Winter Storm and High Wind in Montana, April 1 to 2, 2023

Name: Winter Storm and High Wind in Montana, April 1 to 2, 2023
Start: 2023-04-01T01:00
End: 2023-04-02T12:01
Location: Montana

April 1 to 2, 2023 · NWS TFX · 12 events in 8 counties and zones

An impressive shortwave and attendant cold front passed through the area, resulting in a period of gusty winds and intense snow showers. Snow persisted long enough in the mountains to accumulate up to 11 inches in Gallatin County.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 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

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 12

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.

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 Mar 31, 1:06 PM MST, 11 hours 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 31, 1:06 PM MST, 11 hours 54 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Winter Storm, Gallatin and Madison County Mountains and Centennial Mountains

When: April 1, 1:00 AM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where: Gallatin and Madison County Mountains and Centennial Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 45.325, -111.996 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Multiple SNOTELs in far southern Gallatin county measured snow meeting Winter Storm Warning criteria. Whiskey Creek measured 9 inches of snow over 24 ours ending 7 PM MDT April 1. The Black Bear Snotel measured 10 inches new snow over 18 hours ending 7 PM MDT April 1. Finally, the Madison Plateau Snotel measured 11 inches new snow over 20 hours ending 8PM MDT April 1.

High Wind, Gallatin and Madison County Mountains and Centennial Mountains

When: April 1, 12:02 PM MST
Where: Gallatin and Madison County Mountains and Centennial Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 45.325, -111.996 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Red Rock RAWS rrdm8 measured a 65 mph gust.

High Wind, Southern High Plains

When: April 1, 2:00 PM MST
Where: Southern High Plains forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.480, -112.315 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station ricmt Rice Ridge measured a 59 mph gust. An Ambient weather station at Sunny Slope Ranch also measured a 59 mph gust.

High Wind, Eastern Pondera and Eastern Teton

When: April 1, 2:59 PM MST
Where: Eastern Pondera and Eastern Teton forecast zone
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.033, -112.233 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An Ambient Weather station measured a 63 mph wind gust 9 miles WNW of The Knees.

High Wind, Gallatin Valley

When: April 1, 4:30 PM MST
Where: Gallatin Valley forecast zone
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 45.541, -111.170 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station mtm71 Mahattan s-mda measured a 59 mph gust.

High Wind, Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera

When: April 1, 4:46 PM MST to April 2, 1:27 AM MST
Where: Eastern Glacier, Western Toole, and Central Pondera forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 48.529, -112.306 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ambient weather station LJ Johnson Farms measured two gusts in excess of 58 mph, including a 73 mph gust.

High Wind, Snowy and Judith Mountains

When: April 1, 5:52 PM MST to April 2, 10:52 AM MST
Where: Snowy and Judith Mountains forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 47.264, -109.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

RAWS station jpkm8 Judith Peak measured two wind gusts in excess of 60 mph, including a 62 mph gust.

High Wind, Southern High Plains

When: April 1, 10:45 PM MST to April 2, 1:15 AM MST
Where: Southern High Plains forecast zone
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.480, -112.315 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station delmt Dellwo measured multiple gusts in excess of 58 mph, including a peak gust of 64 mph.

High Wind, Southern High Plains

When: April 2, 12:29 AM MST to 3:29 AM MST
Where: Southern High Plains forecast zone
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: RAWS
Coordinates: 47.480, -112.315 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

RAWS station tr726 L-C portable no 1 measured multiple gusts of 58 mph or greater, including a peak gust of 73 mph.

High Wind, Fergus County Below 4500ft

When: April 2, 9:10 AM MST
Where: Fergus County Below 4500ft forecast zone
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 47.264, -109.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

AWOS station k1om Oscar measured a 62 mph wind gust.

High Wind, Fergus County Below 4500ft

When: April 2, 10:45 AM MST
Where: Fergus County Below 4500ft forecast zone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.264, -109.224 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Mesonet station mtm42 blm Roy measured a 58 mph gust.

High Wind, Judith Basin County and Judith Gap

When: April 2, 12:01 PM MST
Where: Judith Basin County and Judith Gap forecast zone
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 47.155, -109.745 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

An Ambient station 4 miles wsws of geyser measured a 60 mph gust.

What these are

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

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Montana in 2023 Every state in 2023 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, April 2023

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1081428, 1081417, 1081426, 1081424, 1081421, 1081422, 1081418, 1081427, 1081423, 1081419, 1081420, 1081431.