Strong westerly winds developed and persisted for a couple days over Central and North 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 westerly winds developed and persisted for a couple days over Central and North Central Montana.
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 Jan 7, 4:35 PM MST, 2 hours 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 435 PM MST Mon Jan 7 2013 ...UPDATE TO AVIATION... .DISCUSSION... This afternoon through Wednesday evening...Current satellite imagery shows shortwave trof and accompanying plume of Pacific moisture working its way thru ID Panhandle and western MT. Leading edge of moisture is east of the Divide but is just producing mostly mid-high level cloud cover. Only precipitation occurring right now is light snow over the northern Rocky Mtn Front, near Bozeman Pass, and over far southwest MT from Big Sky to Monida Pass. Forecast models continue to indicate moisture sufficient for scattered light snow making it into portions of central and southwest MT this eve, but have decreasing confidence that will happen given that latest water vapor imagery loop shows large piece of the moisture plume turning southward into srn ID/nrn NV. Will keep a slight chance for light snow mainly from Great Falls southward for now, but suspect today's evening update will be tapering off precip chances quite a bit. With snow continuing in the areas around Glacier NP and winds there already reaching high wind criteria (sustained at 40 mph or more) at Two Medicine, both the high wind warning and winter weather advisory for the northern/southern Rocky Mtn Front remains in effect. Snow has been a bit slow to develop over nrn Beaverhead County but will keep the winter weather advisory going there as well as the snow in western MT should spread eastward of the next few hours. Precipitation in all areas will gradually dissipate overnight as the shortwave trof moves into ern MT. High pressure ridging slowly building northward will bring a mix of clouds and sun and mostly dry conditions tomorrow, except along the Rocky Mtn Front where periods of snow will continue. The ridge amplifies further on Wed while an embedded trof moves thru the ridge along the US/Can border. Forecast models have been very consistent for several runs in showing that the strengthening gradient of these two features and a portion of the jet stream passing thru central MT will significantly increase low-level winds over much of region, so have issued a high wind watch for most of the Hiline, central counties and portions of southwest MT for Tues eve thru Wed eve. The combination of the strong downslope winds and warm air advection from the building ridge will work to push high temps into the mid 40s to low 50s (about 10-15 degrees above normal) mainly along/north of a line from Lewistown to western Cascade County...the last day of above normal temps before much colder air arrives for the latter half of the week. Waranauskas Wednesday Night through Monday Night...Wednesday night an upper trough will move into the Pacific Northwest. Moisture ahead of the trough will bring snow to the western mountains but models differ on how much farther east precipitation will spread. Thursday the upper trough will continue moving east. It looks like it could be a wet period especially for southwest and central Montana. The chances of precipitation have been increased and now have snow likely in the mountains with a 40 to 50 percent chance of measurable snow for lower elevations except in the north. If model trends continue the chances of snow will need to be further increased. As the upper trough continues moving slowly east have gradually decreased the chances of snow from the west Thursday night and Friday. It looks like the first part of the weekend could be a relatively dry period with northerly flow aloft and any weather disturbances should be weak. Later in the weekend into early next week the forecast area will be vulnerable to stronger weather disturbances embedded in a north to northwest flow aloft. Not surprisingly that far out models differ with the strength and timing of the weather disturbances. The chances of snow were increased but was not too aggressive with their raising due to model differences. As for temperatures still expect a cooling trend Thursday and Friday associated with the upper trough mentioned above. Expect a slight moderation with high temperatures over the weekend before the next round of weather disturbances usher in cooler temperatures early next week. Blank Update for the extended period...The main adjustment to this forecast period was to generally lower both high and low temperatures 3 to 5 degrees from Friday onward. This is especially true in the southwest MT valleys, where temperature inversions will likely prevent much of a warm up. Forecast models are coming into better agreement with the cold temperatures, but are holding off on bitterly cold temperatures for now. The potential is there for very cold temperatures, but it is very dependent upon snow cover and winds. Also, despite brief periods of downsloping winds, the cold air tends to linger across the plains, unless there is a more sustained period of winds. Coulston && .AVIATION... Updated 2335Z. A generally moist west to northwest flow aloft will continue over Montana through Tuesday afternoon. Mid level clouds currently over the region will lift and break up this evening but another batch of moisture will push east of the divide after 12Z. The western and southwestern mountains will continue to see widespread light snow and obscurations through much of the period. Gusty moderate to strong westerly winds will prevail across north central Montana and portions of southwest Montana tonight and Tuesday with winds becoming very strong along the Rocky Mountain Front after 21Z. mpj && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 35 42 36 51 / 20 10 10 10 CTB 31 40 32 49 / 20 10 20 20 HLN 28 38 26 41 / 30 10 10 20 BZN 21 34 22 38 / 30 10 10 20 WEY 12 24 16 29 / 50 30 40 30 DLN 20 36 22 37 / 30 10 10 20 HVR 27 40 25 49 / 50 10 10 10 LWT 28 36 27 47 / 50 10 10 10 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WATCH from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon Broadwater...Cascade...Central and Southern Lewis and Clark...Chouteau...Eastern Glacier...Eastern Pondera...Eastern Teton...Hill...Judith Basin...Liberty...Madison...Meagher... Toole. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 5 PM MST Wednesday Beaverhead. HIGH WIND WARNING until 5 PM MST Wednesday Northern Rocky Mountain Front...Southern Rocky Mountain Front. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 5 PM MST Wednesday FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 5000 FEET FOR Northern Rocky Mountain Front...Southern Rocky Mountain Front. && SHORT TERM...WARANAUSKAS LONG TERM...BLANK AVIATION...mpj weather.gov/greatfalls
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 506 AM MST MON JAN 7 2013 MTZ009-048-081200- NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT- 506 AM MST MON JAN 7 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT HIGH WIND AND WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS ARE IN EFFECT FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY HIGH WIND AND WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS ARE IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY FOR THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT. ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED FROM THURSDAY THROUGH NEXT MONDAY...AND WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS MAY BE NEEDED. EXPECT COLDER AIR TO ALSO RETURN TO THE REGION BEGINNING THURSDAY AND LASTING AT LEAST THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ANY SPOTTER REPORTS OF SNOWFALL...REDUCED VISIBILITIES...OR STRONG WINDS WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED. MTZ008-081200- BEAVERHEAD- 506 AM MST MON JAN 7 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS ARE IN EFFECT FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR NORTHERN BEAVERHEAD COUNTY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS ARE IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY FOR NORTHERN BEAVERHEAD COUNTY. ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED FROM THURSDAY THROUGH NEXT MONDAY...AND WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS MAY BE NEEDED. EXPECT COLDER AIR TO ALSO RETURN TO THE REGION BEGINNING THURSDAY AND LASTING AT LEAST THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ANY SPOTTER REPORTS OF SNOWFALL...REDUCED VISIBILITIES...OR STRONG WINDS WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED. MTZ010>015-044>047-049>055-081200- EASTERN GLACIER-HILL-CASCADE-CHOUTEAU- CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK-MADISON-TOOLE-LIBERTY- EASTERN PONDERA-BLAINE-EASTERN TETON-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS- JEFFERSON-BROADWATER-MEAGHER-GALLATIN- 506 AM MST MON JAN 7 2013 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 FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY PERIODS OF ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED FROM WEDNESDAY THROUGH NEXT MONDAY...AND WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS MAY BE NEEDED FOR PORTIONS OF THE REGION. ADDITIONALLY...EXPECT COLDER AIR TO ALSO RETURN TO THE REGION BEGINNING THURSDAY AND LASTING AT LEAST THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ANY SPOTTER REPORTS OF SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED.
18 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High winds measuring 64KT (74MPH) were reported 17 miles W of Pendroy, MT at the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch.
High winds measuring 56KT (65MPH) were reported 21 miles SE of Cascade, MT.
High winds measuring 69KT (79MPH) were reported 8 miles SE of E Glacier Park, MT at the Deep Creek RAWS.
High winds measuring 54KT (62MPH) were reported 7 miles SE of Hilger, MT at the Judith Peak RAWS.
High winds measuring 52KT (60MPH) were reported 3 miles WNW of Townsend, MT at the Ginger RAWS.
High winds measuring 57KT (66MPH) were reported at the E Glacier Park DOT sensor.
High sustained winds measuring 36KT (42MPH) were reported 4 miles NNE of McAllister, MT at the Norris Hill DOT sensor. Peak gust recorded at 50KT (58MPH).
High winds measuring 61KT (70MPH) were reported 8 miles SE of E Glacier Park at the Deep Creek RAWS.
High winds measuring 50KT (58MPH) were reported 8 miles WNW of Whitlash, MT.
High winds measuring 61KT (70MPH) were reported at the Heart Butte RAWS.
High winds measuring 55KT (63MPH) were reported 13 miles W of Bynum, MT at the Dellwo site.
High winds measuring 52KT (61MPH) were reported at Browning, MT.
High winds measuring 56KT (65MPH) were reported 4 miles SSE of Bynum, MT.
High winds measuring 62KT (71MPH) were reported at Pendroy, MT. High sustained winds of 41KT (47MPH) were also reported.
High winds measuring 52KT (60MPH) were reported at Three Forks, MT.
High winds measuring 59KT (68MPH) were reported 6 miles NNW of Sunburst at Sweetgrass, MT.
High winds measuring 61KT (70MPH) were reported at Cut Bank Airport.
High winds estimated at 52KT (60MPH) were reported by a trained spotter driving 5 miles WNW of Stanford, MT.
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, January 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 427596, 427598, 427597, 427599, 427600, 427582, 427586, 427584, 427585, 427587, 427588, 427589, 427590, 427591, 427592, 427594, 427593, 427595.