PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BILLINGS MT 559 AM MST SUN DEC 27 2015 ...2015 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. 2015 WAS A WARM YEAR ACROSS THE REGION WITH PRECIPITATION RANGING FROM ABOVE NORMAL IN OUR WEST AND SOUTH...TO BELOW NORMAL IN THE EAST. IN TERMS OF AVERAGE TEMPERATURE...IT WAS A TOP 5 WARMEST YEAR ON RECORD AT BILLINGS AND LIVINGSTON...AND TOP 10 WARMEST YEAR AT SHERIDAN AND MILES CITY. MANY MORE RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES WERE SET THAN RECORD LOWS. IN FACT...BILLINGS SET OR TIED 16 RECORD HIGHS OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR BUT NO RECORD LOWS. MARCH WAS A PARTICULARLY WARM MONTH AND LED TO A VERY EARLY MOUNTAIN SNOW MELT IN THE SPRING. THE FIRST SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OF THE SEASON PRODUCED LARGE HAIL NORTH OF HARDIN ON MAY 16TH. THE SEVERE WEATHER SEASON WAS ACTIVE FOR A SHORT TIME...THEN QUIETED DOWN CONSIDERABLY WITH VERY FEW SEVERE STORMS OCCURRING AFTER JULY 1ST. THOUGH IT WAS A WARM SUMMER...BILLINGS FAILED TO REACH 100 DEGREES FOR THE 2ND TIME IN THE LAST 3 YEARS. AN UNSEASONABLY COOL AIRMASS RESULTED IN A VERY EARLY FREEZE ON THE MORNING OF AUGUST 23RD AT LIVINGSTON AND SHERIDAN. SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER WERE QUITE MILD...AND BILLINGS DID NOT SEE ITS FIRST FREEZE UNTIL OCTOBER 28TH...THE LATEST FIRST FREEZE ON RECORD. 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: 63 ON JANUARY 25 59 ON JANUARY 26 67 ON JANUARY 27 69 ON FEBRUARY 6 64 ON FEBRUARY 12 66 ON FEBRUARY 14 71 ON MARCH 14 75 ON MARCH 15 77 ON MARCH 27 80 ON MARCH 28 80 ON APRIL 14 93 ON SEPTEMBER 12 92 ON SEPTEMBER 13 95 ON SEPTEMBER 25 93 ON SEPTEMBER 26 87 ON OCTOBER 10 RECORD LOW TEMPS: NONE RECORD PRECIPITATION: 1.11 INCHES ON APRIL 15 RECORD SNOWFALL: 6.0 INCHES ON JANUARY 3 6.2 INCHES ON DECEMBER 14 ...MILES CITY... RECORD HIGH TEMPS: 58 ON JANUARY 26 61 ON JANUARY 27 60 ON FEBRUARY 13 75 ON MARCH 14 83 ON MARCH 28 84 ON APRIL 14 105 ON AUGUST 14 102 ON SEPTEMBER 2 97 ON SEPTEMBER 25 95 ON SEPTEMBER 26 91 ON OCTOBER 10 57 ON DECEMBER 7 RECORD LOW TEMPS: 30 ON MAY 18 35 ON AUGUST 23 RECORD PRECIPITATION: 0.15 INCHES ON JANUARY 5 0.69 INCHES ON JUNE 19 ...LIVINGSTON... RECORD HIGH TEMPS: 53 ON JANUARY 18 59 ON JANUARY 25 65 ON JANUARY 26 64 ON JANUARY 27 65 ON FEBRUARY 6 63 ON FEBRUARY 13 64 ON FEBRUARY 14 57 ON FEBRUARY 18 70 ON MARCH 21 74 ON MARCH 27 93 ON JUNE 9 96 ON JUNE 27 98 ON JUNE 28 99 ON JUNE 29 92 ON SEPTEMBER 13 93 ON SEPTEMBER 25 82 ON OCTOBER 9 RECORD LOW TEMPS: -13 ON FEBRUARY 22 20 ON MAY 10 34 ON AUGUST 22 30 ON AUGUST 23 RECORD PRECIPITATION: 0.27 INCHES ON FEBRUARY 15 1.32 INCHES ON MAY 16 0.41 INCHES ON SEPTEMBER 16 0.46 INCHES ON OCTOBER 19 0.36 INCHES ON NOVEMBER 3 0.44 INCHES ON DECEMBER 14 0.28 INCHES ON DECEMBER 19 ...SHERIDAN... RECORD HIGH TEMPS: 66 ON JANUARY 26 58 ON JANUARY 27 72 ON FEBRUARY 6 68 ON FEBRUARY 7 77 ON MARCH 14 76 ON MARCH 15 80 ON MARCH 28 104 ON AUGUST 14 90 ON SEPTEMBER 24 94 ON SEPTEMBER 25 97 ON SEPTEMBER 26 91 ON OCTOBER 10 69 ON DECEMBER 9 RECORD LOW TEMPS: 39 ON AUGUST 19 30 ON AUGUST 23 RECORD PRECIPITATION: 0.38 INCHES ON FEBRUARY 15 1.74 INCHES ON MAY 24 0.83 INCHES ON JUNE 10 THE FOLLOWING IS A CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF SIGNIFICANT OR NOTEWORTHY WEATHER EVENTS THAT OCCURRED ACROSS THE REGION IN 2015. JANUARY 2-6: A SERIES OF SNOW EVENTS IMPACTED THE REGION. THE BILLINGS AREA RECEIVED A FOOT TO FOOT AND A HALF OF SNOW. OTHER AMOUNTS OVER THE 5-DAY PERIOD INCLUDED: FORT SMITH 16 INCHES...BIG TIMBER AND HARDIN 12 INCHES...KLEIN 11 INCHES AND JOLIET 10 INCHES. JANUARY 25-27: A VERY WARM 3-DAY STRETCH. MANY RECORD HIGHS AND WARM LOWS WERE SET OR TIED. BILLINGS REACHED 67 DEGREES ON THE 27TH...THE 2ND WARMEST JANUARY TEMP ON RECORD. SOME LOCATIONS REACHED 70 DEGREES INCLUDING BROADUS...PRYOR...YELLOWTAIL DAM AND BIGHORN. JANUARY 24-28: BILLINGS FAILED TO DROP BELOW 35 DEGREES FOR FIVE STRAIGHT DAYS...A JANUARY RECORD. JANUARY 31: A SNOW EVENT PRODUCED 5 TO 7 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION AT RED LODGE AND NEAR COLUMBUS...PARK CITY AND JOLIET. FEBRUARY 7: STRONG WINDS IMPACTED THE FOOTHILLS. POWER POLE AND TREE DAMAGE WAS REPORTED AT BIG TIMBER WHERE GUSTS REACHED 70 MPH...AND THERE WAS A WILDFIRE NORTH OF BIG TIMBER. TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN ON A HOUSE IN RED LODGE...WHERE GUSTS OCCASIONALLY EXCEEDED 60 MPH. A GUST OF 73 MPH WAS OBSERVED NEAR DAYTON. GUSTS IN THE 60S OCCURRED AT LIVINGSTON...JUDITH GAP...ROSCOE AND FISHTAIL. FEBRUARY 6-14: A VERY WARM STRETCH OF WEATHER. BILLINGS HIGH TEMP WAS IN THE 60S SIX TIMES...AND THE AVERAGE TEMP OF 46.8 DEGREES WAS A RECORD FOR THIS SPECIFIC 9-DAY PERIOD. MANY RECORD HIGH AND WARM LOW TEMPS WERE BROKEN ACROSS THE AREA. SHERIDAN REACHED A WHOPPING 72 DEGREES ON THE 6TH. FEBRUARY 14-17: A PERIOD OF SNOWY WEATHER ALONG THE FOOTHILLS. TOTAL SNOW AMOUNTS INCLUDED: 14 TO 18 INCHES AT STORY...12 TO 17 INCHES NEAR RED LODGE...11 INCHES AT BIGHORN AND 4 TO 7 INCHES AT SHERIDAN. FEBRUARY 20-22: MORE SNOWY WEATHER FOR THE FOOTHILLS. RED LODGE PICKED UP AROUND 15 INCHES...STORY 15 TO 20 INCHES...SPRINGDALE 10 INCHES...NYE AND MCLEOD 8 INCHES...FISHTAIL 6 INCHES. FEBRUARY 25-26: A SNOW EVENT IMPACTED THE AREA...HEAVIEST ALONG THE NORTH SLOPES OF THE MOUNTAINS. AMOUNTS INCLUDED: RED LODGE 10 INCHES...STORY 8 INCHES...ASHLAND 3 INCHES. MARCH 2-3: MORE SNOW FOR THE FOOTHILLS: RED LODGE 14 INCHES... STORY 11 INCHES...SHERIDAN AND ABSAROKEE 5 INCHES. MARCH 28: A VERY HOT AND DRY DAY WITH A STRONG COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE DURING THE AFTERNOON RESULTED IN A CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER DAY WITH SEVERAL FIRE STARTS. INTERSTATE 90 WAS CLOSED BETWEEN PARK CITY AND COLUMBUS DUE TO A WILDFIRE. ANOTHER FIRE THREATENED HOMES NEAR RED LODGE...AND SKIERS WERE ESCORTED OFF THE MOUNTAIN. BILLINGS (80)...SHERIDAN (80)...AND MILES CITY (83) EACH SET RECORD HIGHS SO EARLY IN THE SEASON. PEAK WIND GUSTS TOPPED 60 MPH ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA...INCLUDING 74 MPH NEAR COLUMBUS...73 MPH AT BILLINGS...71 MPH AT ROCK SPRINGS AND 68 MPH AT MILES CITY. APRIL 6: AN AREA OF HEAVY SNOWFALL IMPACTED PARK...SWEET GRASS AND WHEATLAND COUNTIES. UP TO 13 INCHES OF SNOW FELL JUST WEST OF MELVILLE. OTHER AMOUNTS INCLUDED: 8 INCHES AT SPRINGDALE...7 INCHES AT MCLEOD...6 INCHES AT BIG TIMBER AND 4 INCHES AT LIVINGSTON. APRIL 14: ANOTHER VERY WARM DAY WITH AN EVENING COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. HIGH TEMPS INCLUDED: BRANDENBERG 88 DEGREES...BROADUS 85...HYSHAM 85...MILES CITY 84 (A DAILY RECORD)...BILLINGS 80 (A DAILY RECORD)...SHERIDAN 80 AND BAKER 80. MINIMUM AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES WERE IN THE UPPER SINGLE DIGITS AND TEENS. APRIL 15: A WEATHER SYSTEM BROUGHT RAIN AND WET SNOW TO WEST AND CENTRAL PARTS OF OUR REGION. BILLINGS RECEIVED 1.11 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION...A RECORD FOR THE DAY. SNOWFALL TOTALS INCLUDED: BURGESS JUNCTION 16 INCHES...RED LODGE 10 INCHES...STORY AND PRYOR 6 INCHES...BILLINGS AIRPORT 5.9 INCHES (ONLY 1-2 INCHES IN THE CITY)...BRIDGER 5 INCHES. THE NORTH SLOPES OF THE BEARTOOTH ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS RECEIVED UP TO 15 INCHES OF SNOW. MAY 8-10: A COLD WEATHER SYSTEM BROUGHT SOME RAIN AND WET SNOW TO THE REGION. RED LODGE PICKED UP OVER TWO INCHES OF PRECIPITATION AND A COUPLE INCHES OF SNOW. SHERIDAN RECEIVED NEARLY AN INCH OF RAIN...AND OVER A HALF INCH FELL IN FAR SOUTHEAST MONTANA. MAY 16: THE FIRST SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OF THE SEASON. HAIL TO THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS WAS REPORTED IN NORTHER BIG HORN COUNTY...ABOUT 20 MILES NORTH OF HARDIN. MAY 15-18: A SLOW-MOVING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM BROUGHT PERIODS OF RAIN FOR THE LOWER ELEVATIONS AND SOME SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS. HEAVIEST RAINFALL WAS WEST OF BILLINGS. SOME OF THE HIGHER 4-DAY PRECIPITATION TOTALS INCLUDED: REED POINT 4.00 INCHES...COLUMBUS 2.84 INCHES...BIG TIMBER 2.61 INCHES...SPRINGDALE 2.40 INCHES AND RED LODGE 2.32 INCHES. BILLINGS RECEIVED BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES OF RAIN. MAY 24-26: A WIDESPREAD 2-4 INCHES OF RAIN ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS OVER A 30-HOUR PERIOD CAUSED FLOODING ALONG THE GOOSE CREEKS NEAR SHERIDAN. SHERIDAN MEASURED 1.74 INCHES OF RAIN ON THE 24TH...A RECORD FOR THE DAY. JUNE 1: SOME SEVERE WEATHER OCCURRED ACROSS THE AREA: QUARTER SIZED HAIL AT RED LODGE AND NEAR BROADUS...A 70 MPH WIND GUST AT TWODOT...A 62 MPH GUST AT WILSALL AND 60 MPH GUST AT HYSHAM. STORMS PRODUCED HEAVY RAIN AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING WAS REPORTED. HARDIN PICKED UP OVER 3 INCHES OF RAIN...WHICH FLOODED STREETS...SEWERS AND SOME BUILDINGS. FLASH FLOODING WAS ALSO REPORTED SOUTH OF BILLINGS ON PORTIONS OF WETS AND VALE CREEKS. JUNE 3-4: A THUNDERSTORM JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT PRODUCED A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMALL HAIL IN BIG TIMBER...ACCUMULATING ON THE GROUND UP TO 6 INCHES. JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT...ANOTHER STORM PRODUCED VERY HEAVY RAIN AND ACCUMULATING HAIL SOUTH OF TWODOT...AND WATER FLOWED OVER SOME ROADS AS A RESULT. JUNE 5: NEARLY STATIONARY THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED OVER 5 INCHES OF RAIN EAST AND NORTHEAST OF BROADUS...AND FLASH FLOODING OCCURRED ALONG PILGRIM CREEK. ANOTHER STORM PRODUCED GOLF BALL TO BASEBALL SIZED HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS NEAR MIZPAH...DESTROYING A SHOP ROOF AND SEVERAL GRAIN BINS. ANOTHER STORM PRODUCED HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOODING NEAR BIG HORN...WHICH CAUSED FLOODING ON LITTLE GOOSE AND MAVERICK CREEKS. JUNE 10: A THUNDERSTORM NEAR SHEPHERD PRODUCED UP TO GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL AND TORRENTIAL RAIN...CAUSING LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING ALONG PLEASANT HOLLOW TRAIL. LATER THAT EVENING...HEAVY RAIN DEVELOPED ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS...WITH JUST UNDER 4 INCHES OF RAIN FALLING IN THE TOWN OF BIG HORN. THIS CAUSED STREET FLOODING AS WELL AS FLOODING OF SEVERAL SMALL STREAMS INCLUDING LITTLE GOOSE...KRUSE AND MCCORMICK CREEKS. JUNE 16: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL AT RAPELJE. HAIL ACCUMULATED TO ABOUT AN INCH ON THE GROUND. JUNE 17: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED GOLF BALL TO BASEBALL SIZED HAIL NEAR BROADUS. A CAR WINDOW WAS BROKEN. JUNE 18: A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED STRONG WINDS FROM NEAR LODGE GRASS AND WYOLA EASTWARD TO BROADUS. A SEMI TRAILER WAS FLIPPED ON I-90. AN ESTIMATED 70 MPH WIND GUST BLEW DOWN A 12 INCH DIAMETER TREE NEAR SONNETTE. A 79 MPH WIND GUST WAS OBSERVED NORTH OF OTTER...AND A 72 MPH GUST OCCURRED SOUTHEAST OF BIRNEY. JUNE 19: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED HAIL...STRONG WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN IN BILLINGS...WITH HAIL ACCUMULATION IN PARTS OF SOUTH BILLINGS...ALONG WITH SOME DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES. HEAVY RAIN PRODUCED STREET FLOODING. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS WAS REPORTED SOUTH OF THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER. A WIND GUST OF 78 MPH WAS CLOCKED AT THE NWS OFFICE. ELSEWHERE...LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WIND GUSTS OCCURRED WITH SEVERAL STORMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST MONTANA. TWO INCH HAIL AND 70 MPH GUSTS WERE OBSERVED NEAR BUSBY. TENNIS BALL SIZED HAIL WAS REPORTED AT BAKER. BASEBALL SIZED HAIL OCCURRED NORTH OF BROADUS...WHERE CAR AND HOUSE DAMAGE WAS REPORTED. VERY LARGE HAIL UP TO SOFTBALL SIZE (4.25 INCHES) WAS REPORTED NEAR HAMMOND. JUNE 21: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS FROM FORSYTH TO MILES CITY AND BAKER. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF BASEBALLS WAS REPORTED NEAR ISMAY...ALONG WITH WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH...WHICH DESTROYED A CAR WINDSHIELD AND SOME HOUSE WINDOWS... AND CAUSED TREE DAMAGE. GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL OCCURRED NEAR WILLARD. FORSYTH AND MILES CITY EACH REPORTED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 60 MPH. THE BAKER AIRPORT OBSERVED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 70 MPH. JUNE 24: EARLY MORNING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS (400 TO 530 AM) PRODUCED UP TO 1.5 INCH HAIL IN COLSTRIP...AND QUARTER SIZED HAIL 18 MILES SOUTHWEST OF VOLBORG. JULY 1: THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED A SWATH OF SEVERE WEATHER FROM NEAR POMPEYS PILLAR TO BROADUS. REPORTS INCLUDED: 60-70 MPH WIND GUSTS AND QUARTER SIZED HAIL NEAR BUSBY...70 MPH GUSTS AND SNAPPED POWER POLES NEAR ASHLAND...60 MPH GUSTS NORTH OF POMPEYS PILLAR AND NEAR BROADUS. ANOTHER STORM PRODUCED STRONG WINDS WHICH CAUSED SHED DAMAGE AND SNAPPED A 15 INCH DIAMETER TREE NEAR PLEVNA. JULY 2-13: NO SEVERE WEATHER. JULY 14: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED 70 MPH WIND GUSTS NEAR BUSBY AND ST XAVIER. JULY 15-26: NO SEVERE WEATHER. JULY 27: COMBINATION OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND STRONG COLD FRONT PRODUCED STRONG WINDS ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS. A PEAK WIND GUST OF 75 MPH WAS OBSERVED AT MILES CITY...WHERE TREES AND POWER LINES WERE DOWNED...AND SOME ROOFS WERE DAMAGED. WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH WERE REPORTED AT HAMMOND...MILL IRON...BAKER...ROCK SPRINGS AND NEAR BROADUS. HAIL TO THE SIZE OF HALF DOLLARS WAS REPORTED 20 MILES NW OF MILES CITY. QUARTER SIZED HAIL OCCURRED AT ROSCOE. IN THE BIGHORN MOUNTAINS...A MICROBURST CAUSED ESTIMATED 90-100 MPH WINDS AND SNAPPED NUMEROUS LARGE TREES. TWO CAMPER TRAILERS WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED...AND 1.5 INCH HAIL ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE. THE DAMAGE OCCURRED IN A 2-3 MILE SWATH NEAR THE BIG HORN - SHERIDAN COUNTY LINE NEAR HIGHWAY 14A. JULY 28: MIXING OF STRONG MID LEVEL WINDS BEHIND A COLD FRONT RESULTED IN A REMARKABLY WINDY SUMMER DAY ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN PLAINS. BAKER REPORTED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 60 MPH...AND MANY LOCATIONS GUSTED FREQUENTLY OVER 50 MPH. WITH AN AVERAGE WIND SPEED OF 21.9 MPH...THIS WAS THE WINDIEST JULY DAY ON RECORD AT BILLINGS. AUGUST 5: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED 60 TO 69 MPH WIND GUSTS ACROSS THE BILLINGS AREA. AUGUST 12: A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCED A 59 MPH WIND GUST AT MILES CITY. AUGUST 23: A CHILLY AIRMASS SETTLED OVER THE REGION BRINGING RECORD OR NEAR-RECORD COLD TEMPERATURES. LIVINGSTON AND SHERIDAN EACH DROPPED TO 30 DEGREES...RECORD LOWS FOR EACH SITE. THIS WAS ALSO THE EARLIEST IN THE SEASON THAT SHERIDAN HAS EVER BEEN AS COLD AS 30 DEGREES. THE LOW OF 36 ON THE WEST END OF BILLINGS CAUSED SOME EARLY SEASON FROST. OTHER LOW TEMPS INCLUDED: HARLOWTON 28...JOLIET 30...BIG TIMBER 33 AND HARDIN 34. SEPTEMBER 5: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IMPACTED AREAS FROM NEAR CROW AGENCY AND BIRNEY EASTWARD TO BROADUS AND INTO FALLON COUNTY. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF TENNIS BALLS WAS REPORTED NEAR BROADUS. GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL OCCURRED SOUTH OF BUSBY AND NEAR PLEVNA. SEPTEMBER 25-26: STRONG HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT RESULTED IN A COUPLE OF VERY HOT DAYS...WITH RECORD HIGHS SET OR TIED AT BILLINGS... SHERIDAN AND MILES CITY. MILES CITY HIT 97 DEGREES ON THE 25TH... AND SHERIDAN HIT 97 ON THE 26TH. EACH OF THESE WERE RECORD HIGHS SO LATE IN THE YEAR. OCTOBER 2-4: A SLOW-MOVING WEATHER SYSTEM BROUGHT MUCH NEEDED RAIN TO MOST OF THE AREA. PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS BETWEEN AN INCH AND INCH AND A HALF WERE COMMON ALONG THE FOOTHILLS...INCLUDING NYE...RED LODGE AND BILLINGS. OVER AN INCH OF RAIN ALSO FELL IN MUSSELSHELL COUNTY. OCTOBER 10: RECORD HEAT OCCURRED ACROSS THE AREA. SHERIDAN (91)... MILES CITY (91) AND BILLINGS (87) ALL SET DAILY RECORD HIGHS AND HIGHS SO LATE IN THE YEAR. OTHER HIGH TEMPS INCLUDED: BRANDENBERG 92...BROADUS 91...HARDIN 91...ROUNDUP 89...BAKER 86 AND LIVINGSTON 84. LOW TEMPS OF 64 DEGREES AT LIVINGSTON AND BILLINGS WERE RECORD WARMEST LOWS FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH OF OCTOBER. OCTOBER 11: STRONG POST-FRONTAL WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS IMPACTED THE ENTIRE AREA FOR MUCH OF THE DAY...WITH WIDESPREAD GUSTS OF 55 MPH OR MORE. SOME PEAK WINDS INCLUDED: LAUREL 72 MPH...BILLINGS 69 MPH...JUDITH GAP 68 MPH...LIVINGSTON 67 MPH...EKALAKA 62 MPH... SHERIDAN 59 MPH...ROUNDUP 59 MPH AND BAKER 59 MPH. NOVEMBER 2-4: A WINTER WEATHER SYSTEM BROUGHT SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL TO PARK...SWEET GRASS AND WHEATLAND COUNTIES. AMOUNTS INCLUDED: 19 INCHES IN THE ABSAROKA MOUNTAINS SOUTHEAST OF PRAY...13 INCHES AT MCLEOD AND MELVILLE...10 INCHES AT EMIGRANT...8 INCHES AT GARDINER...8 INCHES ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE BIG SNOWY MOUNTAINS...7 INCHES AT LIVINGSTON...6 INCHES AT NYE AND 3 INCHES AT JUDITH GAP. NOVEMBER 13-14: A PERIOD OF STRONG GAP WINDS IMPACTED LIVINGSTON...WITH FREQUENT GUSTS OVER 60 MPH AND A PEAK WIND OF 68 MPH. A SEMI WAS OVERTURNED ON I-90 WHICH CAUSED TRAFFIC TO BE DIVERTED. NOVEMBER 18: A COLD FRONT PRODUCED VERY STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS...ESPECIALLY EARLY IN THE MORNING. LARGE TREES WERE UPROOTED NEAR COLUMBUS. POWER OUTAGES OCCURRED IN BIG TIMBER...FROMBERG... HUNTLEY AND WORDEN. PEAK GUSTS INCLUDED LIVINGSTON 78 MPH... SHERIDAN 76 MPH...HARLOWTON 69 MPH...BILLINGS 66 MPH...BAKER 63 MPH AND MILES CITY 57 MPH. NOVEMBER 19-20: UP TO 9 INCHES OF SNOW FELL IN THE RED LODGE AREA...AND 8 INCHES AT STORY. OTHER FOOTHILL LOCATIONS RECEIVED BETWEEN 2 AND 5 INCHES OF SNOW. NOVEMBER 25-26: MUCH OF THE AREA RECEIVED BETWEEN 2 AND 4 INCHES OF SNOW...WITH A FEW HIGHER AMOUNTS. PRYOR PICKED UP 6 INCHES... LAME DEER 5 INCHES...BIG HORN 5 INCHES AND ABSAROKEE 5 INCHES. DECEMBER 4: LIVINGSTON RECORDED A PEAK WIND GUST OF 68 MPH. A SEMI WAS OVERTURNED ON INTERSTATE 90. DECEMBER 8-9: STRONG WINDS AFFECTED THE REGION...FIRST ALONG THE FOOTHILLS THEN SPREADING ACROSS THEW WESTERN LOWER ELEVATIONS DUE TO A STRONG COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. PEAK WINDS INCLUDED LIVINGSTON 77 MPH...BULL MOUNTAIN DIVIDE 72 MPH...BILLINGS 67 MPH...FISHTAIL 67 MPH...COLUMBUS 65 MPH...ROSCOE 63 MPH...JUDITH GAP 60 MPH AND SHERIDAN 58 MPH. DECEMBER 9: A VERY WARM DAY PRIOR TO A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. HIGH TEMPS INCLUDED SHERIDAN 69 (TIED A RECORD)...BILLINGS 65...HARDIN 65...MILES CITY 64...BAKER 63...EKALAKA 60 AND RED LODGE 57. DECEMBER 14-15: HEAVY SNOW IMPACTED AREAS WEST OF FORSYTH AND SHERIDAN...WITH MANY LOCATIONS SEEING OVER 8 INCHES. TOTAL AMOUNTS INCLUDED: ABSAROKEE 18 INCHES...SPRINGDALE 16 INCHES...EDGAR 15 INCHES...BIG TIMBER 15 INCHES...STORY 15 INCHES...RED LODGE 14 INCHES...TWODOT 13 INCHES...BULL MOUNTAINS 12 INCHES...LIVINGSTON 12 INCHES...RYEGATE 11 INCHES...BILLINGS 7-10 INCHES...SHERIDAN 6 INCHES AND HYSHAM 6 INCHES. DECEMBER 25: WITH A SNOW DEPTH OF 2 INCHES...BILLINGS OBSERVED ITS 4TH CONSECUTIVE WHITE CHRISTMAS...A FEAT THAT HAD NOT HAPPENED SINCE THE 1960S.