An ice jam on the Big Hole River caused water to back into properties in Silver Bow County.
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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 MSO wrote it up.
An ice jam on the Big Hole River caused water to back into properties in Silver Bow County.
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 19, 1:57 PM MST, 3 hours 3 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Missoula MT 257 PM MDT Sun Mar 19 2017 .DISCUSSION...The strong cold front which passed through the Northern Rockies overnight stalled when it reached SW Montana and has remained there all day. Over the past few hours it has lost much of it's distinct cold frontal properties and is now a stationary front or general area of surface convergence. Along the boundary periodic rain showers have been observed producing little accumulation. Meanwhile north of this boundary temperatures have warmed into the 40s and 50s under mainly sunny conditions. Over the next 24 hours warm air advection under strengthening southerly flow will transition the stationary front into a warm front. This will spread stratiform (steady) precipitation northward Monday, reaching the Canadian border by Tuesday morning. The snow level near the warm front will be quite high (6,000ft to 8,000ft), so most of the precipitation will fall as rain. However ahead of the front (generally north of I-90) the snow level will remain below 5,000ft and as low as 2,000ft near International Border. So even valley locations in NW Montana have a good chance to see some light snow by Tuesday morning. But right now this should be limited to an inch or less in most places. The precipitation will become more showery in nature Tuesday morning behind the warm front. Models are indicating a period of stronger showers and perhaps a few thunderstorms developing late Tuesday afternoon and into the evening hours as a mid level disturbance passes over the region. Another round of afternoon showers are likely Wednesday afternoon before a weaker cold front passes over the area overnight. If there's a period of time this week void of active weather it could be Thursday afternoon into Friday. But confidence in this potential is still low and things could still remain mostly cloudy as the next weather system is forecast to quickly move into the western USA and spread showers across the Northern Rockies throughout the weekend. && .AVIATION...A line of rain showers will remain in the vicinity of KBTM and KSMN until approximately 19/0300Z, temporarily lowering visibility and cloud ceilings at these sites. Stronger showers that develop in Lemhi County and southwest Montana could produce localized gusty winds. Elsewhere, expect VFR conditions through this evening. Overnight/morning patchy valley fog will be possible ahead of another round of light precipitation moving northward into the area Monday morning. && .HYDROLOGY...Minor river flooding continues, but river stages have peaked or will soon. We expect all warned rivers to drop below flood stage by Monday morning. The small stream and areal flood advisories have been dropped. Emergency managers are reporting improving conditions across the region, and the rain has been done for several hours now. Over all, this event is winding down. However, there is still a lot of snow on the ground in the mid elevations of Clearwater County, ID and Lincoln County, MT. Daily warm afternoons will keep the melt going, and keep small streams running high. Also, there is another round of rain expected for Tuesday. && .MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MT...None. ID...None. &&
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
An ice jam on the Big Hole River at the Dickie Bridge caused water to back up and flood a land owner to the west of the bridge.
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, March 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 680789.