Extreme Cold/Wind Chill — Western and Central Chouteau County, Montana

2025-02-18 to 2025-02-19 · Western and Central Chouteau County, Montana

Event narrative

Many sensors measured criteria cold, including mesonet station MTM90 Big Sandy Sw, which measured a wind chill of -49F.

Wider weather episode

A stout closed low over Manitoba swung a shortwave around its western periphery and then southward toward the Northern Rockies Feb 16. The wave stalled over MT, resulting in a strongly cyclonic flow aloft, while the main upper disturbance exited eastward.. This allowed for a long duration snow event that lasted into the 18th.

After this system cleared out, a strong surface high resulted in another period of extreme cold. This episode will also serve as the location for additional extreme cold highlights from June 16 through the morning of the 19th.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1246489. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.