A large, western-states storm system moved from the great basin northeastward over the Rocky Mountains, then northward along the Montana-Dakotas border and into Saskatchewan, bringing periods of moderate snow showers and gusty northwest winds.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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 large, western-states storm system moved from the great basin northeastward over the Rocky Mountains, then northward along the Montana-Dakotas border and into Saskatchewan, bringing periods of moderate snow showers and gusty northwest winds.
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, 8:43 AM MST, 4 hours 17 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT 943 AM MDT FRI APR 6 2012 .SHORT TERM...FOR NORTHEAST MONTANA...TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY... UPDATE... INCREASED POPS ACROSS THE EASTERN COUNTIES FOR THIS AFTERNOON. QPF WAS ADJUSTED AS WELL TO REFLECT MODEL TRENDS AND LOCAL OBSERVATIONS. OVERALL THE REST OF THE FORECAST REMAINS IN GOOD SHAPE. AES PREVIOUS DISCUSSION... MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL BRING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS TO PARTS OF THE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT. BLIZZARD WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE 4 WESTERN COUNTIES (PHILLIPS... PETROLEUM... VALLEY... GARFIELD FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT). DANIELS AND SHERIDAN COUNTIES REMAIN IN A BLIZZARD WATCH FOR TONIGHT AND ROOSEVELT COUNTY WILL BE ADDED TO THE BLIZZARD WATCH FOR TONIGHT. MODELS GENERALLY AGREE ON THE TRACK OF THE STORM SYSTEM WITH THE SURFACE LOW CURRENTLY IN WYOMING MOVING MOVING NORTH ALONG THE COLD FRONT NEAR MONTANA/DAKOTA BORDER THIS AFTERNOON. THE MODELS HAVE SPED THE SYSTEM UP SO THAT THE MAIN BAND OF SNOW AND TROWAL EXITS NORTHEAST MONTANA LATE TONIGHT. HAVE SHORTENED THE DURATION AND THE BLIZZARD WARNING AND WATCH TO REFLECT THIS FORECAST TREND. STRONG SHORTWAVE CURRENTLY ROUNDING THE BASE OF A DEEP UPPER TROUGH OVER THE PACIFIC NW WILL MOVE NORTH WITH THE UPPER TROUGH ACROSS EASTERN MONTANA THIS AFTERNOON. THE COMBINATION OF PACIFIC MOISTURE FROM THE UPPER TROUGH AND LOW LEVEL GULF OF MEXICO WILL BRING WIDESPREAD RAIN AND SNOW TO NORTHEAST MONTANA TODAY AND TONIGHT. TEMPERATURES ARE ALREADY COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW OVER NORTHERN VALLEY... NORTHWEST GARFIELD AND MOST OF PHILLIPS AND PETROLEUM COUNTIES. THE RAIN/SNOW LINE WILL MOVE AS FAR EAST AS THE PEERLESS... GLASGOW AND JORDAN AREAS THIS MORNING AND MOVE EAST TO THE NORTH DAKOTA BORDER THIS EVENING. STRONG NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CREATE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS IN THE SNOW AREA TODAY. SNOW TOTALS WILL BE ELEVATION BASED WITH HIGHER ELEVATIONS SEEING MORE SNOW THAN LOWER ELEVATIONS. ALSO WARM GROUND WILL MELT SOME OF THE SNOW AS IT FALLS. TO THE EAST...UNSTABLE AIR WILL ALLOW FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS TO BE EMBEDDED IN THE RAIN SHOWERS. THE UPPER TROUGH BECOMES A CLOSED LOW AS IT MOVES INTO SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN TONIGHT AND BECOMES STACKED WITH THE SURFACE LOW. WRAP AROUND SNOW WILL AFFECT MOST OF THE AREA. DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH SNOW FALLS...THE NORTHEAST ZONES COULD SEE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WITH BLIZZARD CONDITIONS LINGERING OVER THE WESTERN ZONES FOR AT LEAST PART OF THE EVENING. THE SOUTHEAST ZONES COULD HAVE SOME LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND MAY NEED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WITH THE STRONG WINDS. WILL LET DAYSHIFT EVALUATE THE NEED FOR FURTHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR TONIGHT. THE STACKED LOW LIFTS FAR ENOUGH NORTH OVERNIGHT THAT THE MAIN BAND OF SNOW WILL EXIT THE FORECAST AREA. WITH WET SNOW EXPECTED WITH TEMPERATURES NEAR 30...NOT EXPECTING WIDESPREAD BLOWING SNOW TO LINGER BEYOND TONIGHT ALTHOUGH THE STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL LINGER INTO SATURDAY. HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES INTO THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT WITH DIMINISHING WINDS. COOL...DRY NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY AS UPPER RIDGE BUILDS TO THE WEST AND UPPER LOW REMAINS TO THE EAST. FORRESTER .LONG TERM...SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY... LONG TERM FORECAST PERIOD BEGINS AS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS REGION FIND THEMSELVES SANDWICHED INTO A SHORT WAVE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BETWEEN TWO LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS. THE OVERALL PATTERN IS VERY SLOW TO EVOLVE AND OR PROGRESS. IT LOOKS TO REMAIN QUITE STAGNANT FOR MOST OF THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD...AT LEAST SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. KEPT POPS NEXT TO NOTHING FOR THIS TIME PERIOD. ALL EXTENDED MODEL SOLUTIONS ALSO AGREE IN KEEPING THE REGION DRY. TEMPERATURES WILL ALSO EASILY MODERATE WARMER THROUGH THIS TIME PERIOD...THE EFFECTS OF WHICH MAY BE SLIGHTLY MUTED GIVEN THE EXPECTED AMOUNT OF SNOWFALL THROUGH THE SHORT TERM FORECAST PERIOD. THURSDAY...THE WEATHER PATTERN BECOMES MORE PROGRESSIVE AS AN ADVANCE WESTERN TROUGH MOVES ONSHORE THE WEST COAST. THIS SMALL PIECE OF ENERGY MOVES WAY TOO FAR SOUTH OF US TO BE OF ANY IMPACT TO NORTHEAST MONTANA...BUT IT ALLOWS A MUCH BROADER UPPER LEVEL TROUGH TO TAKE OVER THE WESTERN STATES THROUGH THE END OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD. EXTENDED MODELS DIFFER SOMEWHAT IN THE DETAILS...BUT OVERALL THERE SEEMS TO BE FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT REGARDING THE GENERAL WEATHER PATTERN. ENOUGH TO MENTION CHANCE POPS. BMICKELSON && .AVIATION... WIDESPREAD RAIN TURNING TO SNOW WILL RESULT IN BLIZZARD CONDITIONS IN OUR W HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT. WIDESPREAD VISIBILITIES BELOW 1 MILE ARE EXPECTED WITH CEILINGS BELOW 1K FT AGL. WIDESPREAD 1-3 MILE VISIBILITIES IN SNOW AND CEILINGS BELOW 1K FT AGL WILL SPREAD INTO THE E HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT...PRECEDED BY ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL CONTINUE...OR INCREASE TO N WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SIMONSEN && .GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL 6 AM MDT SATURDAY FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PHILLIPS...CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY...PETROLEUM... GARFIELD...NORTHERN PHILLIPS...SOUTHWEST PHILLIPS...NORTHERN VALLEY. BLIZZARD WATCH FROM 6 PM MDT THIS EVENING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR DANIELS...SHERIDAN...WESTERN ROOSEVELT...EASTERN ROOSEVELT. && WEATHER.GOV/GLASGOW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GLASGOW MT 509 AM MDT FRI APR 6 2012 MTZ023>027-071000- MCCONE-RICHLAND-DAWSON-PRAIRIE-WIBAUX- 509 AM MDT FRI APR 6 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING RAIN TO THE AREA ON TODAY WITH A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. COLDER AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA THIS EVENING AND CHANGE THE RAIN TO SNOW. THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SOME SNOW ACCUMULATION TONIGHT WITH STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS. AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IS POSSIBLE THAT COULD MAKE TRAVEL HAZARDOUS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER UPDATES ON THIS UPCOMING STORM. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ016-017-021-022-059>061-071000- CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST PHILLIPS-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY- PETROLEUM-GARFIELD-NORTHERN PHILLIPS-SOUTHWEST PHILLIPS- NORTHERN VALLEY- 509 AM MDT FRI APR 6 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A BLIZZARD WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM SATURDAY MORNING. A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING HEAVY SNOW WITH STRONG NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS THROUGH LATE TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MTZ018>020-062-071000- DANIELS-SHERIDAN-WESTERN ROOSEVELT-EASTERN ROOSEVELT- 509 AM MDT FRI APR 6 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING RAIN TO THE AREA ON TODAY WITH A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. COLDER AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA THIS EVENING AND CHANGE THE RAIN TO SNOW. THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS TONIGHT WITH SNOW AND STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS. BLIZZARD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .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 blizzard, 1 heavy snow, 1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Co-operative observer in Zortman estimated 6 inches of new snowfall. Snow had been falling most of the day with some melting, which caused hazardous driving conditions.
Visibility as low as 1/4 mile at times with snow drifting reported across the highway at Tiegan. Blizzard conditions occurred near the border of Petroleum and Fergus Counties as reported by Fergus County dispatch office.
Visibility reduced to as low as 100 yards with blowing snow in and near Malta with driving difficulties reported by the Phillips County Sherrif along US highway 191 south of Malta and along US highway 2 east of Malta.
Visibility reduced to as low as 100 yards with blowing snow with driving difficulties reported by the Phillips County Sherrif along US highway 191 north of Malta.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, April 2012
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: 376246, 376248, 376247, 376448.