Strong gradient winds developed over the Rocky Mountain Front and adjacent plains, remaining strong off and on for a few days. An upper level disturbance moved southward through the region Tuesday bringing snow to portions of Central Montana.
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.
Strong gradient winds developed over the Rocky Mountain Front and adjacent plains, remaining strong off and on for a few days. An upper level disturbance moved southward through the region Tuesday bringing snow to portions of Central Montana. Generally light snow fell with isolated higher amounts in the mountains.
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 8, 10:30 PM MST, 3 hours 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 1030 PM MST Sun Dec 8 2013 AVIATION SECTION UPDATED .UPDATE... Small changes to the precipitation probabilities before midnight in the update. Main part of the snow has moved out of the area, with some lingering over the Little Belts. Have generally trimmed back the PoPs through midnight. No changes to the Winter Weather Advisory, Wind Chill Advisory. nor the ice jam flooding near Gallatin Gateway. db && .AVIATION... UPDATED 0530Z. VFR conditions are expected at all airfields during the overnight hours. Surface winds begin to steadily increase from US/Can border down to KGTF/KLWT by early Mon morning as pressure gradient tightens ahead of next weather system dropping south from Alberta. With gusts of 30-35 kts expected and plenty of fresh, dry snow around, blowing snow limiting vis to 3-5 miles is likely at all primary terminals except KBZN. Scattered areas of -SN will also develop by late tomorrow morning vcnty KCTB/KHVR and spread south during the afternoon. Gusty winds continue thru the afternoon as well, before gradually decreasing Mon evening. Waranauskas && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 450 PM MST Sun Dec 8 2013/ Tonight through Tuesday...Northwest flow aloft will continue over the area with a series of embedded weather disturbances. One weather disturbance will move out of the forecast area Sunday evening and expect light snow to diminish the rest of Sunday afternoon and evening. The strongest weather disturbance aloft will move into the area Tuesday. Lift aloft from the disturbance along with low level lift from a cold front will combine to produce snow over the east slopes and the mountains. Expect accumulations of an inch or two over the east slopes and up to six inches in the mountains. In advance of Tuesdays cold front expect gusty southwest winds and temperatures will continue to moderate. The winter weather advisory for central and north zones through Monday afternoon will continue but have added a mention of light snow with the blowing snow. Blank Tuesday Night through Saturday...Medium range models continue to agree that Montana will be underneath an unsettled northwest flow aloft by midweek. The unsettled flow and occasional shortwave energy remains favorable for slight chance to low chance pops across the forecast area but there still does not appear to be any likelihood for a large scale storm system. Also, shortwave ridging should move over the region on Thursday for generally dry conditions with temperatures near seasonable averages. However, unsettled flow returns for Friday and Saturday before another weak transient ridge improves conditions once again on Sunday. Overall, the entire medium range period will see breezy westerly winds with temperatures that are much milder than those seen over the last week. mpj && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF -6 19 7 20 / 20 30 20 70 CTB -7 15 4 16 / 10 20 30 50 HLN -6 18 9 23 / 20 30 20 50 BZN -13 13 4 21 / 30 50 30 60 WEY -22 6 -12 13 / 40 60 40 70 DLN -14 12 1 21 / 20 20 10 30 HVR -12 18 4 13 / 10 40 30 40 LWT -7 22 8 20 / 30 50 30 70 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 5 PM MST Monday Central and Southern Lewis and Clark. WIND CHILL ADVISORY until 10 AM MST Monday Beaverhead...Blaine... Broadwater...Cascade...Central and Southern Lewis and Clark... Chouteau...Eastern Glacier...Eastern Pondera...Eastern Teton... Fergus...Gallatin...Hill...Jefferson...Judith Basin...Liberty... Madison...Meagher...Northern Rocky Mountain Front...Southern Rocky Mountain Front...Toole. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 5 PM MST Monday Blaine...Cascade... Chouteau...Eastern Glacier...Eastern Pondera...Eastern Teton... Fergus...Hill...Judith Basin...Liberty...Northern Rocky Mountain Front...Southern Rocky Mountain Front...Toole. && weather.gov/greatfalls www.twitter.com/NWSGreatFalls www.facebook.com/US.NationalWeatherService.GreatFalls.gov
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 337 AM MST SUN DEC 8 2013 MTZ009>014-044>051-091200- NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-EASTERN GLACIER-HILL-CASCADE- CHOUTEAU-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-TOOLE-LIBERTY- EASTERN PONDERA-BLAINE-SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT- EASTERN TETON-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS- 337 AM MST SUN DEC 8 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR WIND CHILL AND BLOWING SNOW ARE IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR WIND CHILL ARE IN EFFECT THROUGH 10 AM MONDAY MORNING. WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR BLOWING SNOW ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MONDAY EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ANY SPOTTER REPORTS OF NEW SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OR REDUCED VISIBILITIES DUE TO FALLING OR BLOWING SNOW WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED. MTZ008-015-052>054-091200- BEAVERHEAD-MADISON-JEFFERSON-BROADWATER-MEAGHER- 337 AM MST SUN DEC 8 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR WIND CHILL ARE IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR WIND CHILL ARE IN EFFECT THROUGH 10 AM MONDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ANY SPOTTER REPORTS OF NEW SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OR REDUCED VISIBILITIES DUE TO FALLING OR BLOWING SNOW WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED. MTZ055-091200- GALLATIN- 337 AM MST SUN DEC 8 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR WIND CHILL ARE IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT. A FLOOD HIGHLIGHT FOR THE GALLATIN RIVER NEAR GALLATIN GATEWAY REMAINS IN EFFECT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS FOR WIND CHILL ARE IN EFFECT THROUGH 10 AM MONDAY MORNING. A FLOOD HIGHLIGHT FOR THE GALLATIN RIVER NEAR GALLATIN GATEWAY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ANY SPOTTER REPORTS OF FLOODING...NEW SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OR REDUCED VISIBILITIES DUE TO FALLING OR BLOWING SNOW WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED.
15 high wind, 3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
High winds measuring 52KT (61MPH) were reported at the Two Medicine DOT station.
High winds measuring 74KT (85MPH) were reported at the Deep Creek RAWS.
High sustained winds measuring 35KT (40MPH) were reported at the Cut Bank ASOS.
Heavy snow measuring 10.0 inches in 24 hours reported at the Rocky Boy SNOTEL; elevation 4700 ft.
High winds measuring 51KT (59MPH) were reported 24 mi SW of Choteau, MT.
High winds measuring 50KT (58MPH) were reported 10 mi S of Chinook, MT. Visibility less than 50 yards in blowing snow.
High winds measuring 57KT (66MPH) were reported 24 mi SW of Choteau, MT.
Heavy snow measuring 7.0 inches in 12 hours reported at the Pike Creek SNOTEL; elevation 5928 ft.
Heavy snow measuring 10.0 inches in 12 hours reported at the Deadman Creek SNOTEL; elevation 6480 ft.
High winds measuring 55KT (63MPH) were reported 21 mi SE of Cascade at the Millegan site.
High winds measuring 68KT (78MPH) were reported at the Deep Creek RAWS.
High winds measuring 50KT (58MPH) were reported at the Two Medicine DOT station.
High winds measuring 70KT (71MPH) were reported 8 mi SE of East Glacier Park at the Deep Creek RAWS.
High winds measuring 55KT (63MPH) were reported 6 mi NE of Whitlash, MT.
High sustained winds measuring 37KT (43MPH) were reported 10 mi SW of Choteau, MT. Peak gusts were 45KT (52MPH).
High winds measuring 63KT (72MPH) were reported 21 mi SE of Cascade at the Millegan site.
High winds measuring 57KT (66MPH) were reported 7 mi S of Power, MT.
High winds measuring 68KT (78MPH) were reported in Glacier Park at Logan Pass.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 2013
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: 490328, 490342, 490330, 490382, 490336, 490341, 490343, 490385, 490389, 490345, 490347, 490362, 490369, 490366, 490372, 490364, 490375, 490378.