Winter Storm and High Wind in Montana, February 2 to 3, 2019

Name: Winter Storm and High Wind in Montana, February 2 to 3, 2019
Start: 2019-02-02T07:20
End: 2019-02-03T14:05
Location: Montana

February 2 to 3, 2019 · NWS TFX · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

An Arctic front crossed north-central and southwest Montana on February 2nd and 3rd. The sharp surface trough along this front interacted with a surface high pressure ridge to the south.

The toll

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TFX wrote it up.

An Arctic front crossed north-central and southwest Montana on February 2nd and 3rd. The sharp surface trough along this front interacted with a surface high pressure ridge to the south. The resulting tight mean sea-level pressure gradient permitted a high wind gust in the White Sulphur Springs area during the morning of the 2nd. The bigger impacts stemmed from periods of snow, heavy at times, that developed behind the Arctic front as multiple Pacific shortwave troughs traversed the area on the 2nd into the 3rd.

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 Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 2, 3:21 AM MST, 3 hours 59 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 2, 3:21 AM MST, 3 hours 59 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Great Falls MT
321 AM MST Sat Feb 2 2019

.SYNOPSIS...
An upper level ridge will move east of the region on today, as an
arctic cold front moves southward towards Montana. The cold front
will move through the region This evening into Sunday morning.
Very cold air will move into North Central MT on Sunday, with
widespread snow expected across the region from tonight into
Tuesday. Very cold temperatures will continue into the first half
of next week as well.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Through this afternoon...High pressure over the region will
continue to bring mild conditions to Southwest and Central Montana
into Saturday. Winds will be gusty at times, but below warning
criteria.

This evening through Tuesday morning...An arctic cold front will
move south through the region early later this afternoon. Expect a
chance for a very brief rain shower ahead of the front, but any
rain will quickly change to all snow on this early this evening as
significantly colder air moves in from the north. Temperatures
with the front will drop rapidly, likely below zero by Sunday
morning over North Central MT, with little to no rise during the
day. Widespread snow will develop along and behind the front. Snow
could be heavy at times, especially over the mountains and right
behind the front. Models continue to depict a stronger band over
Central Montana where snowfall in the mountains could be over a
foot in numerous locations. Snow continues through the day Sunday
with light snow lingering into Monday before coming to an end.
With heavy snow amounts expected, the winter storm watch has
largely been upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning. With a little
less snow expected, the Cut Bank area and portions of some
Southwest Montana valleys remain under a Winter Weather Advisory.
The airmass will continue to get colder through Tuesday
morning, with morning lows approaching -10 to -25.

For Tuesday through Friday...Expect very cold temperatures
through much of the period, with temperatures starting to turn
slightly warmer on Thursday and into Friday as warmer
southwesterly winds redevelop over the area. However, the cold
air will likely be slow to move out the Havre/Harlem areas. Some
wind chill highlights might still be needed during this time
frame. Any snow should be diminishing Tuesday evening, with
little to no snowfall expected Wednesday through Friday at this
time.

&&

.AVIATION...
Update 0540Z.

Moist westerly flow aloft will persist over Montana tonight though
late Saturday evening. Shortwave energy currently over Vancouver
Island sweeps eastward reaching northern Montana after 18Z Saturday.
Strong and very dynamic surface cold front sweeps south of the
Canadian border around 21Z. Very cold airmass moves into North-
Central Montanan behind this front with widespread snow and low
clouds developing from north to south through Saturday evening. VFR
conditions expected to prevail tonight through Saturday morning, but
IFR/MVFR conditions will move in with this front. mpj

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GTF  49  -2   2 -15 /   0 100  90  70
CTB  40 -10  -5 -23 /  10  70  90  50
HLN  49   1  10  -9 /   0  90 100  70
BZN  47  21  22   1 /   0  70  90  60
WEY  34  22  33  16 /  80 100 100  90
DLN  48  29  33  12 /   0  50  90  40
HVR  45  -5   0 -17 /   0  90 100  70
LWT  51   1   4 -15 /   0 100 100  70

&&

.TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Winter Storm Warning from 11 PM this evening to 10 AM MST Monday
Broadwater...Central and Southern Lewis and Clark...Jefferson...
Meagher.

Winter Weather Advisory from 8 PM this evening to 10 AM MST
Monday Eastern Glacier...Eastern Pondera...Liberty...Toole.

Winter Weather Advisory from 6 AM Sunday to 10 AM MST Monday
below 7000 feet for Beaverhead...Madison.

Winter Storm Warning from 6 AM Sunday to 10 AM MST Monday above
7000 feet for Beaverhead...Madison.

Winter Storm Warning from 11 PM this evening to 10 AM MST Monday
Gallatin.

Winter Storm Warning from 8 PM this evening to 10 AM MST Monday
Blaine...Cascade...Chouteau...Eastern Teton...Fergus...Hill...
Judith Basin.

Winter Storm Warning from 5 PM this afternoon to 10 AM MST
Monday Northern Rocky Mountain Front...Southern Rocky Mountain
Front.

&&

http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls

Event by event

5 winter storm, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Meagher

When: February 2, 7:20 AM MST
Where: Meagher forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS

White Sulphur Springs Airport AWOS recorded 58-mph peak gust. AWOS located 4-miles south of White Sulphur Springs.

Winter Storm, Beaverhead

When: February 3, 4:15 AM MST to 6:30 AM MST
Where: Beaverhead forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways

MT DOT reported closure of I-15 from Monida Pass to Lima. Pass was reopened by 06:30 MST Feb 3rd, but webcams showed snow continued to fall.

Winter Storm, Jefferson

When: February 3, 10:15 AM MST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways

Jefferson County Road Department closed Muskrat Road in Boulder due to blowing and drifting snow. The department reported having difficulties keeping roads clear of snow. Travelers were urged to stay off roads throughout the county.

Winter Storm, Southern Lewis and Clark

When: February 3, 12:20 PM MST
Where: Southern Lewis and Clark forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways

MT DOT required chains on towing units along eastbound side of US-12 on MacDonald Pass due to accumulating snow.

Winter Storm, Gallatin

When: February 3, 1:40 PM MST
Where: Gallatin forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways

MT DOT closed Targhee Pass due to accumulating snow.

Winter Storm, Madison

When: February 3, 2:05 PM MST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways

MT DOT closed Raynolds Pass due to accumulating snow.

What these are

High Wind: Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Montana in 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, February 2019

Sources

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: 801198, 801220, 801221, 801224, 801222, 801223.