Very little drought relief was observed during the month of January despite very cold temperatures. While most of northeast Montana saw at least some snow, snowfall amounts were not enough in most areas to make much of an impact on the drought situation.
Every event with a place to put it; 10 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.
Very little drought relief was observed during the month of January despite very cold temperatures. While most of northeast Montana saw at least some snow, snowfall amounts were not enough in most areas to make much of an impact on the drought situation.
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 31, 10:14 PM MST, 1 hour 46 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Glasgow MT 1014 PM MST Sun Dec 31 2017 .DISCUSSION... 1000PM UPDATE: News incoming is that Fort Peck lake has finally iced over and the chances for visibility reductions due to freezing fog downwind has dropped to near zero. Have gone in and removed mentions of freezing fog from the forecast for tonight. GAH 500PM UPDATE: Changes to the forecast involved two things tonight. First Afternoon temperatures along the Milk River valley and main tributaries were far lower by roughly 5 to 7 degrees than anticipated for this afternoon. With the start off point being far lower, needed to reduce overnight lows for it. Second, a few hi- resolution models were pointing toward the Fort Peck Lake producing freezing fog and sending this off slowly in the direction of Malta and Whitewater. So, added that in for good measure. GAH PREVIOUS AFTERNOON DISCUSSION: The Arctic high will remain parked over the Northern High Plains today and New Year's Day, keeping extremely cold air over the region. Bands of clouds will spread across central and southern Montana, also cutting across Northeast Montana, which will have a big affect on temperatures. Clear areas tonight will see much colder temperatures, mainly over the northeast corner. Without much wind under the surface high, wind chills below minus 40 is hit and miss, but most temperatures will stay within the advisory criteria of minus 20 to minus 40. Therefore wind chill warning and wind chill advisory headlines still appear reasonable. Temperatures are expected to come up out of the advisory criteria briefly in places this afternoon, but as they should drop back down into the minus 20s tonight, and considering the New Year's holiday, have decided to continue the current windchill headlines into Monday morning. For the remainder of the week, upper ridge along the west coast will shift eastward over the Great Basin. This will spread warmer air across the Divide, starting with a Chinook in Alberta on Monday. A pair of shortwaves sliding through the northwest flow will bring the warmer air southward, and may stir up the airmass enough to mix out some of the Arctic air on Tuesday and bring temperatures back up to near normal for the beginning of the new year. Dry weather is expected until the weekend when models are suggesting some showers as a Pacific shortwave pushes through the upper ridge across the Northern Rockies. Templer && .AVIATION... FLIGHT CAT: VFR SYNOPSIS: Very cold temperatures with light wind can be expected through Monday. Slight increase in temperatures can be expected Tuesday. Wind: Light and variable. GAH && .GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Chill Advisory until 10 AM MST Monday for Garfield... Petroleum...Prairie...Southwest Phillips. Wind Chill Warning until 10 AM MST Monday for Central and Southeast Phillips...Central and Southern Valley...Daniels... Dawson...Eastern Roosevelt...McCone...Northern Phillips... Northern Valley...Richland...Sheridan...Western Roosevelt... Wibaux. && weather.gov/glasgow
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
The month of January began with northern Phillips county experiencing severe (D2) drought conditions. Even though the area received a few inches of snow during the month, there was no appreciable recovery in the drought by the beginning of February.
The month of January began with central and southeast Phillips county experiencing severe (D2) drought conditions. Even though a couple of locations received 4 to 6 inches of snow during the month, there was no significant recovery in the drought by the beginning of February.
The month of January began with northern Valley county experiencing severe (D2) drought conditions. Even though the area received a few inches of snow during the month, there was no significant recovery in the drought by the beginning of February.
The month of January began with central and southern Valley county experiencing severe (D2) drought conditions. Even though the area received a few inches of snow during the month, there was no significant recovery in the drought by the beginning of February.
The month of January began with Daniels County experiencing severe (D2) drought conditions. Only one to two inches of snow fell during the month, and there was no significant recovery in the drought by the beginning of February.
The month of January began with Sheridan County experiencing severe (D2) drought conditions. Only one to three inches of snow fell during the month, and there was no appreciable recovery in the drought by the beginning of February.
The month of January began with western Roosevelt County experiencing severe (D2) drought conditions. Very little snow fell during the month across most of the area, and there was no appreciable recovery in the drought by the beginning of February.
The month of January began with eastern Roosevelt County experiencing severe (D2) drought conditions. Only one to two inches of snow fell during the month across most of the area, and there was no appreciable recovery in the drought by the beginning of February.
The month of January began with the northern and central portions of Garfield County experiencing severe (D2) drought conditions. Even though a few inches of snow fell during the month across the area, there was no appreciable recovery in the severe drought conditions by the beginning of February.
The month of January began with the northern portions of McCone County experiencing severe (D2) drought conditions. Even though a few inches of snow fell during the month across the area, there was no appreciable recovery in the severe drought conditions by the beginning of February.
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, January 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: 737736, 737737, 737738, 737740, 737741, 737742, 737743, 737744, 737745, 737746.