Extreme Cold/Wind Chill — Northwest Beaverhead County, Montana

2023-01-30 · Northwest Beaverhead County, Montana

Event narrative

COOP observer located near Wisdom reported a minimum air temperature of -46 F. Images of a reliable digital sensor about 2 miles west of Wisdom measured an air temperature of -52 F at 7:30 AM MST. A sensor about 6 miles southwest of Wisdom recorded an air temperature of -40 F.

Wider weather episode

A long duration winter storm event occurred from roughly January 26 through January 28th as a powerful storm system affected much of the western United States. Periods of snow, heavy at times (especially across the mountains) occurred. Event total snow amounts of 5 to 10 inches across area valleys and the Plains were common with upwards of 2 feet of snow falling across portions of area mountains. The snow was followed by a seasonably strong arctic outbreak. Southwest Montana felt the brunt of the arctic airmass with several locations experiencing wind chill values of -40 F or colder (isolated areas having wind chill values of -50 F to -60 F), with isolated locations reaching actual air temperatures of -40 F.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1074801. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.