Areas of strong winds and heavy snowfall combined to cause power outages and road closures across portions of 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.
Areas of strong winds and heavy snowfall combined to cause power outages and road closures across portions of 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 Mar 2, 4:50 PM MST, 40 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 450 PM MST Sat Mar 2 2013 AVIATION SECTION UPDATED .DISCUSSION... Tonight through Monday...High pressure will gradually degrade overnight as a low pressure system approaches from the west. Expect quiet weather for the rest of the night into Sunday morning. Temperatures tonight will be warmer than normal across North Central and Southwest Montana as breezy westerly winds persist. Moisture ahead of the approaching system will bring precipitation to the Continental Divide overnight before spreading over Central Montana through Sunday. The initial surge of moisture over Southwest Montana will mostly move east of the area by early Sunday evening. However, precipitation, which may briefly start as rain in some locations, will become widespread snow across North Central Montana later Sunday as a northerly up-slope flow develops. Snow levels will fall to the surface at all locations overnight Sunday. Winds in the 35 to 50 knot range associated with the front will keep surface winds quite breezy Sunday into Sunday night, especially over the Northern Rocky Mountain Front. As a result, high wind watch highlights have been issued. With recent warm temperatures expect snow to melt for a while before accumulating at lower elevations with the plains likely only seeing a 3-6 inches through the event. The mountains continue to look as if they will see more significant accumulations though. The most persistent snowfall will be along the Rocky Mountain Front above 5000 feet. Moisture in Central and Southwest Montana will bring lesser amounts of snow during the period. Temperatures across the area will generally fall through the day Monday as the system exits the area and snow decreases. Monday Night through Saturday...Medium range period will begin with the upper level low pressure trough moving east of Montana as a ridge builds into the northern Rockies. The ridge will bring a short period of mostly dry conditions for Tuesday before the next trough moves inland along the west coast on Wednesday. This next system is expected to be deeper and stronger than Sunday's system and model differences continue to lend low confidence to the forecast for Wednesday and beyond. It remains possible that much of the energy and moisture associated with this system could end up moving well south of the state. However, at this time, it appears that precipitation chances will increase over western Montana on Wednesday and central Montana Wednesday night. A surface cold front will likely push south out of Canada Wednesday night as well, with a seasonably cool airmass and good chance of precipitation settling over the state on Thursday. For Thursday night through Saturday models show that the upper trough finally splits with the main bulk of energy lingering over the desert southwest while the northern branch moves east of Montana and a west-northwest flow aloft sets up over the state. For now will keep isolated to scattered pops over the mountains for this period while the plains remain mostly dry. Temperatures will once again warm to near or above seasonable averages by Saturday. mpj && .AVIATION... Updated 2350Z. Gusty winds reaching around 30 kts will continue from KGTF to KCTB and along the Rocky Mtn Front into early this eve before tapering back to 10-15 kts. Current widespread BKN-OVC sky conditions with ceilings generally FL100-150 will persist over next few hours then gradually lower tonight as additional moisture associated with approaching Pacific weather system moves east of the Continental Divide. Scattered -RASN showers are possible during the overnight hours with intermittent periods of MVFR ceilings possible. Sharp surface cold front is forecast to move thru central and southwest MT Sun morning thru early aftn, bringing another round of -SN and some areas of IFR conditions Sun aftn. Winds behind the front will switch to NNW and become gusty again, with broad area of 30-40 kts peak gusts expected along/north of a KHLN-to-KLWT line to the US/Can border. Waranauskas && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 37 40 23 28 / 10 50 80 40 CTB 35 37 19 26 / 10 60 90 30 HLN 36 38 24 30 / 60 80 70 30 BZN 32 38 19 26 / 40 80 60 30 WEY 23 35 10 27 / 50 80 40 20 DLN 31 38 17 28 / 40 80 50 20 HVR 39 43 23 26 / 10 70 90 50 LWT 35 39 18 23 / 30 80 90 60 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING from 6 PM this evening to Noon MST Monday FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 5000 FEET FOR Northern Rocky Mountain Front...Southern Rocky Mountain Front. HIGH WIND WATCH from 2 AM MST Sunday through Sunday evening Northern Rocky Mountain Front...Southern Rocky Mountain Front. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY from Midnight tonight to Noon MST Monday FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 5000 FEET FOR Broadwater...Cascade... Central and Southern Lewis and Clark...Chouteau...Fergus... Jefferson...Judith Basin...Meagher. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY from 6 PM this evening to Noon MST Monday FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 6000 FEET FOR Beaverhead... Gallatin...Madison. && weather.gov/greatfalls
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT 255 PM MST SAT MAR 2 2013 MTZ009-048-032200- NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT-SOUTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT- 255 PM MST SAT MAR 2 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A HIGH WIND WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT SUNDAY. WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS ARE IN EFFECT BEGINNING TONIGHT FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT...AS WELL AS FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ANOTHER PASSING SYSTEM MAY BRING WINTER LIKE CONDITIONS TO THE AREA LATER WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY OF THE COMING WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MTZ008-012>015-050>055-032200- BEAVERHEAD-CASCADE-CHOUTEAU-CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN LEWIS AND CLARK- MADISON-JUDITH BASIN-FERGUS-JEFFERSON-BROADWATER-MEAGHER-GALLATIN- 255 PM MST SAT MAR 2 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MONTANA...NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS ARE IN EFFECT BEGINNING TONIGHT FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT...AS WELL AS FOR THE MOUNTAINS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ANOTHER PASSING SYSTEM MAY BRING WINTER LIKE CONDITIONS TO THE AREA LATER WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY OF THE COMING WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MTZ010-011-044>047-049-032200- EASTERN GLACIER-HILL-TOOLE-LIBERTY-EASTERN PONDERA-BLAINE- EASTERN TETON- 255 PM MST SAT MAR 2 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BRING SNOW AND GUSTY WINDS TO THE AREA SUNDAY INTO MONDAY BUT NO HIGHLIGHTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ANOTHER PASSING SYSTEM MAY BRING WINTER LIKE CONDITIONS TO THE AREA LATER WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY OF THE COMING WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
11 heavy snow, 11 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy snow measuring 8 inches in 24 hours was reported 11 miles SSW of East Glacier Park at the Pike Creek SNOTEL (Elevation 5928ft).
Heavy snow measuring 12 inches in 24 hours was reported 19 miles W of Babb at the Flattop Mountain SNOTEL (Elevation 6299ft).
High winds of 50KT (58MPH) were measured 3 miles SW of Cut Bank at the Cut Bank Airport ASOS.
High winds of 51KT (60MPH) were measured 8 miles SE of East Glacier Park at the Deep Creek RAWS.
High sustained winds of 35KT (40MPH) were measured 3 miles SW of Cut Bank at the Cut Bank Airport ASOS.
High winds of 60KT (69MPH) were measured 13 miles W of Bynum at Dellwo.
High winds of 53KT (61MPH) were measured 3 miles WNW of Townsend at the Ginger RAWS.
High winds of 54KT (62MPH) were measured 21 miles SE of Cascade at Millegan.
High winds of 51KT (59MPH) were measured at Kevin.
Heavy snow measuring 24 inches in 24 hours was reported at Rocky Boy with up to 36 inches in terrain above the reservation.
High winds of 55KT (63MPH) were measured 6 miles NNW of Sunburst at the Sweetgrass DoT site.
Heavy snow measuring 10 inches in 12 hours was reported 6 miles SSW of Belt.
Heavy snow measuring 9.5 inches in 24 hours was reported 1 miles SSE of Neihart (Elevation est 5600ft).
High winds of 57KT (66MPH) were measured 8 miles ENE of Choteau.
High winds of 52KT (60MPH) were measured at Cascade.
Heavy snow measuring 18 to 24 inches in 12 hours was reported 21 miles W of Neihart, MT.
Heavy snow measuring 8 inches in 12 hours was reported 8 miles W of Neihart at the Stringer Creek SNOTEL (Elevation 6550ft).
Heavy snow measuring 16 inches in 24 hours was reported 11 miles ESE of Highwood. Snow-to-Liquid equivalent of .33 inches.
High sustained winds of 35KT (40MPH) were measured 2 miles SSE of Geyser at the Geyser DoT sensor.
Heavy snow measuring 8 inches in 12 hours was reported 12 miles ENE of Garneill at the Crystal Lake SNOTEL (Elevation 6050ft).
Heavy snow estimated at 6 inches in 12 hours was reported along highway 87 from Raynesford to Spion Kop Hill.
Heavy snow measuring 8 inches in 12 hours was reported at the Whiskey Creek SNOTEL (Elevation 6800ft).
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, March 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: 440983, 440989, 440927, 440928, 440952, 440926, 440956, 440957, 440977, 440988, 440978, 440987, 440991, 440979, 440980, 440986, 440990, 440996, 440984, 440985, 440993, 440998.