PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT 428 AM MST SAT JAN 7 2012 ...REVIEW OF SIGNIFICANT WEATHER EVENTS DURING 2011... IN A YEAR THAT BEGAN AND ENDED WITH LA NINA CONDITIONS...2011 WAS CHARACTERIZED OVERALL BY ABOVE NORMAL PRECIPITATION AND NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE REGION. THE YEAR WILL LIKELY BE MOST REMEMBERED FOR THE RECORD SETTING RAINFALL AND FLOODING DURING THE MONTH OF MAY. COOL WEATHER ALLOWED FOR MOUNTAIN SNOWPACK TO LINGER INTO LATE SPRING AND EARLY SUMMER...AND AS A RESULT RIVER LEVELS REMAINED VERY HIGH INTO MID SUMMER. DRIER AND WARMER CONDITIONS DOMINATED THE LATTER HALF OF THE YEAR. ANNUAL PRECIPITATION WAS WELL ABOVE NORMAL...BUT THIS WAS DUE TO THE VERY WET SPRING...AND THE MAJORITY OF THE YEAR ACTUALLY LEANED ON THE DRY SIDE. CALENDAR YEAR SNOWFALL FOR BILLINGS WAS ABOUT A FOOT BELOW NORMAL. THE FOLLOWING IS A CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT OR NOTEWORTHY WEATHER EVENTS THAT OCCURRED ACROSS THE REGION IN 2011. JANUARY 8-9: SNOWFALL OF 6 TO 10 INCHES OCCURRED IN SOUTHERN BIG HORN AND SHERIDAN COUNTIES FROM NEAR WYOLA AND RANCHESTER TO SHERIDAN...BIG HORN AND STORY. JANUARY 14: DRAMATIC TEMPERATURE DROPS OCCURRED AS A COLD FRONT SWEPT THROUGH THE AREA FROM NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST. AS AN EXAMPLE...THE TEMPERATURE AT THE BILLINGS AIRPORT FELL FROM 43 DEGREES TO 25 DEGREES IN THE 5 MINUTES ENDING AT 1215 PM. THE TEMPERATURE PROCEEDED TO FALL INTO THE TEENS BY 100 PM. A MORE DRAMATIC TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE OCCURRED IN WHEATLAND COUNTY. AT 2 PM...IT WAS 47 DEGREES NEAR HARLOWTON AND ONLY 1 ABOVE 19 MILES TO THE NORTH AT JUDITH GAP. JANUARY 18: 6 TO 7 INCHES OF SNOW FELL OVER PARTS OF ROSEBUD AND POWDER RIVER COUNTIES. JANUARY 18-19: 6 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW FELL FROM LIVINGSTON TO SOUTHWEST OF GREYCLIFF TO ABSAROKEE. FEBRUARY 1: A FRESH SNOW COVER COMBINED WITH STRONG HIGH PRESSURE TO YIELD A VERY COLD MORNING. LOW TEMPERATURES INCLUDED BILLINGS -15...MILES CITY -28...BAKER -29...LIVINGSTON -20...BROADUS -21... ROUNDUP -22 AND SHERIDAN -19. FEBRUARY 4: A BAND OF SHOWERS PRODUCED VERY STRONG WINDS IN SHERIDAN COUNTY. A PEAK WIND GUST OF 66 MPH WAS OBSERVED AT THE SHERIDAN AIRPORT. FEBRUARY 6-7: A WIDESPREAD SNOWFALL IMPACTED THE REGION. GREATEST AMOUNTS FELL OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND IN MUSSELSHELL AND GOLDEN VALLEY COUNTIES...WHERE 10 TO 15 INCHES FELL. THE BILLINGS AREA RECEIVED 5 TO 7 INCHES. FEBRUARY 12-13: A REMARKABLE WIND EVENT OCCURRED...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE BEARTOOTH FRONT. A 90 MPH WIND GUST WAS MEASURED AT NYE...87 MPH IN THE MOUNTAINS ABOVE RED LODGE AND 77 MPH AT THE LIVINGSTON AIRPORT. GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH WERE FREQUENT AND LASTED FOR SEVERAL HOURS IN THESE AREAS. DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES AS WELL AS HOUSE DAMAGE WERE NOTED NEAR ROSCOE AND RED LODGE. BURGESS JUNCTION HAD WIND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 80 MPH...WITH STRONG WINDS OVER SEVERAL HOURS CAUSING SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WHICH CLOSED HIGHWAY 14. SNOW DRIFTS WERE 4 TO 6 FEET. FEBRUARY 19-20: UP TO A FOOT OF SNOW FELL FROM MILES CITY TO BAKER AND FROM HARDIN TO BROADUS TO EKALAKA. COLD AIR SETTLED OVER THE REGION IN THE WAKE OF THIS STORM...AND THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF ONLY 2 ABOVE AT BILLINGS ON THE 20TH WAS A RECORD COLD HIGH FOR THE DAY. FEBRUARY 23-26: A VERY COLD STRETCH OF DAYS. SEVERAL RECORD LOW AND RECORD COLD HIGH TEMPS WERE BROKEN. BILLINGS HIGH OF 2 BELOW ON THE 25TH WAS THE COLDEST SO LATE IN THE WINTER SINCE 1960. MILES CITY HIGH OF 7 BELOW WAS THE RECORD COLDEST SO LATE IN THE SEASON. MILES CITY LOW OF 31 BELOW ON THE 26TH WAS THE ONLY TIME THE TEMPERATURE FELL BELOW MINUS 30 AFTER FEBRUARY 10TH SINCE RECORDS THERE BEGAN IN 1937. A PERIOD OF LIGHT SNOW ACCOMPANIED THE ARCTIC AIRMASS. MARCH 10-11: A COLD FRONT AND LINE OF SHOWERS...AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS...PRODUCED STRONG WINDS ACROSS THE PLAINS DURING THE NIGHT. AN ESTIMATED 80 MPH MICROBURST WIND GUST CAUSED DAMAGE IN PARTS OF BILLINGS HEIGHTS. THIS INCLUDED DOWNED VINYL FENCES... ROOF AND SIDING DAMAGE...DOWNED SIGNS AND MISCELLANEOUS YARD DAMAGE. MARCH 16-17: HEAVY SNOW FELL IN THE MOUNTAINS...INCLUDING UP TO 20 INCHES IN THE MOUNTAINS AROUND COOKE CITY. MARCH 10-20: A PERIOD OF WARMER TEMPERATURES AND RESULTING SNOW MELT...ALONG WITH ICE JAMS ON AREA RIVERS...CAUSED LOW LAND FLOODING IN PARTS OF SOUTHEAST MONTANA. RIVERS AFFECTED INCLUDE THE YELLOWSTONE...BIG HORN...TONGUE...POWDER AND LITTLE MISSOURI. MARCH 22: A BAND OF VERY HEAVY SNOW PRODUCED 1 TO 2 FEET OF ACCUMULATION IN AN AREA FROM HARLOWTON TO BIG TIMBER...REED POINT AND COLUMBUS. THE HIGHEST REPORT WAS A WHOPPING 26 INCHES JUST SOUTHWEST OF REED POINT. THUNDERSNOW WAS REPORTED NEAR RAPELJE AND REED POINT. MARCH 25-26: HEAVY SNOW FELL FROM SHERIDAN INTO EASTERN BIG HORN...SOUTHERN ROSEBUD AND POWDER RIVER COUNTIES. 18 INCHES FELL NEAR RIDGWAY...WITH OTTER RECEIVING 12 INCHES...QUIETUS 10 INCHES AND BROADUS 5 INCHES. MARCH 28: HEAVY SNOW FELL AGAIN FROM SHERIDAN INTO EASTERN BIG HORN...SOUTHERN ROSEBUD AND POWDER RIVER COUNTIES. 14 INCHES FELL JUST NORTHEAST OF SHERIDAN. THE CITY OF SHERIDAN RECEIVED 6 TO 8 INCHES. LAME DEER...BIRNEY AND OTTER RECEIVED 6 INCHES. APRIL 7-8: HEAVY SNOW FELL OVER WESTERN AREAS. AMOUNTS INCLUDED CLYDE PARK 10 INCHES...REED POINT 8 INCHES...RYEGATE 7 INCHES... BIG TIMBER 6 INCHES AND ROUNDUP 5 INCHES. APRIL 18-19: A WIDESPREAD SNOW EVENT PRODUCED 4 TO 12 INCHES OF SNOW ACROSS THE REGION. HEAVIEST AMOUNTS WERE WEST OF BILLINGS AND NEAR THE DAKOTAS BORDER. RED LODGE TO COLUMBUS...ABSAROKEE...REED POINT AND LIVINGSTON RECEIVED 8 TO 12 INCHES. MILES CITY TO BAKER AND EKALAKA RECEIVED 6 TO 10 INCHES. 4 TO 6 INCHES FELL IN THE BILLINGS AREA. APRIL 22: HEAVY WET SNOW FELL OVER LOCALIZED AREAS OF SOUTHEAST MONTANA. 6 TO 12 INCHES WERE REPORTED IN PARTS OF WHEATLAND AND MUSSELSHELL COUNTIES. FURTHER EAST...ACCUMULATION WAS DEPENDENT ON ELEVATION...WITH AMOUNTS RANGING FROM NONE IN THE VALLEYS TO 8 TO 12 INCHES OVER THE HIGHER RIDGES NEAR MILES CITY...BROADUS AND LAME DEER. APRIL 30: BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED IN FALLON COUNTY DUE TO SNOWFALL AND STRONG WINDS. THE PEAK WIND GUST AT BAKER WAS 66 MPH...AND 3 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW FELL IN THE AREA. MAY 6: THE LOW TEMPERATURE AT BILLINGS WAS 45 DEGREES...MARKING THE FIRST TIME A LOW TEMPERATURE OF 40 DEGREES OR MORE WAS OBSERVED SINCE NOVEMBER 7TH 2010. THE STREAK OF 179 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WITH A LOW OF 39 DEGREES OR LOWER WAS A RECORD FOR BILLINGS. MAY 8-10: A SLOW MOVING STORM SYSTEM BROUGHT 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN TO MUCH OF THE REGION...AND WIDESPREAD LOW LAND FLOODING AND ROAD CLOSURES OCCURRED AS A RESULT. IMPACTS INCLUDED FLOODING IN SOUTH BILLINGS ALONG BLUE CREEK...FLOODED HOMES WEST OF LIVINGSTON WHERE RAIN COMBINED WITH SNOW MELT...ROAD CLOSURES BETWEEN ST. XAVIER AND FORT SMITH...EVACUATIONS AND ROAD CLOSURES IN PRYOR. BILLINGS SET DAILY RAINFALL RECORDS ON THE 9TH AND 10TH. HEAVY SNOW ALSO FELL OVER THE MOUNTAINS. MAY 18-25: A PERIOD OF RECORD-SETTING HEAVY RAINFALL PRODUCED SIGNIFICANT FLOODING ACROSS THE AREA. THE WHOPPING WEEK-LONG PRECIPITATION TOTALS INCLUDED 10.89 INCHES AT WOLF MOUNTAIN RAWS EAST OF CROW AGENCY...7.72 INCHES IN THE PRYOR MOUNTAINS...7.55 INCHES IN THE NORTHERN BIG HORN MOUNTAINS...7.41 INCHES NEAR RYEGATE...7.26 INCHES NEAR RED LODGE...7.21 INCHES NEAR RIDGE AND AROUND 7 INCHES ALONG THE ENTIRE BEARTOOTH FRONT. MAY 19-21: DURING THESE 3 DAYS...UP TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN FELL OVER THE PRYOR MOUNTAINS CAUSING EXTENSIVE FLOODING ALONG PRYOR CREEK AND THE BIG HORN RIVER. MAY 21: SEVERE FLOODING BECAME WIDESPREAD. THIS INCLUDED FLOODING ALONG BLUE CREEK IN SOUTH BILLINGS...BRIDGES AND ROADS WASHED OUT ACROSS STILLWATER COUNTY...FLOODING ALONG THE LITTLE MISSOURI AND BOX ELDER CREEKS CAUSING CLOSURES OF HIGHWAYS 277 AND 323... FLOODING ALONG PRYOR CREEK FROM THE TOWN OR PRYOR TO ITS CONFLUENCE WITH THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER...HIGHWAY 313 FLOODED SOUTH OF HARDIN...I-90 CLOSED FROM WEST OF HARDIN TO THE WYOMING STATE LINE DUE TO HIGH WATER ON THE BIG HORN RIVER AND SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IN CROW AGENCY. MAY 22: SEVERAL TOWNS WERE ISOLATED BY HIGH WATER IN BIG HORN COUNTY...INCLUDING LAME DEER...WYOLA AND FORT SMITH. INTERSTATE 90 AND HIGHWAY 212 WERE CLOSED. MAY 23: FLASH FLOODING WAS REPORTED NORTH OF COLUMBUS...WITH A BRIDGE AND SHOP DAMAGED. WATER ROSE 6 TO 7 FEET IN MINUTES. MAY 23-25: FLOODING BECAME SEVERE ALONG THE MUSSELSHELL RIVER FROM RYEGATE TO LAVINA AND ROUNDUP. MUCH OF ROUNDUP WAS UNDER WATER. HIGHWAY 87 INTO ROUNDUP WAS CLOSED...AS WAS PORTIONS OF HIGHWAY 12. MAY 24: HEAVY RAIN FELL IN BILLINGS. A REMARKABLE 3.12 INCHES MEASURED AT THE AIRPORT WAS AN ALL-TIME DAILY PRECIPITATION RECORD. FLASH FLOODING OCCURRED IN THE CITY. ALKALI CREEK FLOODED. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING AND STANDING WATER WAS REPORTED DOWNTOWN... INCLUDING 4TH AVENUE...27TH STREET AND RIMROCK ROAD. MUD AND ROCKS WERE SWEPT FROM THE RIMS TOWARD DOWNTOWN. BASEMENTS FLOODED AND FENCES WERE WASHED OUT. MAY 29-31: MORE SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL OCCURRED. THREE INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN THE MOUNTAINS ABOVE RED LODGE...WITH JUST UNDER 3 INCHES IN THE FOOTHILLS SOUTH OF BIG TIMBER. RIVERS AND STREAMS REMAINED HIGH OR FLOODING ACROSS THE REGION. MAY PRECIPITATION WAS A MONTHLY RECORD AT BILLINGS...WITH 9.54 INCHES. JUNE 1: BILLINGS HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS 75 DEGREES...MAKING THIS THE FIRST DAY WITH A TEMP OF AT LEAST 74...THE LATEST FIRST OCCURRENCE ON RECORD. JUNE 6: AFTER A MONTH OF INTENSE FLOODING...OUR FIRST SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EPISODE OCCURRED. THERE WERE 2 CONFIRMED TORNADOES IN YELLOWSTONE COUNTY. ONE WAS 5 MILES WEST OF MOLT...WHERE A 50 FOOT GRAIN BIN WAS DESTROYED AND OTHER DAMAGE WAS REPORTED. A SECOND TORNADO WAS SPOTTED IN SHEPHERD. ITS BRIEF TOUCHDOWN WAS ABOUT 50 YARDS WIDE AND TOSSED DEBRIS ALONG A 100 YARD PATH. A ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF A GARAGE AND SHED. DEBRIS WAS BLOWN INTO A NEARBY HOUSE CAUSING DAMAGE TO WINDOWS AND SIDING. A HORSE TRAILER WAS TIPPED ON ITS SIDE...AND THERE WAS DAMAGE TO NEARBY POLES. BOTH TORNADOES WERE CLASSIFIED EF-0. OTHERWISE...NEAR RYEGATE... ONE RANCHER LOST 180 HEAD OF CATTLE THAT RAN OFF A CLIFF TO ESCAPE HAIL WHICH WAS AS LARGE AS PING PONG BALLS AND LASTED FOR 50 MINUTES. THIS PARTICULAR STORM PRODUCED UP TO 5 INCHES OF RAIN AND CAUSED FLASH FLOODING AND WASHED OUT ROADS. HAIL AS LARGE AS BASEBALLS FELL NEAR COLUMBUS. OTHER PLACES WHICH OBSERVED INCH OR GREATER HAIL INCLUDED BIG TIMBER...RAPELJE...NYE...ROUNDUP AND MELSTONE. A 64 MPH WIND GUST WAS OBSERVED AT SHERIDAN. A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS SPOTTED JUST WEST OF ROUNDUP...AND THERE WERE SEVERAL FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTS NEAR POMPEYS PILLAR. HEAVY RAINFALL CAUSED ADDITIONAL FLOODING PROBLEMS ALONG THE MUSSELSHELL RIVER. JUNE 11: A BRIEF FUNNEL CLOUD WAS SPOTTED JUST WEST OF BROADUS. UP TO PING PONG BALL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED WITH A SEVERE STORM NEAR RIDGE. JUNE 12: A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EPISODE OCCURRED IN SOUTHEAST MONTANA. A TORNADO NEAR ALBION DESTROYED 3 LARGE GRAIN BINS...TIPPED OVER A MOVING VAN AND KNOCKED DOWN POWER LINES. A STORM CHASER REPORTED THIS TORNADO TO BE APPROXIMATELY 300 YARDS WIDE. BASEBALL TO SOFTBALL SIZE HAIL WAS OBSERVED NEAR BIDDLE. TENNIS BALL HAIL WAS OBSERVED NEAR HAMMOND. GOLF BALL HAIL FELL ON HIGHWAY 212 WEST OF ALZADA. JUNE 15: A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EPISODE OCCURRED. DOWNED TREES CAUSED POWER OUTAGES IN BILLINGS...AND SEVERAL VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED. WIND GUSTS WERE ESTIMATED AT 80 MPH IN HARDIN...WHERE FENCES AND TREES WERE DOWNED...AND THE ROOF TO THE WESTERN MOTEL WAS BLOWN OFF. SEVERAL LARGE TREES WERE UPROOTED AND MANY POWER LINES WERE DOWNED IN HARDIN. WIND GUSTS OF 60 TO 80 MPH WERE ALSO REPORTED NEAR COLSTRIP AND MILES CITY. A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS SPOTTED ABOUT 15 MILES NORTH OF BILLINGS. JUNE 24: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED ONE INCH HAIL NEAR MELVILLE AND COLUMBUS. A WIND GUST TO 61 MPH WAS OBSERVED NEAR OTTER. STRONG WINDS DOWNED A 12 FOOT FENCE NEAR HYSHAM. JULY 2: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL NEAR MEDICINE ROCKS ALONG THE CARTER/FALLON COUNTY LINE. BROKEN WINDOWS AND DAMAGED SIDING WERE REPORTED. JULY 3: SEVERE WEATHER OCCURRED ACROSS THE REGION. STRONG WINDS DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES IN LIVINGSTON. IN BILLINGS...WIND GUSTS RANGED FROM 60 TO 68 MPH AND THERE WERE DAMAGED TREES AND POWER OUTAGES. WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH WERE REPORTED FURTHER EAST NEAR FORSYTH AND VOLBORG. JULY 6: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED UP TO GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAIN WHICH CAUSED FLASH FLOODING IN RED LODGE. DAMAGE WAS REPORTED DUE TO THE HAIL AND FLOODING. ANOTHER STORM PRODUCED GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL ON I-90 AT REED POINT. MINOR FLOODING WAS REPORTED NEAR COLUMBUS. JULY 11: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED IN SHERIDAN COUNTY. ONE INCH HAIL WAS REPORTED NORTH OF SHERIDAN...AND WIND GUSTS OF 60 TO 70 MPH IMPACTED AREAS FROM SHERIDAN TO STORY AND CLEARMONT. COTTONWOOD TREES WERE DAMAGED BY THE STRONG WINDS. JULY 12: THE FLOOD WARNING FOR THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER AT FORSYTH WAS CANCELLED. THIS ENDED A HISTORICALLY LATE PERIOD OF SNOWMELT INDUCED RIVER FLOODING ACROSS THE REGION. LATE SPRING COOL WEATHER AND HIGH ELEVATION SNOWFALL ALLOWED THE MOUNTAIN SNOWPACK TO PERSIST MUCH LATER THAN NORMAL. JULY 14: A WET MICROBURST PRODUCED ESTIMATED 90 MPH WINDS NEAR SHEPHERD. CROP...TREE AND HOUSE DAMAGE WERE REPORTED OVER A 3 SQUARE MILE AREA. OTHER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED AROUND THE REGION...WITH GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED ON THE SOUTH END OF BILLINGS AND LAUREL. A FEW FUNNEL CLOUDS WERE ALSO SPOTTED IN YELLOWSTONE COUNTY. JULY 16: A LONE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED UP TO BASEBALL SIZE HAIL NEAR ROUNDUP. JULY 25: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED UP TO PING BALL SIZE HAIL AND 60 TO 70 MPH WIND GUSTS IN PARTS OF CUSTER...POWDER RIVER AND CARTER COUNTIES. JULY 26: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED QUARTER SIZE HAIL WHICH COVERED I-90 NEAR MILES CITY. JULY 29: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED TENNIS BALL SIZE HAIL EAST OF BAKER AND EKALAKA. AUGUST 5: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED 60 MPH WIND GUSTS AND PEA SIZE HAIL IN THE BILLINGS AREA. AUGUST 9: A SMALL ROPE TORNADO WAS OBSERVED IN THE SHIELDS RIVER VALLEY NEAR WILSALL. NO DAMAGE WAS REPORTED. AUGUST 11: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IMPACTED AREAS FROM WORDEN AND HARDIN EASTWARD. WORST DAMAGE WAS REPORTED JUST NORTH OF HARDIN WHERE WINDS ESTIMATED AT 75 MPH CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO HOMES AND SHEDS...DOWNED POWER LINES AND BROKE NUMEROUS WINDOWS ON VEHICLES. 300 ACRES OF SUGAR BEET CROP WERE DESTROYED. THIS STORM ALSO CAUSED QUARTER INCH HAIL TO ACCUMULATE TO 6 TO 8 INCHES EAST OF HARDIN. ELSEWHERE...60 MPH WIND GUSTS BROKE TREE LIMBS NEAR THE TONGUE RIVER RESERVOIR PARK. AUGUST 15: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED A 61 MPH WIND GUST AT LIVINGSTON AT 4 AM. LATER THAT EVENING...SEVERE STORMS PRODUCED QUARTER TO GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL NEAR RIDGWAY...AND 65 MPH WIND GUSTS NEAR MOORHEAD. AUGUST 21: ABUNDANT LIGHTNING ON THIS DAY CAUSED SOME LARGE FIRES TO IGNITE AROUND THE AREA...IN PARTICULAR THE BLACK SPRINGS COMPLEX NEAR LAME DEER AND THE DIAMOND COMPLEX NEAR ASHLAND. THESE INCIDENTS WERE MOSTLY CONTAINED BY THE END OF THE MONTH. ALSO ON THIS DAY...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED WIND GUSTS OF 60 TO 65 MPH AND BLOWING DUST NEAR RAPELJE...ROUNDUP AND MOLT. AUGUST 24: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED A 61 MPH WIND GUST AT THE BILLINGS AIRPORT. AUGUST 29: MORE LATE SEASON SEVERE WEATHER OCCURRED...INCLUDING 60 MPH WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN NEAR COLUMBUS...LAUREL AND LOCKWOOD. ROOF DAMAGE WAS REPORTED NEAR DELPHIA. AUGUST 31: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED WIND GUSTS TO 65 MPH AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL IN FALLON COUNTY. SEPTEMBER 19: A COLD FRONT PRODUCED STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS ACROSS THE REGION. PEAK WIND GUSTS INCLUDED RIDGWAY 65 MPH...BILLINGS 64 MPH...SHERIDAN AND JUDITH GAP 63 MPH...MILES CITY AND BAKER 56 MPH. A ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF A HOUSE NEAR RYEGATE. SEPTEMBER 22 THROUGH OCTOBER 5: HEAT. SEVERAL DAYS OF RECORD BREAKING HEAT OCCURRED ACROSS THE REGION. BILLINGS HIGH OF 91... MILES CITY 95 AND SHERIDAN 93 ON OCTOBER 1ST WERE RECORD WARMEST FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER. BILLINGS AVERAGE TEMP OF 68.6 DEGREES DURING THE TWO WEEK PERIOD WAS RECORD WARMEST. IT WAS ALSO DRY... AS NO MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION OCCURRED AT BILLINGS...MILES CITY OR SHERIDAN. COOLER WEATHER WITH RAIN FINALLY ARRIVED ON OCTOBER 6TH. OCTOBER 6-7: A SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION EVENT OCCURRED ACROSS THE REGION. THE GREATEST AMOUNTS OCCURRED IN SHERIDAN COUNTY WHERE 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN FELL. MUSSELSHELL COUNTY RECEIVED UP TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN...AND ONE TO TWO INCHES WERE COMMON ELSEWHERE. THE SHERIDAN AIRPORT SET AN OCTOBER DAILY PRECIPITATION RECORD WITH 1.79 INCHES ON THE 7TH. THIS WAS ALSO THE FIRST SNOW EVENT OF THE SEASON FOR THE MOUNTAINS...WITH ACCUMULATION ABOVE 8000 FEET. HEAVIEST SNOW OCCURRED IN THE BIG HORN MOUNTAINS WITH 8 TO 16 INCHES. OCTOBER 25: THE FIRST FREEZE OF THE SEASON AT BILLINGS. THIS WAS THE 5TH LATEST FIRST FREEZE ON RECORD...AND MISSED TYING THE LATEST BY 2 DAYS. NOVEMBER 5: FIRST SNOW FOR MOST OF THE REGION. RED LODGE AND PRYOR RECEIVED 6 INCHES...BILLINGS 3 TO 5 INCHES...AND MANY OTHER AREAS 1 TO 4 INCHES. NOVEMBER 17-19: WIDESPREAD SNOW AFFECTED THE REGION. THE GREATEST AMOUNTS WERE IN THE SOUTH...WITH 9 TO 12 INCHES AT RED LODGE...6 TO 12 INCHES AT SHERIDAN...AND 8 INCHES AT FORT SMITH AND LAME DEER. MOST OTHER AREAS RECEIVED 2 TO 5 INCHES. THE BEARTOOTH ABSAROKA AND BIG HORN MOUNTAINS RECEIVED 12 TO 18 INCHES OF SNOW. NOVEMBER 30 TO DECEMBER 1: UP TO A FOOT OF SNOW FELL OVER THE BEARTOOTH ABSAROKA AND BIG HORN MOUNTAINS...WITH 3 TO 7 INCHES ALONG THEIR NORTH SLOPES. STORY RECEIVED 6 INCHES...SHERIDAN 3 INCHES AND RED LODGE 7 INCHES. DECEMBER 21: HEAVY SNOW FELL OVER THE NORTH SLOPES OF THE BEARTOOTH MOUNTAINS. RED LODGE RECEIVED 11 INCHES...WITH OVER A FOOT ON RED LODGE MOUNTAIN. THE NORTH SLOPES OF THE BIG HORN MOUNTAINS RECEIVED 2 TO 8 INCHES...WITH 10 INCHES AT BURGESS JUNCTION. ONE TO THREE INCHES FELL ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE REGION. DECEMBER 29: VERY STRONG WINDS IMPACTED THE REGION BEHIND A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. A LINE OF SHOWERS PRODUCED SEVERE WIND GUSTS AT COLUMBUS...BILLINGS AND SHERIDAN IN THE MORNING. STRONG WINDS THEN DEVELOPED BY LATE MORNING AND PERSISTED THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. PEAK GUSTS INCLUDED BILLINGS 65 MPH...SHERIDAN 64 MPH...COLUMBUS 67 MPH...LIVINGSTON 70 MPH...ROUNDUP 63 MPH...HARLOWTON 61 MPH AND BIG TIMBER 58 MPH. DECEMBER 30-31: MOIST PACIFIC FLOW PRODUCED UP TO 2 FEET OF SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS NEAR COOKE CITY. AS A COLD FRONT PUSHED ACROSS THE REGION...WET SNOW ACCUMULATED ALONG THE NORTH SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS. RED LODGE RECEIVED 4 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW...STORY 6 INCHES AND THE PARADISE VALLEY 2 TO 3 INCHES.