PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT 615 PM MST TUE DEC 23 2014 ...2014 WEATHER IN REVIEW... THE FOLLOWING IS A WEATHER REVIEW FOR THE BILLINGS FORECAST AREA... WHICH INCLUDES SOUTHEAST MONTANA...PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MONTANA AND SHERIDAN COUNTY WYOMING. THE EARLY PART OF 2014 WILL BE MOST REMEMBERED BY THE SNOW... ESPECIALLY IN FEBRUARY WHEN A RECORD 37 INCHES FELL DURING THE MONTH AT BILLINGS. A COUPLE OF INTENSE BUT SHORT-LIVED COLD SNAPS ALSO IMPACTED THE REGION...ONE IN EARLY FEBRUARY AND THE OTHER IN LATE FEBRUARY AND EARLY MARCH. THE SNOWY WEATHER DURING MID WINTER EVENTUALLY LED TO THE FIRST 100 INCH SEASON ON RECORD AT BILLINGS. A FAST WARM UP OCCURRED IN EARLY MARCH...AND THE COMBINATION OF RAPID LOWER ELEVATION SNOW MELT AND ICE JAMMED RIVERS AND STREAMS CAUSED AREAS OF FLOODING. THE SEVERE WEATHER SEASON BEGAN EARLY WITH A SIGNIFICANT EPISODE ON MAY 18TH. SEVERE WEATHER WAS WIDESPREAD ON THIS DAY BUT THE MOST MEMORABLE EVENT WAS THE LARGE HAIL THAT OCCURRED IN THE BILLINGS METRO AREA. MANY HOMES AND VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED FROM THE LARGE HAIL WHICH RANGED FROM GOLF BALL TO BASEBALL SIZE. ON JUNE 17TH...THE STRONGEST TORNADO TO EVER HIT THE BILLINGS FORECAST AREA...AN EF-3...OCCURRED NEAR CAPITOL IN CARTER COUNTY. THE TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND CAUSED SOME DAMAGE IN THE AREA. THE SEVERE WEATHER SEASON QUIETED DOWN BY LATE JUNE AND THE REMAINDER OF THE SUMMER WAS FAIRLY QUIET IN TERMS OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. AN EARLY SEASON SNOW OCCURRED IN MID SEPTEMBER WITH THE EAST SLOPES OF THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS PICKING UP SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW. SNOWFALL DURING THE FALL AND EARLY WINTER WAS CLOSE TO NORMAL. OVERALL...TEMPERATURES AND PRECIPITATION WERE CLOSE TO NORMAL ACROSS THE REGION IN 2014. SEVERAL NEW RECORDS WERE ESTABLISHED ACROSS THE AREA DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF DAILY RECORDS EITHER TIED OR BROKEN AT OUR FOUR MAIN CLIMATE SITES. RECORDS GO BACK TO 1934 AT BILLINGS...1937 AT MILES CITY...1907 AT SHERIDAN AND 1948 AT LIVINGSTON. ...BILLINGS... RECORD HIGH TEMPS: 92 ON SEPTEMBER 25 61 ON NOVEMBER 28 60 ON DECEMBER 13 RECORD LOW TEMPS: -19 ON FEBRUARY 5 -23 ON FEBRUARY 6 -18 ON MARCH 1 -21 ON MARCH 2 30 ON SEPTEMBER 12 RECORD PRECIPITATION: 0.18 INCHES ON JANUARY 4 0.22 INCHES ON JANUARY 31 0.30 INCHES ON MARCH 10 0.62 INCHES ON AUGUST 23 0.27 INCHES ON DECEMBER 14 RECORD SNOWFALL: 5.0 INCHES ON JANUARY 1 3.8 INCHES ON JANUARY 4 5.2 INCHES ON JANUARY 30 8.8 INCHES ON FEBRUARY 23 7.3 INCHES ON FEBRUARY 28 2.7 INCHES ON MARCH 10 6.2 INCHES ON NOVEMBER 26 4.4 INCHES ON NOVEMBER 29 ...MILES CITY... RECORD HIGH TEMPS: 97 ON SEPTEMBER 25 54 ON DECEMBER 13 RECORD LOW TEMPS: -25 ON JANUARY 6 -19 ON MARCH 2 4 ON APRIL 1 29 ON SEPTEMBER 12 -17 ON NOVEMBER 14 RECORD PRECIPITATION: 0.34 INCHES ON MARCH 10 0.99 INCHES ON MAY 31 2.08 INCHES ON JUNE 26 ...SHERIDAN... RECORD HIGH TEMPS: 93 ON MAY 28 93 ON SEPTEMBER 25 94 ON SEPTEMBER 26 63 ON NOVEMBER 28 RECORD LOW TEMPS: -25 ON FEBRUARY 5 -28 ON FEBRUARY 6 45 ON JULY 27 18 ON SEPTEMBER 12 20 ON OCTOBER 3 RECORD PRECIPITATION: 0.35 INCHES ON MARCH 11 0.48 INCHES ON JULY 21 ...LIVINGSTON... RECORD HIGH TEMPS: 91 ON SEPTEMBER 25 78 ON OCTOBER 20 74 ON OCTOBER 31 64 ON DECEMBER 12 57 ON DECEMBER 13 RECORD LOW TEMPS: -30 ON FEBRUARY 6 -14 ON MARCH 1 32 ON MAY 30 38 ON JULY 1 21 ON SEPTEMBER 12 -9 ON NOVEMBER 11 -21 ON NOVEMBER 12 -13 ON NOVEMBER 30 RECORD PRECIPITATION: 0.20 INCHES ON MARCH 6 0.93 INCHES ON MARCH 10 1.23 INCHES ON AUGUST 23 0.38 INCHES ON NOVEMBER 25 THE FOLLOWING IS A CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF SIGNIFICANT OR NOTEWORTHY WEATHER EVENTS THAT OCCURRED ACROSS THE REGION IN 2014. JANUARY 1: A SNOW EVENT ON NEW YEARS EVE INTO NEW YEARS DAY WITH A LARGE AREA OF 5-9 INCHES IN CENTRAL PARTS...AND 2-4 INCHES IN SOUTHEAST MONTANA. BILLINGS PICKED UP 6 INCHES. DAYTON RECEIVED 11 INCHES AND STORY 10 INCHES. JANUARY 2-3: STRONG WINDS IMPACTED THE FOOTHILLS AND SOME OTHER LOCATIONS. PEAK GUSTS INCLUDED: STILLWATER MINE 86 MPH...LIVINGSTON 78 MPH...SHERIDAN 66 MPH...MILES CITY 64 MPH AND HARLOWTON 60 MPH. JANUARY 4-5: A SNOW EVENT OCCURRED OVER OUR CENTRAL AND WEST. AMOUNTS INCLUDED: RED LODGE 6-9 INCHES...HARDIN 6 INCHES... LIVINGSTON 5 INCHES AND BILLINGS 4 INCHES. JANUARY 11: STRONG WINDS OCCURRED ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS. PEAK GUSTS INCLUDED: LIVINGSTON 78 MPH...DERBY MOUNTAIN 77 MPH...10 MILES NORTH OF BIG TIMBER 76 MPH...MOUNTAINS ABOVE RED LODGE 76 MPH...ROSCOE AND RED LODGE 60 MPH. JANUARY 13: A HISTORIC WINDY DAY ACROSS THE LOWER ELEVATIONS...WITH MUCH OF THE AREA OBSERVING GUSTS OF 60-70 MPH FOR SEVERAL HOURS. BILLINGS REPORTED A PEAK GUST OF 67 MPH AND AN AVERAGE WIND FOR THE DAY OF 33.0 MPH...MAKING THIS ITS WINDIEST DAY ON RECORD. A COLD FRONT SHIFTED THE WINDS DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. JANUARY 13-14: HEAVY SNOW FELL ALONG THE SOUTHERN FOOTHILLS DURING THE NIGHT OF THE 13TH AND EARLY MORNING OF THE 14TH. AMOUNTS INCLUDED: RED LODGE 13 INCHES...FROMBERG 12 INCHES...BRIDGER 10 INCHES...ABSAROKEE 7 INCHES...JOLIET AND PRYOR 6 INCHES...RANCHESTER 5 INCHES. JANUARY 15: ANOTHER ROUND OF STRONG WINDS FOR THE WESTERN FOOTHILLS. PEAK GUSTS INCLUDED: HARLOWTON 66 MPH...ROUNDUP 61 MPH...BIG TIMBER AND REED POINT 60 MPH. RED LODGE MOUNTAIN EXPERIENCED UP TO 70 MPH WIND GUSTS. JANUARY 26: RED LODGE RECEIVED 11 INCHES OF SNOW. JANUARY 29 - FEBRUARY 1: TWO SEPARATE SNOW EVENTS BROUGHT SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW TO MUCH OF THE REGION. MANY AREAS RECEIVED 4-8 INCHES OF SNOWFALL. BILLINGS PICKED UP 10.7 INCHES...DUE IN LARGE PART TO A VERY NARROW BAND OF HEAVY SNOW ON THE NIGHT OF THE 31ST WHICH IMPACTED THE CITY BUT NOT LAUREL AND HUNTLEY. FEBRUARY 6: A VERY COLD AIRMASS SETTLED OVER THE REGION BRINGING RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES. BILLINGS -23...SHERIDAN -28 AND LIVINGSTON -30 WERE ALL DAILY RECORD LOWS...AND THE 23 BELOW AT BILLINGS WAS THE COLDEST RECORDED TEMPERATURE AT THE AIRPORT SINCE JANUARY 1997. HIGHS OF -7 AT MILES CITY AND -5 AT LIVINGSTON WERE RECORD COLD HIGHS FOR THE DAY. ELSEWHERE...POMPEYS PILLAR DROPPED TO 35 BELOW AND AN OBSERVER 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ROUNDUP REPORTED 36 BELOW ZERO. FEBRUARY 8-9: A LARGE AREA OF 4-8 INCHES OF SNOW OCCURRED FROM BILLINGS AND SHERIDAN WESTWARD. HIGHER AMOUNTS INCLUDED: MYSTIC LAKE 10 INCHES...COLUMBUS AND BIG TIMBER 9 INCHES. FEBRUARY 12: A WINDY DAY ACROSS THE REGION...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS. PEAK GUSTS INCLUDED: DAYTON 77 MPH... LIVINGSTON 76 MPH...AND NEAR 60 MPH AT JUDITH GAP...HARLOWTON... ROSCOE...BIG TIMBER...MELVILLE AND FISHTAIL. FEBRUARY 10-19: THIS WAS A GENERALLY WINDY AND WARM PERIOD THAT MELTED THE LOWER ELEVATION SNOW COVER. LIVINGSTON RECORDED A PEAK GUST OF AT LEAST 60 MPH ON 8 OF 10 DAYS. FEBRUARY 22 - MARCH 1: A REMARKABLY SNOWY PERIOD OF WEATHER. BILLINGS RECEIVED 26.4 INCHES OF SNOW...WITH TWO MAJOR SNOW EVENTS INCLUDING 8.8 INCHES ON THE 23RD AND 7.3 INCHES ON THE 28TH. SNOW AMOUNTS FROM THE 23RD-25TH INCLUDED: BIG TIMBER 19 INCHES...CLYDE PARK 17 INCHES...SHEPHERD AND ABSAROKEE 16 INCHES...RYEGATE AND ROUNDUP 15 INCHES...HARLOWTON 14 INCHES. SNOW AMOUNTS FROM FEBRUARY 27TH THROUGH MARCH 1ST INCLUDED: 26 INCHES NEAR ROUNDUP AND MYSTIC LAKE...20 INCHES NEAR FORT SMITH AND RYEGATE...18 INCHES AT TWODOT...17 INCHES AT BIG TIMBER...15 INCHES AT MOLT AND 13 INCHES AT BILLINGS. GUSTY WINDS AND FLUFFY SNOW RESULTED IN WIDESPREAD BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW DURING THE LATTER EVENT. MARCH 1-3: A BITTER COLD SNAP FOR EARLY MARCH. BILLINGS -21 ON THE 2ND WAS THE LATEST EVER OCCURRENCE OF 20 BELOW OR COLDER. THIS WAS ALSO THE 3RD TIME BILLINGS REACHED 20 BELOW DURING THIS WINTER. HARDIN AND BROADUS REACHED -29...HUNTLEY -27...JOLIET -25...ROUNDUP -24...COLUMBUS AND RED LODGE -22...MILES CITY -19. MARCH 5-12: COMBINATION OF RAPID LOWER ELEVATION SNOW MELT...ICE JAMMED RIVERS AND FROZEN GROUND RESULTED IN AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF FLOODING ACROSS PARTS OF THE REGION. LOCATIONS WHICH WERE HIT PARTICULARLY HARD INCLUDED LIVINGSTON AND ROUNDUP. MARCH 10-11: ANOTHER SNOW EVENT BROUGHT SEVERAL INCHES OF ACCUMULATION ACROSS THE WEST AND OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS. OVER 20 INCHES FELL OVER THE CRAZY...BEARTOOTH AND ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS. OTHER AMOUNTS INCLUDED: MCLEOD 13 INCHES...CLYDE PARK 12 INCHES...RED LODGE 10 INCHES...HARLOWTON 10 INCHES...LIVINGSTON 8 INCHES AND REED POINT 8 INCHES. MARCH 17-18: HEAVY SNOW FELL ALONG THE MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS... INCLUDING BURGESS JUNCTION 20 INCHES...STORY 13 INCHES...LUTHER 13 INCHES...RED LODGE AND NYE 10 INCHES...SHERIDAN 4 INCHES. MARCH 26-27: RED LODGE PICKED UP 10 INCHES OF SNOW...COLUMBUS AND REED POINT 7 INCHES. MARCH 30-31: WIDESPREAD SNOWFALL IMPACTED THE REGION...WITH GREATEST AMOUNTS ALONG THE FOOTHILLS AND IN SOUTHEAST MONTANA. AMOUNTS INCLUDED: MYSTIC LAKE 22 INCHES...RED LODGE 12-18 INCHES...EKALAKA 12 INCHES...PLEVNA 12 INCHES...LAME DEER 11 INCHES...STORY 10 INCHES...VOLBORG 8 INCHES AND LIVINGSTON 7 INCHES. APRIL 9: A LINE OF SHOWERS PRODUCED AN AREA OF STRONG WINDS IN FAR SOUTHEAST MONTANA...INCLUDING A 65 MPH GUST AT BAKER. APRIL 12-13: ONE TO TWO FEET OF SNOW FELL OVER THE MOUNTAINS. SOME LOWER ELEVATION AMOUNTS INCLUDED: RED LODGE AND STORY 8-14 INCHES...ABSAROKEE 6 INCHES AND SHERIDAN 3-6 INCHES. APRIL 26-27: A MOIST AND UNSTABLE WEATHER SYSTEM FROM THE SOUTH BROUGHT UP TO TWO INCHES OF PRECIPITATION TO THE BEARTOOTH ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS AND FOOTHILLS...IN THE FORM OF RAIN AND WET SNOW. A BAND OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION IMPACTED STILLWATER COUNTY AS WELL...WITH OVER TWO INCHES OF RAIN REPORTED AT PARK CITY AND NEAR TWO INCHES AT COLUMBUS. RED LODGE PICKED UP BETWEEN 4 AND 12 INCHES OF WET SNOW DURING THIS EVENT. APRIL 27-28: A SLOW MOVING WEATHER SYSTEM IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS BROUGHT A MIX OF RAIN AND WET SNOW TO SOUTHEAST MONTANA. PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WERE NEAR AN INCH FROM MIZPAH TO BAKER... EKALAKA...HAMMOND AND BOYES. THE HIGH TERRAIN IN SOUTHWEST CARTER COUNTY RECEIVED 4 TO 10 INCHES OF WET SNOWFALL. MAY 6-7: A PERIOD OF COOL AND WET WEATHER WITH SOME SNOW ACCUMULATION OVER WESTERN AND SOUTHERN PARTS. SNOW AMOUNTS INCLUDED: RED LODGE 6 INCHES...WILSALL 4 INCHES...BIG TIMBER 3 INCHES AND BILLINGS 2 INCHES. MANY LOCATIONS RECEIVED AN INCH OR MORE OF TOTAL PRECIPITATION...AND HARDIN REPORTED OVER TWO INCHES. MAY 18: THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EVENT OF THE SEASON. MAIN SWATH OF SEVERE STORMS TRACKED FROM NEAR LIVINGSTON AND BIG TIMBER TO BILLINGS...HARDIN...ASHLAND AND BROADUS. LARGE HAIL OCCURRED IN THESE AREAS. THE CITY OF BILLINGS TOOK A DIRECT HIT BY A SEVERE STORM THAT PRODUCED GOLF BALL TO BASEBALL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH. BASEBALL SIZE HAIL WAS ALSO REPORTED NEAR COLSTRIP. DAMAGE TO HOUSES AND CARS WAS COMMON ACROSS BILLINGS. FURTHER EAST...AN EF-0 TORNADO OCCURRED NEAR BELLE CREEK IN POWDER RIVER COUNTY...WITH NO DAMAGE REPORTED. MAY 26: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED A 75 MPH WIND GUST AT THE BILLINGS AIRPORT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE REPORTED. MAY 28: A THUNDERSTORM MOVING OFF THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS PRODUCED A 75 MPH WIND GUST AT THE SHERIDAN AIRPORT. NUMEROUS TREES WERE DOWNED IN THE CITY CAUSING A POWER OUTAGE. TWO SEMI TRUCKS WERE OVERTURNED ON I-90. MAY 31: SEVERE WEATHER IMPACTED SOUTHEAST MONTANA. A BRIEF ROPE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN OPEN FIELDS NEAR BASCOM IN ROSEBUD COUNTY. ANOTHER EF-0 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN BRIEFLY NEAR VOLBORG. NO DAMAGE WAS REPORTED WITH EITHER TORNADO. GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED AT BIRNEY. A 59 MPH WIND GUST WAS OBSERVED AT THE MILES CITY AIRPORT. JUNE 3: MORE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED ON THIS DAY. NEAR SHAWMUT...A STORM PRODUCED QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND FLASH FLOODING ON HIGHWAY 12. ANOTHER STORM PRODUCED PING PONG BALL SIZE HAIL NEAR COLSTRIP. QUARTER SIZE HAIL FELL AT FORSYTH. JUNE 4: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IMPACTED SHERIDAN COUNTY AND SOUTHEAST MONTANA. GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED NORTHEAST OF SHERIDAN. GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL TURNED THE HILLS WHITE NEAR ALBION. LARGE HAIL BROKE WINDOWS SOUTH OF BIDDLE. A 67 MPH WIND GUST WAS OBSERVED NEAR MOORHEAD. JUNE 17: THE STRONGEST TORNADO EVER RECORDED IN THE BILLINGS FORECAST AREA OCCURRED...AN EF-3 NORTHWEST OF CAPITOL IN CARTER COUNTY. THE TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND FOR AN HOUR...TRAVELED 10 MILES AND WAS REPORTED TO BE A HALF MILE WIDE AT TIMES. DAMAGE INCLUDED: MOBILE HOME AND OLD SCHOOL HOUSE DESTROYED...SIX VEHICLES TOSSED 100 TO 200 YARDS...POWER POLES SNAPPED AND TREE DAMAGE IN CUSTER NATIONAL FOREST. THERE WERE NO DEATHS OR INJURIES...BUT TWO HORSES WERE KILLED AND SOME CATTLE MAY HAVE BEEN INJURED. BASED ON THE DAMAGE...WINDS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE 136 TO 165 MPH. ALSO ON THIS DATE...LARGE HAIL...STRONG WINDS AND FLASH FLOODING OCCURRED IN OTHER PARTS OF SOUTHEAST MONTANA. A STORM PRODUCED 3.5 INCH DIAMETER HAIL AND FLASH FLOODING NEAR ISMAY. ROADS WERE WASHED OUT NEAR WESTMORE. TWO INCH DIAMETER HAIL WAS REPORTED NEAR RIDGEWAY. JUNE 26: SOME SEVERE WEATHER OCCURRED. GOLF BALL HAIL ACCUMULATED TO A COUPLE INCHES NEAR MELVILLE...A 65 MPH WIND GUST OCCURRED NEAR PLEVNA...AND HEAVY RAIN PRODUCED FLASH FLOODING IN MILES CITY. THE MILES CITY AIRPORT PICKED UP 2.08 INCHES OF RAIN...A RECORD FOR THE DAY AND 12TH WETTEST DAY IN ITS HISTORY. JUNE 27 - JULY 21: NO SEVERE WEATHER OCCURRED FOR OVER THREE WEEKS...UNUSUAL FOR WHAT IS TYPICALLY A BUSY TIME OF YEAR. JULY 22: SEVERE WEATHER IMPACTED MUCH OF THE AREA. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF TENNIS BALLS AND STRONG WINDS HIT PARTS OF FALLON AND CARTER COUNTIES...CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO HOUSES...CARS AND CROPS. ESTIMATED 80 MPH WIND GUSTS NEAR PLEVNA DESTROYED LARGE WATER TANKS. STRONG THUNDERSTORM WINDS CAUSED A POWER OUTAGE IN ABSAROKEE AND DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES IN COLUMBUS. THE SAME STORM PRODUCED 60- 70 MPH WIND GUSTS IN THE BILLINGS AREA. AT TONGUE RIVER RESERVOIR... ESTIMATED 65-80 MPH GUSTS DAMAGED CAMPERS. JULY 24: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED 60 MPH WIND GUSTS AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL AT ALZADA. ANOTHER STORM PRODUCED WIND GUSTS JUST UNDER 60 MPH NEAR FORSYTH AND MILES CITY. AUGUST 16: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED A 64 MPH WIND GUST AT THE BAKER AIRPORT. THIS STORM UPROOTED AN 18 INCH TREE IN BAKER AND CAUSED ROOF DAMAGE AT THE FIREHOUSE. WINDS WERE VERY LOCALIZED... POSSIBLY DUE TO A MICROBURST. AUGUST 21: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE IN EKALAKA...LIKELY DUE TO A MICROBURST. LARGE COTTONWOOD TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN...TRAILER OVERTURNED...POWER LINES DOWNED...HANGAR AND AIRPLANE DAMAGED AT AIRPORT. ANOTHER STORM PRODUCED A 76 MPH WIND GUST 12 MILES SOUTH OF RIDGEWAY. AUGUST 22: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL AND WIND DAMAGE IN EPSIE. DAMAGE INCLUDED: METAL ROOF BLOWN OFF SHED AND CARRIED BY WIND THROUGH CORRALS...DOOR BLOWN OFF OTHER SHED. AUGUST 21-24: A SLOW-MOVING STORM SYSTEM PRODUCED SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION. GREATEST AMOUNTS FELL IN GOLDEN VALLEY...MUSSELSHELL...TREASURE AND NORTHERN ROSEBUD COUNTIES WHERE 5 TO 7 INCHES OF RAIN FELL. THIS WAS THE MOST EVER FOR A SINGLE EVENT IN THIS AREA...AND WAS ESTIMATED TO BE A ONCE-IN-100-YEARS RAIN EVENT. JUST OVER 7 INCHES OF RAIN FELL NEAR ROUNDUP. THERE WAS SOME LOW LAND FLOODING BUT SIGNIFICANT FLOODING WAS AVOIDED AS WATER WAS ABLE TO SOAK INTO THE VERY DRY GROUND. AUGUST 21-25: TEMPS AT BILLINGS STAYED UNDER 70 DEGREES FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE DAYS...A RECORD FOR JULY AND AUGUST. SEPTEMBER 10-12: A COLD CANADIAN AIRMASS SURGED INTO THE REGION BRINGING MANY FOOTHILLS LOCATIONS A VERY EARLY SEASON SNOW EVENT ON THE 10TH-11TH...AND RECORD COLD TEMPS ON THE 12TH. STORY PICKED UP AS MUCH AS 14 INCHES OF SNOW. OTHER AMOUNTS INCLUDED: BIG HORN 12 INCHES...SHERIDAN 4-8 INCHES...RED LODGE 3-6 INCHES...MCLEOD 5 INCHES...LIVINGSTON 1 INCH. SHERIDAN FELL TO 18 DEGREES ON THE MORNING OF THE 12TH...THE COLDEST TEMP EVER RECORDED SO EARLY IN THE SEASON. MOST AREAS SAW THEIR FIRST FREEZE OF THE SEASON ON THE 12TH. SEPTEMBER 24-26: HOT WEATHER...WITH HIGH TEMPS IN THE UPPER 80S AND 90S. MILES CITY REACHED 97 ON THE 25TH...THE LATEST IN THE YEAR IT HAS EVER BEEN SO HOT. SHERIDAN REACHED 93 AND 94 ON THE 25TH AND 26TH...BOTH DAILY RECORDS. OCTOBER: A WARM AND DRY MONTH. FOR BILLINGS IT WAS THE 5TH WARMEST AND 6TH DRIEST OCTOBER ON RECORD...WITH NO MEASURABLE SNOWFALL. NOVEMBER 9-11: SNOW EVENT BROUGHT AS MUCH AS 10-14 INCHES TO THE STORY...NYE...ABSAROKEE AND RED LODGE AREAS. LESSER AMOUNTS FELL AWAY FROM THE FOOTHILLS: JOLIET 8 INCHES...COLUMBUS 6 INCHES...FORT SMITH AND SHERIDAN 5 INCHES. COUPLED WITH A HARD AND FAST FREEZE ON THE NIGHT OF THE 9TH...TRAVEL CONDITIONS BECAME QUITE HAZARDOUS. NOVEMBER 10-15: COLD SNAP BROUGHT MUCH BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES TO THE REGION...COLD ENOUGH FOR SOME ICE TO FORM ON AREA RIVERS. LIVINGSTON FELL TO -21 AND -23 ON THE 12TH AND 13TH...AND THE 12TH WAS THE EARLIEST 20 BELOW TEMP ON RECORD. BILLINGS FELL BELOW ZERO ON FOUR STRAIGHT DAYS FROM THE 11TH THROUGH 14TH. NOVEMBER 25-26: ACCUMULATING SNOW FELL ACROSS THE REGION: RED LODGE AND STORY 14 INCHES...ABSAROKEE 12 INCHES...LIVINGSTON 9 INCHES... BIG TIMBER 8 INCHES...COLUMBUS 8 INCHES AND BILLINGS 6 INCHES. NOVEMBER 29-30: AN ARCTIC FRONT MOVED THROUGH THE REGION BRINGING A RAPID TEMPERATURE DROP ALONG WITH ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL. THE TEMP AT BILLINGS FELL ABOUT 60 DEGREES IN 24 HOURS. PRIOR TO THE FRONTAL PASSAGE...AREAS ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS INCLUDING SHERIDAN EXPERIENCED WIND GUSTS OF 60-70 MPH FOR SEVERAL HOURS DURING THE NIGHT. AS FOR SNOWFALL...RED LODGE AND FORT SMITH PICKED UP ABOUT 15 INCHES...MCLEOD 8 INCHES...LIVINGSTON AND WILSALL 6-8 INCHES...COLUMBUS 5 INCHES AND BILLINGS 3-4 INCHES. DECEMBER 21: A WINDY DAY ACROSS OUR WESTERN AND CENTRAL AREAS. STRONGEST WINDS OCCURRED IN WHEATLAND COUNTY WITH GUSTS OF 60-70 MPH NEAR HARLOWTON. A 68 MPH GUST WAS OBSERVED AT ABERDEEN HILL ON I-90. GUSTS AROUND 60 MPH OCCURRED NEAR WILSALL...MELVILLE...MOLT... COLUMBUS AND BILLINGS.