Heavy Rain in Montana, March 17 to 19, 2017

Name: Heavy Rain in Montana, March 17 to 19, 2017
Start: 2017-03-17T10:00
End: 2017-03-19T08:00
Location: Montana

March 17 to 19, 2017 · NWS MSO · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

An atmospheric river brought moderate rainfall to northwest Montana which was already soaked from previous rains. This contributed to mudslides and homes being flooded.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $25,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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 MSO wrote it up.

An atmospheric river brought moderate rainfall to northwest Montana which was already soaked from previous rains. This contributed to mudslides and homes being flooded.

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 Missoula, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 16, 1:44 PM MST, 20 hours 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 16, 1:44 PM MST, 20 hours 16 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

2 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Lincoln

When: March 17, 10:00 AM MST to March 19, 8:00 AM MST
Where: Lincoln County, 2.3 mi S of Libby to 0.4 mi ESE of Troy Usfs Arpt
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 48.347, -115.535

At least four trailer homes in Troy were directly impacted by water that had flowed over US-2 from an unauthorized channel that had overflowed. In Libby, a home cellar was flooded, the Libby Elementary School saw minor issues and Education Way was closed due to flooding caused by a clogged drainage. Silver Butte Creek south of Libby filled with debris causing it to re-route and surround a house with water during the early morning hours of the 19th. Several culverts had to be replaced due to washouts.

Heavy Rain, Sanders

When: March 17, 10:00 AM MST to March 18, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Sanders County, 12 mi NW of (3th)thompson Falls to Heron
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 47.703, -115.462

White Pine Creek, located 12 miles northwest of Thompson Falls overflowed and damaged White Pine Creek road so bad that one resident was isolated from getting back to their home. Elk Creek road near Heron sustained damage during this event.

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

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, March 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 680676, 680682.