A very strong Alberta clipper winter storm system brought severe wind gusts and heavy snow to portions of northeast Montana. Blizzard conditions persisted for most of the evening, late night, and overnight hours.
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.
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 very strong Alberta clipper winter storm system brought severe wind gusts and heavy snow to portions of northeast Montana. Blizzard conditions persisted for most of the evening, late night, and overnight hours.
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 17, 3:22 PM MST, 3 hours 13 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Glasgow MT 322 PM MST Wed Dec 17 2025 .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGES: - A High Wind Warning remains in effect for all of northeast Montana through 3 AM. - A Blizzard Warning has been issued for a portion of the area late this afternoon and tonight for areas of whiteout conditions from falling/blowing snow. - A Cold Weather Advisory is in effect for sharply colder conditions in far NE Montana tonight bringing wind chills as low as 30 below. WEATHER PATTERN OVERVIEW: A widespread, long duration high wind event across the region will continue through last tonight. A deep surface low pressure system dropping southeast is bringing dangerous and destructive winds as high as 40 to 50 mph, with gusts exceeding 80 mph. After an initial push earlier this afternoon, a sharp cold frontal passage from the northwest will bring concerns additional winter weather concerns. Whiteout conditions from falling and blowing snow and wind chills as low as 30 below are expected tonight. While snowfall amounts are not expected to be much more than 1-2", the persistent strong winds can easily lead to periods of white out conditions. The highest forecast snow amounts of 2-3" near the Canadian border and Big Sheeps will enhance blowing snow potential with some of the worst conditions expected in exposed, elevated areas. To the south where there is under an inch of snow forecasted, a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for more limited blowing snow. Travel during all this time will be particularly dangerous with the combined wind, cold and snow/visibility hazards, especially for high profile vehicles. The strong winds will quickly diminish tomorrow morning with a warming trend through Friday. The next chance for light mixed precipitation comes with this transition tomorrow night into Friday. FORECAST CONFIDENCE & DEVIATIONS: Blended HRRR for winds in short term day 1 before the frontal passage. Increased day 1 winds, and 88% NBM90 for wind gusts. Today through tonight precip and temperatures: High confidence. Tomorrow through the weekend temperatures: Moderate confidence. Tomorrow through the weekend precip: Moderate confidence. && .AVIATION... UPDATED: 2200Z FLIGHT CATEGORY: VFR-MVFR, then areas LIFR-VLIFR after 00Z DISCUSSION: Through the evening 30-40 kts sustained and gusts up to 70 kts out of the west. Between 00Z and 12Z tonight falling and blowing snow will significantly reduce visibility and drifting across runways. Periods of extreme cold at or near TAF sites begin after 12Z. && .GGW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning until 3 AM MST Thursday for Central and Southeast Phillips-Central and Southern Valley-Daniels-Dawson- Eastern Roosevelt-Garfield-McCone-Northern Phillips-Northern Valley-Petroleum-Prairie-Richland-Sheridan-Southwest Phillips- Western Roosevelt-Wibaux. Winter Weather Advisory until 6 AM MST Thursday for Central and Southeast Phillips-Garfield-Prairie-Southwest Phillips-Wibaux. Blizzard Warning until 6 AM MST Thursday for Central and Southern Valley-Daniels-Dawson-Eastern Roosevelt-McCone-Northern Phillips-Northern Valley-Richland-Sheridan-Western Roosevelt. Cold Weather Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 10 AM MST Thursday for Central and Southern Valley-Daniels-Eastern Roosevelt-Northern Phillips-Northern Valley-Richland-Sheridan- Western Roosevelt. && weather.gov/glasgow
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Glasgow MT
612 PM MST Wed Dec 17 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0516 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 ESE Saco 48.45N 107.30W
12/17/2025 M71 MPH Phillips MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTSCO 1.9 E Saco (MT DOT).
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Glasgow MT
613 PM MST Wed Dec 17 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0541 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 17 N Winnett 47.24N 108.36W
12/17/2025 M72 MPH Petroleum MT Mesonet
Mesonet station DBCM8 Winnett 16N/Dry Blood
Creek.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Glasgow MT
615 PM MST Wed Dec 17 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0500 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 8 WNW Sand Springs 47.17N 107.64W
12/17/2025 E64 MPH Garfield MT Mesonet
Sand Springs NW, MT (UMRB-UMT - GGW) Elev:
3009.0 ft; Lat/Lon: 47.16530/-107.63839.
0530 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 4 WSW Sand Springs 47.08N 107.57W
12/17/2025 M69 MPH Garfield MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTLUF 4.4 W Sand Springs (MT
DOT).
0452 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 E Fort Peck 48.01N 106.40W
12/17/2025 M63 MPH McCone MT Mesonet
Mesonet station GGWFP 2.4 E Fort Peck
(GGWWFO).
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Glasgow MT
616 PM MST Wed Dec 17 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 13 NNW Mccloud 47.08N 105.67W
12/17/2025 M58 MPH Prairie MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MTSHP Sheep Mountain S-253
Mp 28.0.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Glasgow MT
618 PM MST Wed Dec 17 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0555 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 14 NNE Weldon 47.80N 105.79W
12/17/2025 M63 MPH McCone MT Mesonet
Vida W, MT (UMRB-UMT - GGW) Elev: 2526.3 ft;
Lat/Lon: 47.80094/-105.78957.
&&
GAHPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Glasgow MT
631 PM MST Wed Dec 17 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0615 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 7 NW Wolf Point 48.17N 105.74W
12/17/2025 M66 MPH Roosevelt MT Public
Wolf Point NW, MT (UMRB-UMT - GGW) Elev:
2231.0 ft; Lat/Lon: 48.17452/-105.73792.
&&
GAHThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
At the Malta airport AWOS site (KM75), visibility of 1/4 mile or worse in blowing snow was observed for about 4.5 hours. Severe driving conditions were also reported on area roadways.
The Glasgow airport ASOS site (KGGW) recorded visibility of 1/4 mile or worse in blowing snow for about 4.5 hours. Multiple other reports included stranded motorists unable to see beyond the hoods of their vehicles, severe driving conditions, long-term power outages and school cancelations. Widespread wind gust reports of 70 - 80 mph were common, with a peak wind gust of 78 mph recorded in Glasgow.
At the Wolf Point airport AWOS site (KOLF), visibility of 1/4 mile or worse in blowing snow was observed for about 6 hours. Severe driving conditions were also reported on area roadways.
At the Glendive airport AWOS site (KGDV), visibility of 1/4 mile or worse in blowing snow was observed for about 3 hours. Severe driving conditions were also reported on area roadways.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 2025
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: 1297880, 1297764, 1297881, 1297765.