Montana, 2018Drought in Montana, March 1 to 31, 2018
March 1 to 31, 2018 · NWS GGW · 6 events in 6 counties and zones
The drought extending from the previous year persisted through March across portions of northeast Montana. There were areas of improvement, specifically across Valley and Garfield counties and areas west, but otherwise drought conditions remained the same throughout the month of March.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 6
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 drought extending from the previous year persisted through March across portions of northeast Montana. There were areas of improvement, specifically across Valley and Garfield counties and areas west, but otherwise drought conditions remained the same throughout the month of March.
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 Glasgow, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 28, 2:57 PM MST, 9 hours 3 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 28, 2:57 PM MST, 9 hours 3 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Glasgow MT
257 PM MST Wed Feb 28 2018
.DISCUSSION...
Forecast concerns focus on thawing temperatures through the rest
of this work week and the next storm system approaching the region
later this weekend.
Tonight through Thursday morning, our aviation visibility models
have continued to push the idea of freezing fog setting up
tonight. Given the recent melting, cannot argue with that, and
would not be surprised to see it or at least some good hoar frost
by morning, especially along and near the lower elevations and
river valley locations.
Thursday and Friday, given the moderately strong ridge of higher
pressure progged to move through the region, we can expect thawing
temperatures to return and spread across the area through the
remainder of the work week - although each night of course, low
temperatures return to below freezing.
The low pressure system taking shape off the coast of Canada's
British Columbia will move through the northern and central
portions of the US. Most concerning impacts will be on the US west
coast today and tomorrow, then on the US East coast later next
week. Here, locally impacts will be limited to some light snowfall
in a couple of separate waves.
Firstly, the storm's interaction with the Rocky Mountains will
split it up into different smaller-scale systems. Friday evening
through Saturday, the first of these is now taking a more northern
track than we saw in the models yesterday. If this trend
continues, most of this first round of snow will be pushed north
over Saskatchewan, leaving NE Montana with trace amounts if any at
all.
Secondly, as the main larger-scale main low pressure trough axis
finally catches up and move through our region, a more organized
and accumulating snow fall seems likely. The problem is that the
models have not lined up yet on exactly where the snow will fall
and how much we can expect. Camp 1, including the GFS and MOS,
keeps this second wave of snow completely SE of our CWA. Camp 2,
including the EC and CMC-regional, brings some decent snow fall
over the SE half of our CWA. Our official forecast for now is
following the the second camp, trying to err on the side of
caution.
So, at this time, confidence in this weekend storm system and it's
impact for this area are less than average and will need to wait
until the models line up better. Could see 2 to 3 more inches of
snow, or could see none at all. Stay tuned. BMickelson
&&
.AVIATION...
Mainly VFR. Sunshine and warm temperatures today may create
enough new surface moisture from melting snow for another round of
mist, frost, and/or fog development overnight. Need to watch KGGW
and KOLF for IFR/LIFR between 06Z and 12Z. BMickelson
&&
.GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.
&&
weather.gov/glasgow
Drought, Northern Valley
- When
- March 1, 12:00 AM MST to March 20, 12:00 AM MST
- Where
- Northern Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 48.365, -106.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Northern Valley County entered March experiencing Severe (D2) drought conditions. By March 20th, conditions had improved to Moderate (D1) drought conditions. This was due to the two to three inches of liquid equivalent precipitation that fell during the month, which was approximately twice the normal amount for the area. This occurred primarily during the first week of the month, during which a foot or more of snow fell.
Drought, Central and Southern Valley
- When
- March 1, 12:00 AM MST to March 20, 12:00 AM MST
- Where
- Central and Southern Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 48.365, -106.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Central and southern Valley County entered March experiencing Severe (D2) drought conditions. By March 20th, conditions had improved to Moderate (D1) drought conditions. This was due to the two to three inches of liquid equivalent precipitation that fell during the month, which was approximately twice the normal amount for the area. This occurred primarily during the first week of the month, during which a foot or more of snow fell.
Drought, Daniels
- When
- March 1, 12:00 AM MST to March 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Daniels forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 48.784, -105.549 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Daniels County entered March experiencing Severe (D2) drought conditions, which persisted through the month. The area received generally one and a half to two inches of liquid equivalent precipitation, which was a little below normal for the area.
Drought, Sheridan
- When
- March 1, 12:00 AM MST to March 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Sheridan forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 48.721, -104.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Daniels County entered March experiencing Severe (D2) drought conditions, which persisted through the month. The area received generally one and a half to two inches of liquid equivalent precipitation, which was up to twice the normal amount in some cases. Even so, this was a very dry winter across Sheridan County, so this did not provide enough moisture to make a significant impact on the drought during the month of March.
Drought, Western Roosevelt
- When
- March 1, 12:00 AM MST to March 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Western Roosevelt forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 48.295, -105.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Western Roosevelt County entered March experiencing Severe (D2) drought conditions, which persisted through the month, although improvement was seen by April 3rd. The area received generally one to two inches of liquid equivalent precipitation, which was up to twice the normal amount.
Drought, Eastern Roosevelt
- When
- March 1, 12:00 AM MST to March 31, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Eastern Roosevelt forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 48.295, -105.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Eastern Roosevelt County entered March experiencing Severe (D2) drought conditions, which persisted through the month, although improvement was seen by April 3rd. The area received generally one to one and a half inches of liquid equivalent precipitation, which was up to twice the normal amount.
- Drought
- A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Winter Storm and Heavy Rain in California, March 1 to 4, 20182 deaths · 5 events
- High Wind in Connecticut, March 1 to 2, 20181 death · 2 injured · $650,000 · 60 kt wind · 7 events
- Flooding in Kentucky, March 1 to 17, 20181 death · $840,000 · 13 events
- Blizzard and Avalanche in California, March 1 to 3, 20181 death · 11 injured · 16 events
- Flood and Damaging Winds in Ohio, March 1, 20181 death · $5,000 · 3 events
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in New York, March 1 to 2, 20181 death · 3 events
- High Wind in Virginia, March 1 to 3, 20181 injured · $1.6 million · 60 kt wind · 27 events
- Winter Storm and Avalanche in Nevada, March 1 to 4, 20181 injured · $3.0 million · 56 kt wind · 10 events
- Flooding in Illinois, March 1 to 18, 2018$1.0 million · 9 events
- High Wind in North Carolina, March 1 to 3, 2018$962,000 · 52 kt wind · 9 events
- Winter Storm in New York, March 1 to 2, 2018$555,000 · 17 events
- Winter Storm in Ohio, March 1 to 3, 2018$900,000 · 5 events
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: 746913, 746915, 746916, 746917, 746918, 746919.