Winter Storm in Montana, December 28 to 31, 2017

Name: Winter Storm in Montana, December 28 to 31, 2017
Start: 2017-12-28T10:30
End: 2017-12-31T10:00
Location: Montana

December 28 to 31, 2017 · NWS GGW · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A strong low pressure system moved into the region from the Pacific Northwest, bringing some significant snowfall to portions of northeast Montana on the 28th and 29th. Strong cold air advection from a surface high pressure system pushing across from the Northwest Territories and Alberta brought very cold temperatures and winds gusty enough to create extreme wind chills late on the 29th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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: 4

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.

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 Glasgow, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 28, 9:51 AM MST, 39 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 28, 9:51 AM MST, 39 minutes before

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In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 28, 9:54 AM MST, 36 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Petroleum

When: December 28, 10:30 AM MST to December 31, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Petroleum forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 47.118, -108.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Even though snowfall began earlier, the main impacts from this storm were due to poor road conditions in the area. According to the MDT road conditions website, blowing and drifting snow was first reported at 10:30 AM on the 28th, and road conditions continued to be poor until around 10:00 AM on the 31st.

Although snowfall amounts of 9 to 12 inches were reported, this was spread out over the course of three days.

Winter Storm, Garfield

When: December 28, 3:00 PM MST to December 30, 3:30 PM MST
Where: Garfield forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 47.278, -106.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

We received a 24 hour snowfall report from COOP observer 3N Brusett of 9.0 inches at 5:00 PM on the 29th. Snow was determined to be falling until 3:30 PM on the 30th, with the time the snow ended estimated based on radar observations.

Winter Storm, Central and Se Phillips

When: December 29, 6:00 AM MST to December 31, 7:00 AM MST
Where: Central and Se Phillips forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 48.259, -107.913 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Although snowfall amounts of generally less than 6 inches were reported, road conditions became very poor due to blowing and drifting snow on the morning of the 29th, and remained poor into the morning of the 31st. Road conditions were determined based on the MDT road conditions website.

Winter Storm, Little Rocky Mountains

When: December 30, 6:00 AM MST to December 31, 7:00 AM MST
Where: Little Rocky Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 48.259, -107.913 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snowfall reports for this storm were lacking, but enough snow fell to make roads treacherous. There were reports of snow covered roads as well as significant blowing and drifting snow throughout the area, as reported by the MDT road conditions website.

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Montana in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, December 2017

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: 728365, 728396, 728397, 728393.