A tight regional pressure gradient funneled strong winds aloft down to the surface to easily blow around recent snowfall. Wind speeds in excess of 35 mph and visibility reduced to a quarter mile or less were most prominent in the northeast corner of the state.
Every event with a place to put it; 9 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.
A tight regional pressure gradient funneled strong winds aloft down to the surface to easily blow around recent snowfall. Wind speeds in excess of 35 mph and visibility reduced to a quarter mile or less were most prominent in the northeast corner of the state.
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 25, 4:14 AM MST, 3 hours 16 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Glasgow MT 414 AM MST Sun Dec 25 2022 .DISCUSSION... ...Strong wind gusts could lead to blowing snow concerns today with low visibility at times... MORNING DISCUSSION: Throughout most of the CWA, the chance for freezing rain has been undercut by dry air near the surface which has prevented some of the previously expected precip from reaching the ground. The exception has been a band of mixed precip that has moved from north to south in our eastern zones along the North Dakota border. Accumulations so far have been light. The main concern today will be the winds behind the warm front which are expected to bring gusts in excess of 50 mph. Any areas that were not impacted by freezing rain will be especially vulnerable to blowing snow today. Areas that received freezing rain will have a crust over the snow which will hamper blowing snow, at least initially. But the strong winds are likely to cut through that crust which will put these areas back at risk for blowing snow and reduced visibility. With sustained winds 20 to 30 mph and gusts up to 50 mph, there is a slight risk of ground blizzard conditions at times in the eastern zones. We've decided to hold off on issuing a blizzard warning at this point in time on account for sub-criteria sustained winds and uncertainty regarding whether criteria will be met for long enough to justify a warning. This is, however, an evolving situation and conditions will need to be closely monitored throughout the day. Looking ahead, the next timeline for concern is Tuesday afternoon into early Wednesday morning. At this point in time, there is good model agreement that we will be in for another round of mix precip with a chance for freezing rain and icing concerns. -thor && .AVIATION... UPDATED: 1115Z PATTERN: A warm front and an Alberta clipper will combine to create complex and dangerous weather conditions through today. The threat of freezing rain will continue for the next few hours mainly for KSDY and KGDV before diminishing by 18Z. Behind the warm front, winds will begin picking up leading to blowing snow and reduced visibility for most of the day into the evening hours. FLIGHT CONDITIONS: VFR, becoming IFR/LIFR or worse in the blowing snow. Amendments will likely be needed. WINDS: Winds will be from the west at 20 to 30 kts. By 16Z, winds will be from the northwest at 30 to 40 kts. Some higher gusts are possible. Wind sheer concerns are likely with the initial period of shifting winds. -thor && .GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Winter Storm Warning until 7 PM MST this evening for Central and Southeast Phillips...Central and Southern Valley...Daniels... Dawson...Eastern Roosevelt...Garfield...McCone...Northern Phillips...Northern Valley...Prairie...Richland...Sheridan... Southwest Phillips...Western Roosevelt...Wibaux. && weather.gov/glasgow
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter reported blowing snow reducing visibility to a quarter mile or less. Times are estimated.
Intermittent blizzard conditions were reported from the morning to the early afternoon of the 25th, at the Sher-wood Airport (KPWD) AWOS.
MT Highway 5 was closed between MT Highway 16 and the Montana and North Dakota border. Times are estimated.
A trained spotter reported blowing snow reducing visibility to an eighth mile or less. Times are estimated.
A trained spotter reported winds of at least 45 mph created blowing snow and white out conditions. Times are estimated.
A trained spotter reported blowing snow reducing visibility to an eighth mile or less. Times are estimated.
A trained spotter reported blowing snow reducing visibility to an eighth mile or less. Times are estimated.
MT Highway 24 was closed between US Highway 2 and the Canadian border due to the weather. Times are estimated.
MT Highway 24 was closed between US Highway 2 and the Canadian border due to the weather. Times are estimated.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 2022
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: 1067916, 1067894, 1067896, 1067912, 1067913, 1067914, 1067915, 1067900, 1067906.