CHANCES FROM SYSTEMS MOVING THROUGH THE FLOW. THEREFORE KEPT THE EXTENDED GOING PRETTY MUCH THE SAME. THE TEMPERATURES WILL BE ON A VERY SLOW RISE THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD...HOWEVER MOST AREAS WILL REMAIN BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS. PROTON && .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS EARLY THIS MORNING ALONG WITH BRIEF PERIODS OF IFR IN HEAVIER SNOW/SLEET SHOWERS...EVEN HAD A RUMBLE OF THUNDER OVER GARFIELD COUNTY. EXPECT IFR CONDITIONS TO BECOME WIDESPREAD BY 12Z ACROSS ALL THE NORTHEAST MONTANA AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES NORTHEAST CLOSER TO THE REGION. LOOK FOR IFR VISIBILITIES AND CEILINGS TO CONTINUE INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS. PROTON && .HYDROLOGY... MELTING ACROSS THE AREA HAS SLOWED AS A COLDER AIRMASS IS MOVING IN. A WINTER STORM IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE REGION TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY WHICH WILL BRING EVEN COLDER WEATHER BUT ALSO THE ADDITION OF RAIN OR SIGNIFICANT SNOW TO THE REMAINING SNOW PACK. THE COLDER WEATHER IS ALSO EXPECTED TO LINGER THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK...WHICH WILL GREATLY SLOW THE SNOW MELT...MAINLY NORTH OF THE MISSOURI RIVER. MINOR FLOODING CONTINUES ACROSS THE REGION SOUTH OF THE MILK AND LOWER MISSOURI RIVERS...AS SNOW MELT FEEDS INTO STREAMS AND CREEKS. THE MOST EXTENSIVE FLOODING CONTINUES ALONG PEOPLES CREEK ON THE FORT BELKNAP INDIAN RESERVATION...WATER WAS ALSO STILL REPORTED OVER ROADS IN SOUTHERN PHILLIPS AND GARFIELD COUNTIES...DUE TO HIGH WATER LEVELS ON STREAMS AND ICE RESTRICTING FLOW THROUGH CULVERTS. THE BEAVER CREEK IS EASTERN PHILLIPS COUNTY CONTINUES RISE RAPIDLY AND LOW LAND FLOODING IS LIKELY BETWEEN SACO AND HARB ROAD BY LATE TONIGHT OR TUESDAY. MOST OF THE ICE JAMS HAVE DISSIPATED ON THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER. THE ONLY EXCEPTION IS ONE NEAR THE RICHLAND PARK NORTH OF SIDNEY. THE WATER IS FLOWING AROUND THE JAM AND LEVELS IN THE SIDNEY AREA ARE SLOWLY FALLING. THE MILK RIVER AT DODSON HAS FALLEN FROM NEAR 23 FEET LATE LAST WEEK TO 21 FEET. ANTELOPE CREEK REMAINS FROZEN BUT BRAZIL AND WILLOW CREEKS ARE RUNNING. HOWEVER...LEVELS HAVE DROPPED AND FLOODING HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED IN THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS. && .GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 6 AM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PHILLIPS...CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY...DANIELS... SHERIDAN...WESTERN ROOSEVELT...NORTHERN PHILLIPS...SOUTHWEST PHILLIPS...NORTHERN VALLEY...EASTERN ROOSEVELT. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 AM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR DAWSON...PRAIRIE...WIBAUX. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM MDT WEDNESDAY FOR PETROLEUM... GARFIELD...MCCONE...RICHLAND. && WEATHER.GOV/GLASGOW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT 315 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 2011 MTZ016>020-059>062-231200- CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PHILLIPS-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY- DANIELS-SHERIDAN-WESTERN ROOSEVELT-NORTHERN PHILLIPS- SOUTHWEST PHILLIPS-NORTHERN VALLEY-EASTERN ROOSEVELT- 315 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A BLIZZARD WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 6AM WEDNESDAY MORNING. WINDS OF UP TO 30 MPH AND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL COMBINE WITH 4 TO 7 INCHES OF SNOWFALL TO CREATE WHITE OUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES. FLOODING WILL ALSO CONTINUE ON PEOPLES CREEK AND THE MILK RIVER NEAR DODSON IN WESTERN PHILLIPS COUNTY AND SMALL STREAMS ACROSS SOUTHERN PHILLIPS COUNTY. THE MILK RIVER WILL GRADUAL RISE THROUGH THE WEEK...BUT IS NOT EXPECTED TO REACH FLOOD STAGE AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ021>024-231200- PETROLEUM-GARFIELD-MCCONE-RICHLAND- 315 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR 2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW. BLOWING SNOW... FREEZING RAIN... SLEET... MAY ALSO OCCUR WITH A TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE POSSIBLE. ICE JAMS WILL ALSO CONTINUE ON THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER...MAINLY NEAR SIDNEY. THE MILK RIVER WILL GRADUAL RISE THROUGH THE WEEK...BUT IS NOT EXPECTED TO REACH FLOOD STAGE AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ025>027-231200- DAWSON-PRAIRIE-WIBAUX- 315 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY THROUGH 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR 2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW. BLOWING SNOW... FREEZING RAIN... SLEET... MAY ALSO OCCUR WITH LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED. .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
650 AM MDT TUE MAR 22 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0620 AM FREEZING RAIN 30 N NASHUA 48.57N 106.36W
03/22/2011 E0.00 INCH VALLEY MT NWS EMPLOYEE
SOME SNOW MIXED WITH THE FREEZING RAIN.
&&
BBThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
13 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Beginning 0800 MST on March 22nd, Scobey Super ASOS reported sustained winds over 35 mph with gusts to 50 mph and blizzard conditions. On 0700 on March 23rd, 5 miles east of Flaxville, 4 inches of snow were measured but winds created Winter Storm conditions.
At 1052 MST March 22nd, 2 miles south-southeast of Larslan estimated 8 inches of new snowfall fell. Drifts were as high as 5 to 6 feet.
New snowfall generally ranged from 2 to 9 inches. The least amount fell 1 mile south of Savage with the greatest amount in Sidney.
Spotter reported 6 inches of snowfall.
Blizzard conditions ceased at about 2017 MST on March 22nd, but due to the wind, winter storm conditions continued into March 23rd.
Trained spotter observed 2.4 inches of new snowfall. Blizzard conditions stopped after 2017 MST March 22nd, but due to the wind, winter storm conditions continued across the zone into March 23rd.
At 0700 MST March 23rd, a Coop observer reported 3 inches of new snow. At 1059 MST, Weather Spotter at Medicine Lake reported 5 inches of new snow. This combined with 20 to 30 mph winds resulted in winter storm conditions.
A couple of reports of snowfall were received close to 6 inches. The greatest was at 13 miles southwest of Saco with 6 inches.
Generally 4 to 9 inches of snow fell across the area. The least was at 16 miles north-northeast of Frazer at 0700 MST, the greatest came from a Cooperative weather observer 4 miles southwest of Hinsdale with an estimated 9 inches.
Generally 4 to 8 inches of new snow fell across the area. The least fell 3 miles west-southwest of Weldon, the greatest fell 8 miles south-southwest of Nashua.
Generally 3 to 6 inches of new snow fell across the area. The most fell at 8 miles west-northwest of Nelson Creek Recreation Area, the least at Jordan.
Generally 5 to 6 inches of new snow fell across the area. Amounts ranged from 5.6 in Wibaux to 6 inches 5 miles southeast of Yates.
Snow amounts ranged from 5.3 inches to 6.5 inches. The least fell at 17 miles west-southwest of Glendive, with the greatest amount at 2 miles west-southwest of Glendive.
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: 287652, 287650, 287870, 287649, 287862, 287867, 287655, 287860, 287861, 287869, 287868, 287872, 287871.