Due to recent heavy rain and snow-melt, several main-stem rivers experienced minor flooding.
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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.
Due to recent heavy rain and snow-melt, several main-stem rivers experienced minor flooding.
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, 2:16 AM MST, 3 hours 44 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Missoula MT 316 AM MDT Sun Mar 19 2017 .DISCUSSION...Much of the overnight rain has come to an end with areas of light precipitation confined to southern Idaho County eastward into Southwest Montana. Some light snow is possible for Lost Trail, Homestake, and MacDonald Pass this morning leading to localized icy conditions. Otherwise today will be a relatively cool and mostly dry day across the region with scattered light showers confined to southeast Idaho County eastward to Butte, along a stalled front. Flooding concerns will continue today as runoff from yesterday's storm system exits smaller streams into larger river basins. Please see the hydrology section below for details on potential flooding impacts. On Monday, light precipitation will lift northward across the forecast area reaching the I-90 corridor in the afternoon. Light snow will be possible above 5000 feet, thus minor roadway impacts are possible for the southern mountain passes during the morning hours. A tightening pressure gradient will also lead to breezy easterly winds in favored areas. Very light precipitation will continue spreading northward Monday evening into Tuesday morning with light wintry precipitation possible even in valley locations across northwest Montana. An active southwesterly flow will set up on Tuesday and continue through at least next weekend, as frequent disturbances lead to bouts of wet and unsettled weather. Periodic showers will be common with temperatures generally near seasonable levels. && .AVIATION...Aside from some patchy morning fog, much of the area will see fair conditions with periodic mid/high level clouds and relatively light winds today. One exception will be southern Idaho County stretching eastward to Butte where light showers will be possible throughout the day as a weak front stalls out. Aviation concerns will be minor with these showers with an occasional lower ceiling and mountain obscuration. By early Monday morning, the front will begin to lift northward again with some light snow possible at KBTM. && .HYDROLOGY...Although, precipitation has ended across much of the region, flooding concerns continue as runoff moves from creeks and streams into main stem rivers. Looking at the recent precipitation, many mountain locations in NW Montana and Cntrl Idaho received over an inch of rain in the last 36 hours. Some mountain locations received two to three inches. Valleys in the flood watch/advised areas have had somewhat less, varying from about a half inch to an inch of rain in the last 36 hours. Reports yesterday from emergency managers and law enforcement support the current suite of advisories and the flood watch. One area of concern this morning is Clearwater County, ID and Orofino Creek. The upper part of that basin, near Pierce, ID received 1.5 inches in the last 36 hours, thus this is a prime spot for additional flooding. Across NW Montana, several main stem rivers will approach or may briefly exceed minor flood stage today, these include the Yaak River, the Fisher River, the St. Regis River, and the Thompson River. The Clearwater River in Idaho near Stites is now forecast to remain below flood stage but fast rises are still possible, however it seems unlikely that it will be enough to cause flooding. && .MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MT...Flood Watch through Monday afternoon Kootenai/Cabinet Region. ID...None. &&
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The St. Regis River at St. Regis peaked at the minor flood stage of 8.06 feet.
The Thompson River gauge near Thompson Falls peaked at 7.15 feet for 4.5 hours.
The Fisher River gauge peaked at 7.8 feet for 8 hours.
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: 683871, 683889, 683890.