Montana, 2018Drought in Montana, September 1 to 27, 2018
September 1 to 27, 2018 · NWS GGW · 2 events in 2 counties and zones
Through most of the month of September, the overall weather pattern shifted to favor more precipitation for northern Valley and northern Phillips Counties. Enough periods of rain showers occurred to ease drought concerns and to remove Severe Drought Conditions (D-2) by the last week of September.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
- 2
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.
Through most of the month of September, the overall weather pattern shifted to favor more precipitation for northern Valley and northern Phillips Counties. Enough periods of rain showers occurred to ease drought concerns and to remove Severe Drought Conditions (D-2) by the last week of September.
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 Aug 31, 9:37 PM MST, 2 hours 23 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 31, 9:37 PM MST, 2 hours 23 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Glasgow MT
1037 PM MDT Fri Aug 31 2018
.DISCUSSION...
Clear skies prevailed across northeast Montana tonight. No changes
needed to forecast grids tonight. Main concern tomorrow is an
increase in surface winds as a cold front moves through the area.
Precipitation if any, will remain east of the forecast area.
Another front with better chances for showers expected on
Tuesday. FGC
Previous discussion...
Afternoon Update (2pm MDT): Went ahead and pulled the trigger on a
Lake Wind Advisory for much of tomorrow, as winds continue to bump
up and provide further certainty to the idea that winds will be
strong enough to warrant the need for the advisory. Beyond those
changes, the narrative from this morning and the overall forecast
was relatively unchanged.
Bigelbach
PREVIOUS DISCUSSION: Cold front moves to the east this morning
taking any lingering showers and clouds with it. Cooler
temperatures are expected today as shortwave trough moves through
the Canadian Prairies and surface high pressure builds into the
forecast area. Look for northwest winds today that should stay
below Lake Wind Advisory criteria.
The winds will diminish this evening as high pressure moves over
Eastern Montana.
A dry cold front is expected Saturday afternoon as the next
shortwave trough moves across the Canadian Prairies. It will be
breezy behind the cold front with northwest winds that could reach
Lake Wind Advisory criteria.
The winds diminish Saturday Night as high pressure moves in the
area. Dry weather continues on Sunday as the surface high moves to
the east.
Upper trough approaches from the west on Monday and flow aloft
turns to the southwest which will allow for warmer temperatures.
Then, a cold front is expected in either the late afternoon or
evening. Enough instability is expected for a chance of
thunderstorms in the east mainly Monday evening.
Flow aloft remains from the SW most of the remainder of the week
with waves that will bring chances for showers or thunderstorms
at times through Friday. Forrester
&&
.AVIATION...
Expected Flight Category: VFR
Synopsis: Relative high pressure over the region will lead to
pleasant flying weather for the next couple of days, as skies are
expected to be mostly clear to partly cloudy with ceilings well
above VFR levels, and little to no precipitation chances.
Winds: Winds may be the biggest impact on operations the next
couple of days. For the rest of today and during the day tomorrow,
10-20 kt sustained west- northwest winds will gust to 20-30 kts.
During the overnight tonight and into tomorrow morning, expect
variable direction winds that are generally under 10 kts for the
region.
Bigelbach
&&
.GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Lake Wind Advisory from 8 AM to 8 PM MDT Saturday For Fort Peck
Lake for Central and Southeast Phillips...Central and Southern
Valley...Garfield...McCone...Petroleum.
&&
weather.gov/glasgow
Drought, Northern Phillips
- When
- September 1, 12:00 AM MST to September 27, 5:00 AM MST
- Where
- Northern Phillips forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 48.259, -107.913 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Drought conditions (D2- Severe) continued through at least the first few weeks of September across the northern edge and northeastern corner of northern Phillips County. A shift in the weather pattern brought more frequent periods of rain showers to the area, especially in the 3rd week of September. For the month, this area received two to four inches of rain, which was one to two inches above normal for the most heavily impacted areas. Drought conditions were officially down-graded to D1-Moderate on Thursday, September 27th.
Drought, Northern Valley
- When
- September 1, 12:00 AM MST to September 27, 5:00 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)
Drought conditions (D2- Severe) continued through at least the first few weeks of September across the northwestern corner of northern Valley County. A shift in the weather pattern brought more frequent periods of rain showers to the area, especially in the 3rd week of September. For the month, this area received three to four inches of rain, which was two to three inches above normal for the most heavily impacted areas. Drought conditions were officially down-graded to D1-Moderate on Thursday, September 27th.
- 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.
- Heat in Arizona, September 1 to 6, 20188 deaths · 8 events
- Lightning Strike in Florida, September 1, 20181 death · 1 event
- Rip Current in Alabama, September 1, 20181 death · 1 event
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Iowa, September 1 to 3, 2018$1.6 million · 23 events
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Iowa, September 1 to 2, 2018$702,000 · 2 in hail · 38 events
- Wildfire in Colorado, September 1 to 30, 2018$3.5 million · 1 event
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, September 1 to 2, 2018$1.8 million · 2.5 in hail · 8 events
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Michigan, September 1, 2018$605,000 · EF0 · 5 events
- Flooding in Wisconsin, September 1 to 30, 2018$154,000 · 17 events
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Nebraska, September 1 to 3, 2018$140,000 · 60 kt wind · 17 events
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Iowa, September 1, 2018$30,000 · 1 in hail · 36 events
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Virginia, September 1 to 2, 2018$41,000 · 70 kt wind · 16 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: 778675, 778677.