Shortwave trough along the Southeast Alaska coast moves southeastward. Ahead of this system, surface low pressure troughing develops in Alberta and central Montana with mid-level winds becoming very strong over the Rockies.
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 TFX wrote it up.
Shortwave trough along the Southeast Alaska coast moves southeastward. Ahead of this system, surface low pressure troughing develops in Alberta and central Montana with mid-level winds becoming very strong over the Rockies.
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 Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 29, 11:25 AM MST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Great Falls MT 1125 AM MST Sat Dec 29 2018 ...Aviation Update... .UPDATE... A narrow band of heavy wet snow is moving across North-central Montana this morning. The band is weakening while moving quickly east, but could produce up to one-half inch of snow in less than an hour. The forecast was updated to better capture the presence of this passing snow band. We're still expecting many changes in the weather through the weekend, as warm and very windy conditions yield to a falling temperatures and areas of snow on Sunday. The Winter Storm Watch over the Northern and Southern Rocky Mountain Front was upgraded to a warning with this update. Snowfall in these zones will remain over the Mountains tonight as strong west winds maintain mild temperatures. Snow will spread onto the adjacent plains early Sunday with the passing cold front. Winter storm watches remain in effect over portions of central and southwest Montana. These will be upgraded to Winter Weather Advisories with some adjustments to timing later in the shift. && .SYNOPSIS... Strong and gusty winds along the Rocky Mountain Front will spread out over the plains today and persist through Saturday night. A strong Canadian cold front moves through the state on Sunday, bringing accumulating snow and blowing snow to much of the forecast area. Very cold temperatures will persist into Monday before warmer and windy conditions return for the remainder of the week. && .AVIATION... Updated 1800Z. Throughout this TAF period, expect predominantly MVFR conditions, degrading to IFR, at times, in snow and mist. Mountains will be obscured in precipitation. Expect winds to become strong and gusty throughout the area, with the strongest winds occurring along the Rocky Mountain Front. Mountain wave turbulence and low level wind shear will develop. -Fogleman && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 448 AM MST Sat Dec 29 2018/ Today through Monday...Very active weather pattern is expected through this weekend. Shortwave trough currently along the Southeast Alaska coast moves southeastward over the next 24 hours. Ahead of this system, surface low pressure troughing develops in Alberta and central Montana with mid-level winds becoming very strong over the Rockies. All of central and north-central Montana will be under a High Wind Warning today through Sunday morning. Along with the strong winds, abundant Pacific moisture will bring widespread snow and blowing snow to the mountains of the Continental Divide today, tonight and Sunday. As the upper level wave moves over the region on Sunday, a Canadian surface front sweeps southward through Montana with temperatures falling through day and widespread snows developing. A series of Winter Storm Watches remain in effect for much of the forecast area tonight through Sunday. On Monday, the region will be under the influence of a strong surface high pressure system with very cold temperatures anticipated. mpj Monday Night through Saturday...A low pressure trough will deepen southwest from the Northern Great Plains into the Southern Rockies Monday night into Tuesday, as a high pressure ridge builds into Montana from the west. The resulting northerly flow aloft keep temperatures mostly in the single digits above and below zero Monday night, but daytime temperatures will start to warm back closer to normal on Tuesday. Forecast models indicate that a broad shortwave trough will gradually flatten the high pressure ridge Wednesday through Friday, but their timing of the shortwave's passage differ somewhat. Have therefore gone with a broad-brushed solution with a chance of snow over the Continental Divide with increasing westerly winds over the plains through this period with temperatures overall warming to between 10 and 15 degrees above normal. Winds will likely reach their strongest levels Wednesday night into Thursday. 700 mb winds peak between 60 and 80 kt along the Rocky Mountain Front during this period, with 45 to 60 kt winds at times over the plains. A strong surface pressure gradient will develop along the Rocky Mountain Front, which will make strong winds most likely there. Will need to monitor this situation for possible high wind highlights. After the passage of the shortwave Friday into Saturday, winds should decrease somewhat, as temperatures cool back closer to normal. Coulston && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 44 30 39 6 / 100 20 90 70 CTB 44 27 35 5 / 100 30 80 20 HLN 41 28 38 6 / 100 30 80 60 BZN 36 26 35 5 / 60 20 80 40 WEY 18 7 25 -8 / 70 80 90 40 DLN 33 22 33 4 / 30 30 60 20 HVR 45 28 37 2 / 20 40 80 30 LWT 43 28 37 1 / 30 20 90 50 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning until 8 AM MST Sunday Blaine...Cascade... Central and Southern Lewis and Clark...Chouteau...Fergus... Hill...Judith Basin...Liberty. Winter Storm Watch from 5 PM MST this afternoon through Sunday afternoon Central and Southern Lewis and Clark...Jefferson. Winter Storm Watch from 5 PM MST this afternoon through Sunday afternoon Beaverhead...Gallatin...Madison. Winter Storm Watch from this evening through Sunday afternoon Broadwater...Cascade...Judith Basin...Meagher. High Wind Warning until 8 AM MST Sunday Eastern Glacier... Eastern Pondera...Eastern Teton...Toole. Winter Storm Warning from 5 PM this afternoon to 8 PM MST Sunday Northern Rocky Mountain Front...Southern Rocky Mountain Front. High Wind Warning until 8 AM MST Sunday Northern Rocky Mountain Front...Southern Rocky Mountain Front. && http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1025 AM MST SAT DEC 29 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1200 AM SNOW 12 ENE CHECKERBOARD 46.67N 110.33W
12/29/2018 M1.0 INCH MEAGHER MT MESONET
MESONET STATION DAZM8, DAISY PEAK SNOTEL.
0400 AM SNOW 10 ESE CORBIN 46.35N 111.85W
12/29/2018 M3.0 INCH JEFFERSON MT MESONET
MESONET STATION TIBM8, TIZER BASIN SNOTEL.
0700 AM SNOW 2 E BUFFALO 46.82N 109.79W
12/29/2018 M1.0 INCH FERGUS MT COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION MT-FG-3, 1 E BUFFALO
COCORAHS.
0700 AM SNOW 8 NNE LINCOLN 47.06N 112.59W
12/29/2018 M1.0 INCH LEWIS AND CLARK MT MESONET
MESONET STATION COPM8, COPPER BOTTOM SNOTEL.
0700 AM SNOW 6 WSW NEIHART 46.91N 110.85W
12/29/2018 M2.0 INCH MEAGHER MT MESONET
MESONET STATION ONPM8, ONION PARK SNOTEL.
0800 AM SNOW 11 SE LINCOLN 46.84N 112.51W
12/29/2018 M1.0 INCH LEWIS AND CLARK MT MESONET
MESONET STATION NVRM8, NEVADA RIDGE SNOTEL.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1222 PM MST SAT DEC 29 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1000 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 10 NNE BOZEMAN 45.80N 110.93W
12/29/2018 M55 MPH GALLATIN MT MESONET
MESONET STATION BBSLH, BRIDGER BOWL -
SLUSHMANS LIFT.
1011 AM NON-TSTM WND GST SAINT MARY 48.74N 113.43W
12/29/2018 M62 MPH GLACIER MT MESONET
MESONET STATION SRYM8, SAINT MARY RAWS.
1141 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 5 WSW GREAT FALLS 47.47N 111.38W
12/29/2018 M52 MPH CASCADE MT ASOS
ASOS STATION GTF, GREAT FALLS AIRPORT.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1224 PM MST SAT DEC 29 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0921 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 8 SE EAST GLACIER PARK 48.36N 113.11W
12/29/2018 M94 MPH GLACIER MT MESONET
MESONET STATION DCRM8, DEEP CREEK RAWS.
&&
BRUSDAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1225 PM MST SAT DEC 29 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1149 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 SW CUT BANK 48.60N 112.38W
12/29/2018 M56 MPH GLACIER MT ASOS
ASOS STATION CTB, CUT BANK AIRPORT.
&&
BRUSDAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1226 PM MST SAT DEC 29 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1108 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SE BROWNING 48.54N 112.98W
12/29/2018 M56 MPH GLACIER MT MESONET
MESONET STATION MTBWG, BROWNING MDT.
&&
BRUSDAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
108 PM MST SAT DEC 29 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1157 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 SW CUT BANK 48.60N 112.38W
12/29/2018 M58 MPH GLACIER MT ASOS
ASOS STATION CTB, CUT BANK AIRPORT.
&&
BRUSDA7 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High wind gust of 86 mph measured at mesonet station delmt, dellwo - 13 w bynum.
High wind gust of 59 mph measured at mesonet station jpkm8, judith peak raws.
High wind gust of 61 mph measured at mesonet station mtgys, geyser us87 mdt.
High wind gust of 64 mph measured at mesonet Goss Ranch.
High wind gust of 61 mph measured at asos station gtf, great falls airport.
High wind gust of 76 mph reported by Dept of Highways - peak wind gust at browning mt dot site.
High wind gust of 73 mph measured by mesonet 8 S Chinook.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 2018
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: 796912, 797115, 797113, 797111, 797114, 797109, 797110.