Montana, 2013

Blizzard and Winter Storm in Montana, January 10 to 11, 2013

January 10 to 11, 2013 · NWS GGW · 13 events in 11 counties and zones

A potent Pacific storm system emerging from the northern Rockies combined with an arctic air mass from Canada to develop into a winter storm over northeast montana with Blizzard conditions developing for some locations.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 13 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
13

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 GGW wrote it up.

A potent Pacific storm system emerging from the northern Rockies combined with an arctic air mass from Canada to develop into a winter storm over northeast montana with Blizzard conditions developing for some locations.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 winter storm, 5 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Little Rocky Mountains

When
January 10, 4:00 AM MST to January 11, 6:00 PM MST
Where
Little Rocky Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.259, -107.913 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Public and cooperative observers reported 6 to 7 inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Central and Se Phillips

When
January 10, 7:00 AM MST to January 11, 7:00 PM MST
Where
Central and Se Phillips forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.259, -107.913 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow fall reports of 6 to 7 inches were common across the area with 7.5 inches reported by the cooperative observer in Malta.

Winter Storm, Northern Phillips

When
January 10, 7:00 AM MST to January 11, 7:00 PM MST
Where
Northern Phillips forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.259, -107.913 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Border agents at the Port of Morgan border station reported 9 inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Garfield

When
January 10, 6:00 PM MST to January 11, 11:00 PM MST
Where
Garfield forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
47.278, -106.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Public reported 8 inches of snow in Brusett.

Winter Storm, Petroleum

When
January 10, 6:00 PM MST to January 11, 5:00 PM MST
Where
Petroleum forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
47.118, -108.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Petroleum County sheriff reported 6 inches of snow in Winnett.

Winter Storm, Central and Southern Valley

When
January 10, 7:00 PM MST to January 11, 7:00 PM MST
Where
Central and Southern Valley forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.365, -106.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several snowfall reports across the area including the NWS office in Glasgow ranged from 6 to 8 inches with 8.5 inches being reported at Hinsdale.

Winter Storm, Daniels

When
January 10, 10:00 PM MST to January 11, 7:00 PM MST
Where
Daniels forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.784, -105.549 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cooperative observer located 3.8 miles NW of Scobey reported 8 inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Sheridan

When
January 11, 2:00 AM MST to 7:40 PM MST
Where
Sheridan forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.721, -104.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow reports of at least 7 inches were common with a maximum of 9.5 inches reported at the Port of Raymond border station.

Blizzard, Daniels

When
January 11, 8:43 AM MST to 7:00 PM MST
Where
Daniels forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
48.784, -105.549 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trained spotter reported white-out conditions and visibility as low as 100 yards between Peerless and Scobey in blowing snow.

Blizzard, Sheridan

When
January 11, 10:06 AM MST to 7:40 PM MST
Where
Sheridan forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
48.721, -104.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Reports of blizzard conditions were common across the county. Trained spotter in Reserve reported the worst blizzard conditions they've ever seen with visibility as low as 50 yards.

Blizzard, Northern Valley

When
January 11, 11:35 AM MST to 7:00 PM MST
Where
Northern Valley forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
48.365, -106.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cooperative observer in Baylor reported near white-out conditions with visibility around 100 yards.

Blizzard, Eastern Roosevelt

When
January 11, 12:01 PM MST to 9:24 PM MST
Where
Eastern Roosevelt forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
48.295, -105.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trained spotter reported blizzard conditions with visibility as low as 100 yards and snow drifts up to 5 feet high. Travel along US Highway 2 restricted to emergency traffic only.

Blizzard, Western Roosevelt

When
January 11, 1:28 PM MST to 4:58 PM MST
Where
Western Roosevelt forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
48.295, -105.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trained spotter in Poplar reported blizzard conditions with visibility around 500 feet, and worse conditions outside of town. Travel along US Highway 2 restricted to emergency traffic only.

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Blizzard
Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Montana in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, January 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: 430302, 430042, 430295, 430288, 430301, 430043, 430287, 430304, 431887, 431905, 431894, 431919, 431913.