Montana, 2023Drought in Montana, March 1 to 20, 2023
March 1 to 20, 2023 · NWS GGW · 4 events in 4 counties and zones
Above average snowfall helped to end the drought in portions of northeast Montana.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
- 4
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.
Above average snowfall helped to end the drought in portions of northeast Montana.
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 Feb 28, 8:24 PM MST, 3 hours 36 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 28, 8:24 PM MST, 3 hours 36 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Glasgow MT
824 PM MST Tue Feb 28 2023
.DISCUSSION...
Current Winter Weather Advisory is in effect until 5 am, but
lighter snow is expected for the remainder of the night.
Band of moderate to heavy snow northeast of Glasgow now
diminishing as dynamics are weakening across the area. Snow was
quite intense in southern Valley county resulting in several
slide-offs on Highway 2 with a quarter mile visibility or less in
heavy snow here at the Glasgow airport for almost 3 hours. Winds
made it very difficult to accurately measure how much fell, but
drifts to 3 feet were observed on the NWS grounds.
Snow will gradually diminish tonight. Additional light snow
moving in from north-central Montana is light and shouldn/t amount
to more than an inch.
Winds will also gradually diminish tonight but arctic airmass will
be in place allowing temps to only rise to teens and 20s
Wednesday. TFJ
Previous Discussion...
A band of snow continues to lift northeast across portions of the
CWA this afternoon. The combination of snow, heavy at times, and
blowing snow, as been enough to drive visibility down to 1/4 mile
at times. These conditions should improve this evening as snow
diminishes in intensity and pushes northeast, but reduced
visibility from blowing snow will continue at times tonight.
Look for colder temperatures for the midweek with drier
conditions. Then, upper ridging on Thursday will bring
temperatures back to near normal across the region.
The next shortwave looks to approach for the end of the week which
may come with light snow. High pressure will maintain a dry
weekend across the area though the next system will bring
increasing chances for snow, especially across the southwest, by
Sunday night or Monday.
&&
.AVIATION...
Flight category: MVFR/IFR
Light snow will gradualy end tonight but low ceilings will linger
into Wed.
Winds: E-NE winds will continue diminishing into Wed morning. TFJ
&&
.GLASGOW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Winter Weather Advisory until 5 AM MST Wednesday for Central and
Southern Valley...Daniels...Dawson...Eastern Roosevelt...
McCone...Northern Valley...Richland...Western Roosevelt...
Wibaux.
&&
weather.gov/glasgow
Drought, Northern Valley
- When
- March 1, 12:00 AM MST to March 20, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Northern Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 48.365, -106.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
To start March, the southern three quarters of Northern Valley County improved to (D2-Severe) conditions while the northern quarter of the county improved to (D1-Moderate) drought. On the third week of March, the southern three quarters of Northern Valley County improved to (D1-Moderate) drought while the northern quarter of the county remained in (D0-Abnormally Dry) conditions.
Drought, Northern Phillips
- When
- March 1, 12:00 AM MST to March 20, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Northern Phillips forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 48.259, -107.913 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
To start March, ongoing drought conditions in the northwestern half of the Northern Phillips County was in (D1-Moderate) drought while the southeastern half of the county was in (D2-Severe) conditions. On the third week of March, the northwestern half of Northern Phillips County improved to (D0-Abnormally Dry) conditions, while the southeastern half improved to (D1-Moderate) drought.
Drought, Petroleum
- When
- March 1, 12:00 AM MST to March 20, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Petroleum forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 47.118, -108.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
To start March, ongoing drought conditions in the southwestern corner of Petroleum County was at (D0-Abnormally Dry) conditions, the far northwestern corner was in (D2-Severe) conditions, and the remainder of the county was in (D1-Moderate) drought. On the third week of March all but the southwestern corner of Petroleum County improved to (D1-Moderate) drought, while the southwestern corner remained in (D0-Abnormally Dry) conditions.
Drought, Central and Se Phillips
- When
- March 1, 12:00 AM MST to March 20, 11:59 PM MST
- Where
- Central and Se Phillips forecast zone
- Reported by
- Drought Monitor
- Coordinates
- 48.259, -107.913 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
To start March, ongoing drought conditions in the far southwestern corner of Sheridan County was in (D2-Severe) conditions while the remainder of the county was in (D1-Moderate) drought. On the third week of March, the far southwestern corner of Sheridan County improved to (D1-Moderate) drought while the remainder of the county improved to (D0-Abnormally Dry) conditions.
- 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.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, March 1 to 3, 20231 death · 5 injured · $6.1 million · EF2 · 47 events
- Flash Flood and Winter Storm in California, March 1 to 2, 20231 death · 1 injured · $933,000 · 22 events
- High Wind and Strong Wind in Mississippi, March 1 to 3, 20231 death · 1 injured · $107,000 · 53 kt wind · 13 events
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Tennessee, March 1 to 3, 20231 death · 1 injured · 85 kt wind · 21 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Idaho, March 1, 202312 injured · $230,000 · 4 events
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Mississippi, March 1, 2023$254,000 · 3 in hail · 3 events
- Hail in Texas, March 1, 2023$37,000 · 2 in hail · 22 events
- Flood and Hail in Kentucky, March 1, 2023$70,000 · 1 in hail · 4 events
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Alabama, March 1 to 2, 2023$500 · EF1 · 15 events
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, March 1 to 2, 20234 in hail · 34 events
- Tornado and Hail in Oklahoma, March 1 to 2, 2023$10,000 · EF1 · 8 events
- Drought in Oklahoma, March 1 to 31, 202328 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: 1080216, 1080435, 1081350, 1081484.