Behind a strong cold front that brought a few inches of snow to the region, northwesterly flow and light winds brought cold temperatures and extreme wind chills to much of northeast Montana from December 30th and into the new year. Wind chill values dropped to less than 50 below zero in a few locations.
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.
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 GGW wrote it up.
Behind a strong cold front that brought a few inches of snow to the region, northwesterly flow and light winds brought cold temperatures and extreme wind chills to much of northeast Montana from December 30th and into the new year. Wind chill values dropped to less than 50 below zero in a few locations.
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 29, 2:29 PM MST, 15 hours 24 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 extreme cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.
The Glasgow airport ASOS measured wind chills of 40 below to 55 below zero throughout the period, with a break of calm winds the evening of the 30th and into the 31st. The event continued into January 1st.
Even though winds were nearly calm, observations near the Canadian border showed consistent temperatures between 40 below and 50 below zero for this period.
Even though winds were near calm, observations at the Bluff Creek RAWS site showed temperatures less than 40 below zero on the morning of the 31st.
The Malta AWOS measured wind chills ranging from 40 below to near 60 below during this time. Winds were generally around 10 miles per hour. The event continued into January 1st.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 2017
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: 728410, 728411, 728409, 728412.