A Pacific storm system brought high winds to portions of Southwest and North Central Montana. Sustained winds of 40 mph and gusts to 59 mph were reported.
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 TFX wrote it up.
A Pacific storm system brought high winds to portions of Southwest and North Central Montana. Sustained winds of 40 mph and gusts to 59 mph were reported.
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 Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 24, 10:39 PM MST, 3 hours 48 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 1039 PM MST FRI FEB 24 2012 UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION .UPDATE... QUIET WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS MOST OF CENTRAL...NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MT THIS EVE. ONLY ITEM OF NOTE IS A WEAK DISTURBANCE CURRENTLY MOVING THROUGH HILL/ERN CHOUTEAU/NRN FERGUS COUNTIES THAT IS PRODUCING SCATTERED VERY LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS. SNOW WILL MOVE THROUGH BLAINE COUNTY IN NEXT HOUR OR TWO BUT NO SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED WHERE THE SNOW OCCURS. FORECAST STILL ON TRACK FOR MOIST WINTER WEATHER SYSTEM...PRESENTLY IN ERN WASHINGTON...TO ARRIVE TOMORROW MORNING WITH SNOW DEVELOPING FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE REGION. FORECAST FOR STRONG WINDS ALONG THE ROCKY MTN FRONT AND OVER HIGHER TERRAIN IN MADISON/GALLATIN COUNTY LOOKS GOOD AS WELL. THUS CURRENT WINTER WEATHER AND HIGH WIND HEADLINES REMAIN IN EFFECT WITH NO CHANGES. WARANAUSKAS && .DISCUSSION... FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE ALOFT WILL QUICKLY TRANSITION EASTWARD FRIDAY NIGHT AS A WINTER WEATHER SYSTEM EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE AREA SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL BE PRESENT ESPECIALLY ALONG THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. THE STRONGEST WINDS WILL LIKELY BE OVER THE SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT...HOWEVER FAVORED LOCATIONS LIKE NORRIS HILL IN MADISON COUNTY ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO SEE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. SNOW WILL BEGIN TO FALL SATURDAY...WITH MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION MELTING ON IMPACT WITH THE GROUND SURFACE AT THE LOWER ELEVATIONS THROUGH THE DAYLIGHT HOURS. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE DOWN FROM CANADA BY SATURDAY EVENING ALLOWING FOR SIGNIFICANTLY A SIGNIFICANTLY COLDER AIR MASS TO MOVE INTO THE AREA WITH THE POTENTIAL OF PREVIOUSLY WET SURFACES FREEZING AND CREATING SLIPPERY CONDITIONS UNDER FALLING SNOW. SNOW AMOUNTS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE RELATIVELY LIGHT ACROSS THE PLAINS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL MONTANA. THE ONE EXCEPTION IN SOME MODEL SOLUTIONS IS OVER HILL AND BLAINE COUNTY WHERE SNOW AMOUNTS COULD BE ENHANCED BY WRAP AROUND MOISTURE CENTERED OVER EASTERN MONTANA. THE VALLEYS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA WILL ALSO BE RELATIVELY DRY...WITH THE ONE EXCEPTION BEING IN SOUTH BEAVERHEAD MADISON AND GALLATIN COUNTIES WHERE A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS STILL IN EFFECT. THE WINTER STORM WATCH FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 5000 FEET IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO A WINTER STORM WARNING. BOTH THESE AREAS OF WINTER HIGHLIGHTS COINCIDE WITH THE STRONGEST WINDS FOR THE HIGH WIND WARNING. THIS MEANS TRAVEL COULD BE PARTICULARLY HAZARDOUS DUE TO LOW VISIBILITIES SLIPPERY CONDITIONS AND STRONG DAMAGING WINDS. SUK SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...EXPECT A FAIRLY QUIET WEEK OF WEATHER OVER THE REGION FOR MUCH OF NEXT WEEK WITH NO MAJOR STORMS EXPECTED FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK. PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE GENERALLY COMING TO AN END OVER MUCH OF THE AREA ON SUNDAY EVENING...AS THE STORM SYSTEM FROM SATURDAY/SUNDAY MORNING EXITS THE REGION. WITH SOME CLEARING EXPECTED BY EARLY MONDAY MORNING...OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE ON THE COLD SIDE...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS THAT HAVE A FRESH SNOW COVER. THERE WILL BE WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES MOVING THROUGH THE REGION ALOFT FROM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...BUT EACH DISTURBANCE IS RATHER WEAK AND FAST MOVING...AND THE END RESULT WILL BE JUST MINOR SNOWFALLS...AND MOST OF THE ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL CONFINED TO THE MOUNTAINS. AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES WILL STILL BE WELL BELOW NORMAL FOR MONDAY...BUT THEN GRADUALLY WARM BACK UP TO NEAR NORMAL READINGS BY THE END OF THE WEEK. BRUSDA && .AVIATION... UPDATED 0600Z. LOW PRESSURE CURRENTLY MOVING INTO SW BC WILL TRACK INLAND TONIGHT...EMERGING EAST OF THE ROCKIES SATURDAY MORNING THEN CONTINUING EAST ALONG THE US/CANADIAN BORDER SATURDAY AFTERNOON. PRECIPITATION AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM WILL SPREAD INTO AREAS ALONG THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE OVERNIGHT WITH A PACIFIC COLD FRONT SWEEPING EAST ACROSS THE REGION SATURDAY MORNING. A BRIEF PERIOD OF SNOW IS LIKELY FOR MOST AREAS ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY ALONG WITH A SHIFT TO WEST WINDS WHICH WILL REMAIN VERY GUSTY THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. MOUNTAINOUS AREAS AND PORTIONS OF SW MT...INCLUDING THE BOZEMAN TERMINAL...WILL SEE A MORE PROLONGED SNOWFALL THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. AS THE LOW PRESSURE CENTER TRACKS EAST OF THE REGION LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON...EXPECT A CANADIAN FRONT TO PUSH SOUTH ACROSS THE BORDER...SHIFTING WINDS TO N/NW AND BRINGING LIGHT SNOW TO NORTH CENTRAL MT TERMINALS SATURDAY NIGHT. HOENISCH && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 41 30 41 17 / 10 20 40 50 CTB 38 25 38 10 / 10 40 20 60 HLN 39 27 37 19 / 10 30 70 50 BZN 39 21 39 14 / 10 10 100 60 WEY 26 11 25 4 / 20 40 100 70 DLN 39 22 33 13 / 10 30 90 40 HVR 40 24 42 12 / 10 60 50 80 LWT 35 25 38 15 / 10 20 50 50 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 11 PM MST SATURDAY NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT...SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT. WINTER STORM WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 5 AM MST SUNDAY FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 5000 FEET FOR NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT...SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT. HIGH WIND WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 11 PM MST SATURDAY FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 5000 FEET FOR GALLATIN...MADISON. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 8 AM SATURDAY TO 5 AM MST SUNDAY BEAVERHEAD...GALLATIN...MADISON. && SHORT TERM...SUK LONG TERM...BRUSDA AVIATION...HOENISCH WEATHER.GOV/GREATFALLS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 502 AM MST FRI FEB 24 2012 MTZ009-048-251215- NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT- 502 AM MST FRI FEB 24 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 5000 FEET FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE SATURDAY NIGHT. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITH ISOLATED SNOW AMOUNTS UP TO 15 INCHES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE WINTER STORM WATCH CONTINUES THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MTZ008-015-055-251215- BEAVERHEAD-MADISON-GALLATIN- 502 AM MST FRI FEB 24 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW IS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM SATURDAY TO 5 AM MST SUNDAY. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES BELOW 6000 FEET ARE EXPECTED...5 TO 10 INCHES ABOVE 6000 FEET. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM SUNDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MTZ010>014-044>047-049>054-251215- EASTERN GLACIER-HILL-CASCADE-CHOUTEAU- CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-TOOLE-LIBERTY- EASTERN PONDERA-BLAINE-EASTERN TETON-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS- JEFFERSON-BROADWATER-MEAGHER- 502 AM MST FRI FEB 24 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1244 AM MST SAT FEB 25 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1130 PM HIGH SUST WINDS 4 NNE MCALLISTER 45.50N 111.70W
02/24/2012 E44 MPH MADISON MT DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
SUSTAINED WINDS GENERALLY OVER 40 MPH FROM 930 PM UNTIL
1130 PM THIS EVENING. PEAK WIND GUST 55 MPH.
&&
BRUSDAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1246 AM MST SAT FEB 25 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1200 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 NE LIMA 44.69N 112.54W
02/25/2012 M50 MPH BEAVERHEAD MT MESONET
50 MPH WIND GUST AT THE ANTELOPE RAWS LOCATION.
ELEVATION IS 6795 FEET.
&&
BRUSDAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1252 AM MST SAT FEB 25 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1115 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 NNE CAMERON 45.27N 111.65W
02/24/2012 M47 MPH MADISON MT MESONET
47 MPH WIND GUST AT THE ENNIS - BIG SKY NCAWOS STATION.
&&
BRUSDA2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Sustained wind speeds of 40 mph were reported for over an hour at McAllister 4NNE (the Norris Hill DOT site).
A wind gust to 59 mph was reported at Roy 2E (the Oscar RAWS site).
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, February 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: 364589, 364590.