A prolonged cold spell led to an ice jam along the Madison River, near Ennis.
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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.
A prolonged cold spell led to an ice jam along the Madison River, near Ennis.
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 20, 10:44 AM MST, 2 hours 16 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Great Falls MT 1044 AM MST Wed Feb 20 2019 ...Updated Aviation Section. .UPDATE... Forecast updates this morning focused mainly on decreasing high temperatures over the area for today and capturing the overnight lows from last night. There was also a slight increase to the snow amounts forecasted for today through Thursday, specifically with the Arctic front dropping through the area overnight tonight. -TP && .SYNOPSIS... An upper level disturbance will slowly move through the region over the next few days. As a result, expect periods of light snow over much of Central and Southwest MT. Cold temperatures in the Havre area will slowly move back southward on Thursday. Temperatures will then try to warm a touch for Friday, but the warmer temperatures will not last long, as the cold front moves back southward on Saturday. && .AVIATION... Updated 1035 AM MST Wed Feb 20 2019 MVFR to IFR conditions across most terminals (excluding KLWT and KHVR) will briefly improve to or near VFR conditions as snow becomes light through early this afternoon. MVFR to IFR conditions are expected to return this afternoon/evening, as snowfall increases in intensity and becomes more widespread across all terminals through Thursday morning. Mountains and passes gradually becoming obscured this afternoon through Thursday morning. -TP && .HYDROLOGY... Ice jamming on the Missouri River south of the City of Cascade has caused minor flooding to develop across portions of Southwest Cascade County. This minor flooding has led to the closure of Sheep Creek Road. With cold temperatures in the forecast, a flood advisory has been issued for the this region until further notice. On the Jefferson River between Twin Bridges and Silver Star, an ice jam is possible. Weather conditions still remain prime for new ice jams to form in this area. As a result a flood watch is in effect for this area until further notice. Anyone near rivers should be on the look out and report any new ice jams. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 450 AM MST Wed Feb 20 2019/ Tonight through Thursday...An upper level disturbance will slowly move through the region over the next few days. As a result, expect periods of light snow over Central and Southwest MT. Pops have been increased over a good portion of the region for today/tonight, but snow amounts still look similar to past few days. This will be a long light snow event over the area, so snow accumulations will be slow to accumulate. The highest amounts still look to be over the Rocky Mountain Front and across Central MT, with lighter amounts in the Fort Benton and Helena areas. Current winter weather advisory looks good. Continued to keep temperatures cold in the Havre area through Thursday and adjusted temperatures just a bit colder than guidance elsewhere. Friday and Saturday...Slightly warmer air will try to move into the region from the south, likely not reaching the Havre area. Breezy west winds develop on Friday, similar to Tuesdays winds. Could need a blowing snow advisory for a portion of the region, depending on the snowfall Wed/Thu. Temperatures are likely to fall in the afternoon on Saturday, as the cold front moves south. Sunday and Monday...Generally cold over North Central MT, while a fairly strong area of low pressure moves across the southern portions of Idaho. This will allow for a good chance for snow to develop over Southwest MT, mostly south of I-90. Winter highlights might be need for this event. Tuesday and Wednesday...Still very cold temperatures expected on Tuesday. Went below guidance, especially in the Havre area, but overall we cold be about 10 degrees colder as skies clear out...something later shifts will continue to consider. By Wednesday, the GFS is more aggressive with a storm system moving into the region than the EC model. Overall, lean more towards the GFS for next Wednesday, but confidence is low that far out for that system. Brusda && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GTF 18 5 9 -6 / 80 90 40 0 CTB 22 0 9 -7 / 60 90 10 0 HLN 17 3 14 -7 / 90 60 20 0 BZN 18 2 15 -8 / 70 30 10 0 WEY 8 -5 18 -13 / 50 40 10 0 DLN 17 0 12 -8 / 70 30 10 0 HVR -2 -2 8 -12 / 20 50 10 0 LWT 12 3 11 -7 / 30 90 50 0 && .TFX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Weather Advisory until 11 AM MST Thursday Broadwater... Central and Southern Lewis and Clark...Jefferson...Meagher. Winter Weather Advisory until 11 AM MST Thursday Chouteau... Eastern Pondera...Fergus...Liberty...Toole. Winter Weather Advisory until 11 AM MST Thursday Cascade... Eastern Glacier...Eastern Teton...Judith Basin...Northern Rocky Mountain Front...Southern Rocky Mountain Front. Flood Watch through Friday afternoon Madison. && http://www.weather.gov/greatfalls
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREAT FALLS MT
1019 AM MST WED FEB 20 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0950 AM SNOW 3 N MANHATTAN 45.90N 111.34W
02/20/2019 E1.0 INCH GALLATIN MT TRAINED SPOTTER
1 INCH NEW SNOW THIS MORNING. LIGHT SNOW
CONTINUES.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Madison County Disaster and Emergency Services reported ice jam-related flooding near the US-287 bridge just outside downtown Ennis. Minor property damage occurred along the river. Exact location and duration of flooding unknown. Exact location of damage unknown.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, February 2019
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: 801200.