Heavy Snow and High Wind in Montana, December 28 to 31, 2013

Name: Heavy Snow and High Wind in Montana, December 28 to 31, 2013
Start: 2013-12-28T00:36
End: 2013-12-31T23:59
Location: Montana

December 28 to 31, 2013 · NWS TFX · 17 events in 8 counties and zones

Active weather across the region as a strong Canadian cold front swept through Montana. The main impact of this system was a very quick drop in temperatures from the 30s and 40s into the single digits and teens.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 17

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TFX wrote it up.

Event by event

14 high wind, 3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Hill

When: December 28, 12:36 AM MST to 2:21 AM MST
Where: Hill forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) measured sustained
Reported by: Mesonet

High sustained winds measuring 35KT (40MPH) were reported 12 mi S of Rudyard, MT.

High Wind, Hill

When: December 28, 1:00 AM MST
Where: Hill forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Department of Highways

High winds measuring 52KT (60MPH) were reported 2 mi E of Inverness, MT.

High Wind, Hill

When: December 28, 1:00 AM MST to 3:30 AM MST
Where: Hill forecast zone
Measured: 35 kt (40 mph) measured sustained
Reported by: Mesonet

High sustained winds measuring 35KT (40MPH) were reported 23 mi N of Havre, MT.

High Wind, Cascade

When: December 28, 2:37 AM MST
Where: Cascade forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

High winds measuring 54KT (62MPH) were reported 21 mi SE of Cascade, MT at the Millegan sensor.

High Wind, Chouteau

When: December 28, 2:37 AM MST
Where: Chouteau forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Social Media

Estimated high winds of 50KT (58MPH) were reported to have caused damage to a home's siding in Fort Benton, MT. Report received via Billing, MT Facebook post.

High Wind, Southern Rocky Mountain Front

When: December 28, 3:07 AM MST
Where: Southern Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High winds measuring 57KT (66MPH) were reported 7 mi SSE of Brady, MT.

High Wind, Blaine

When: December 28, 3:18 AM MST
Where: Blaine forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS

High winds measuring 55KT (63MPH) were reported 13 mi S of Fort Belknap, MT at the Fort Belknap RAWS.

High Wind, Southern Rocky Mountain Front

When: December 28, 7:00 AM MST
Where: Southern Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High winds measuring 61KT (70MPH) were reported 2 mi S of Choteau, MT.

High Wind, North Rocky Mountain Front

When: December 29, 4:00 AM MST
Where: North Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

High winds measuring 52KT (60MPH) were reported 13 mi WSW of Saint Mary, MT at the Logan Pass visitors center.

High Wind, Southern Rocky Mountain Front

When: December 29, 7:52 AM MST to 10:07 AM MST
Where: Southern Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

High winds measuring 57KT (66MPH) were reported 24 mi WSW of Choteau, MT.

High Wind, Southern Rocky Mountain Front

When: December 29, 9:00 AM MST
Where: Southern Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

High winds measuring 53KT (61MPH) were reported 13 mi W of Bynum, MT at the Dellwo sensor.

High Wind, North Rocky Mountain Front

When: December 29, 10:00 AM MST to 11:00 AM MST
Where: North Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS

High winds measuring 70KT (81MPH) were reported 8 mi SE of East Glacier Park, MT at the Deep Creek RAWS.

High Wind, North Rocky Mountain Front

When: December 29, 11:00 AM MST
Where: North Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High winds measuring 63KT (72MPH) were reported in Babb, MT.

High Wind, Southern Rocky Mountain Front

When: December 29, 1:47 PM MST
Where: Southern Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Measured: 67 kt (77 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet

High winds measuring 67KT (77MPH) were reported 10 mi SSW of Choteau, MT.

Heavy Snow, Cascade

When: December 31, 5:00 AM MST to 11:59 PM MST
Where: Cascade forecast zone
Reported by: Public

Heavy snow measuring 8.0 inches in 24 hours reported at Showdown ski area near Neihart, MT.

Heavy Snow, Meagher

When: December 31, 5:00 AM MST to 11:59 PM MST
Where: Meagher forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy snow measuring 8.0 inches in 24 hours reported at Showdown ski area near Neihart, MT.

Heavy Snow, Judith Basin

When: December 31, 12:30 PM MST to 11:59 PM MST
Where: Judith Basin forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Heavy snow measuring 12.0 inches in 18 hours reported 5 mi SW of Windham, MT; elevation 4900 ft.

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Montana in 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, December 2013

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 490984, 490983, 490991, 490985, 490987, 490988, 490989, 490992, 490994, 490995, 490996, 490997, 490998, 491005, 491030, 491041, 491031.