Cold in Montana, December 5 to 6, 2013

Name: Cold in Montana, December 5 to 6, 2013
Start: 2013-12-05T00:00
End: 2013-12-06T12:00
Location: Montana

December 5 to 6, 2013 · NWS TFX · 14 events in 11 counties and zones

Low pressure over southern Saskatchewan kept North-Central and Southwest Montana under an increasingly cold northerly flow. Winds were generally light across the region, but 10 mph across most of North-Central Montana and portions of Southwest Montana, combined with temperatures in the teens below zero, caused widespread wind chill values of 25 below to 45 below zero during overnight hours.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 14

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.

What forecasters said that day

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 Dec 4, 9:59 PM MST, 2 hours 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 4, 9:59 PM MST, 2 hours 1 minute before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
959 PM MST Wed Dec 4 2013

.UPDATE...

Extended the Wind Chill Advisory for areas along the Hi-Line and
eastern portions of the forecast area. Wind chills of -20 to -35
are expected with wind speeds at or greater than 10 mph. Also
lowered cloud cover and min temps from Great Falls to Cut Bank and
Havre based on current observations. Winds have decreased over
southwest Montana and along the Rocky Mountain Front, thus have
expired the Wind Chill Advisory for these areas. Even though no
accumulating snow or measurable precipitation is expected tonight,
there may be a few flurries. The remainder of the forecast is on
track so made no further changes. MLV

&&

.AVIATION...
UPDATED 0459Z.
A broad upper level low pressure trof will remain across Montana and
cold air will bring very cold temperatures to the region. VFR
conditions will generally prevail through the next 24 hours.
However, very cold temperatures and low level moisture could cause
local freezing fog and restricted visibilities in low lying areas.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION...
/ISSUED 358 PM MST Wed Dec 4 2013/
Today through Friday...Moisture continues to move out of the
region today as the previous system exits the region. Breezy
northerly surface winds across North-Central Montana with single
digit temperatures are causing quite cold wind chills of 20 below
to 30 below zero at times. The Wind Chill Advisory for portions of
the area continue as a result. Winds should decrease over the
region overnight and wind chill will thus be less of a factor as
the night goes on. A secondary weak shortwave will come down out
of Canada Friday but any precipitation will likely be only over the
Southwest Montana Mountains. Expect very cold temperatures to
continue both during the day and at night with overnight lows
dropping below -20 degrees in many locations.

Friday Night through Wednesday...Cold temperatures will persist
into the early part of the coming weekend as a deep upper level
trough remains over the western USA. Latest medium range model
runs are in good agreement that a reinforcing shot of cold air
will push into Montana during the weekend so have kept the going
forecast for this period relatively unchanged. However, these
models are now coming into better agreement that the upper trough
will shift eastward Monday through Wednesday with westerly winds
developing across the region. This scenario suggests that
temperatures should begin to warm early next week. I have trended
a bit warmer than the previous forecast package but have not gone
as warm as guidance in case later model runs return to a colder
solution. mpj

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GTF -20   1 -19  -7 /   0  10  10  20
CTB -24  -3 -24  -8 /   0  10  10  20
HLN -13   4 -14  -3 /   0  10  10  20
BZN -16   4 -14   1 /  10  10  10  20
WEY -22   3 -15   9 /  10  10  20  40
DLN -12   7  -5   6 /   0  10  20  30
HVR -25  -5 -26  -8 /  10  10  10  10
LWT -18  -2 -22  -6 /  10  10  10  20

&&

.TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND CHILL ADVISORY until 11 AM MST Thursday Blaine...Chouteau...
Eastern Glacier...Eastern Pondera...Fergus...Hill...Judith
Basin...Liberty...Toole.

&&

weather.gov/greatfalls
www.twitter.com/NWSGreatFalls
www.facebook.com/US.NationalWeatherService.GreatFalls.gov

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 4, 11:59 PM MST, 1 minute before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1159 PM MST WED DEC 4 2013

MTZ010-011-013-044>047-050-051-051200-
EASTERN GLACIER-HILL-CHOUTEAU-TOOLE-LIBERTY-EASTERN PONDERA-
BLAINE-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS-
1159 PM MST WED DEC 4 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA
AND NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM MST THURSDAY.

BITTER COLD TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE AT LEAST THROUGH SATURDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

MTZ008-009-012-014-015-048-049-052>055-051200-
BEAVERHEAD-NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-CASCADE-
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-MADISON-
SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN TETON-JEFFERSON-BROADWATER-
MEAGHER-GALLATIN-
1159 PM MST WED DEC 4 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER THROUGH TONIGHT
IS LOW.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

BITTER COLD TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE AT LEAST THROUGH SATURDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 4, 8:01 PM MST, 3 hours 59 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
801 PM MST WED DEC 04 2013

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1100 PM     SNOW             CHINOOK                 48.59N 109.23W
12/03/2013  M9.0 INCH        BLAINE             MT   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL 9.0 INCHES...PAST 36 HOURS

&&

UTTECH

Event by event

14 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Hill

When: December 5, 12:00 AM MST to 11:00 AM MST
Where: Hill forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS

Wind chill values less than 40 below zero reported at the Havre, MT ASOS.

Cold/Wind Chill, Blaine

When: December 5, 12:00 AM MST to 11:00 AM MST
Where: Blaine forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill values less than 40 below zero reported at Fort Belknap, MT.

Cold/Wind Chill, Toole

When: December 6, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Toole forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill value of 45 below zero reported 6 mi NNW of Sunburst, MT.

Cold/Wind Chill, Judith Basin

When: December 6, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Judith Basin forecast zone
Reported by: RAWS

Wind chill value of 45 below zero reported 12 mi NNE of Checkerboard, MT at the South Fork Judith RAWS.

Cold/Wind Chill, Blaine

When: December 6, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Blaine forecast zone
Reported by: RAWS

Wind chill value of 42 below zero reported 13 mi S of Fort Belknap, MT at the Fort Belknap RAWS.

Cold/Wind Chill, Jefferson

When: December 6, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill value of 43 below zero reported 3 mi SE of Wickes, MT.

Cold/Wind Chill, Fergus

When: December 6, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Fergus forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill value of 45 below zero reported at Judith Peak, MT.

Cold/Wind Chill, Cascade

When: December 6, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Cascade forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill value of 44 below zero reported 7 mi S of Neihart, MT.

Cold/Wind Chill, Southern Rocky Mountain Front

When: December 6, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Southern Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways

Wind chill value of 41 below zero reported 2 mi NW of Pendroy, MT.

Cold/Wind Chill, Hill

When: December 6, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Hill forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS

Wind chill value of 48 below zero reported 4 mi W of Havre, MT at the KHVR ASOS.

Cold/Wind Chill, Cascade

When: December 6, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Cascade forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS

Wind chill value of 45 below zero reported at the Malmstrom AFB, MT ASOS.

Cold/Wind Chill, Eastern Glacier

When: December 6, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Eastern Glacier forecast zone
Reported by: ASOS

Wind chill value of 43 below zero reported 3 mi SW of Cut Bank, MT at the KCTB ASOS.

Cold/Wind Chill, Beaverhead

When: December 6, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Beaverhead forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill value of 41 below zero reported 6 mi ESE of Jackson, MT.

Cold/Wind Chill, Meagher

When: December 6, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Meagher forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Wind chill value of 44 below zero reported 6 mi S of Neihart, MT.

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill: Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 490271, 490272, 490291, 490293, 490295, 490296, 490298, 490299, 490301, 490302, 490303, 490304, 490305, 490308.