An extremely strong arctic front moved into Montana in the early morning hours of Saturday December 13, 2008. Blizzard conditions occurred with the frontal passage while the coldest air of the season moved in behind the snowfall.  As the snow tapered off the wind chill temperatures started dropping to below 40 below zero and continued from Sunday December 14th through Monday December 15th.  Wind chills on Monday morning ranged from 40 to 55 below zero. The coldest locations was the Lindsay Divide Montana Department of Transportation site at 55 below zero. Area schools either canceled classes on Monday morning, or did not run school buses.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in LITTLE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, MONTANA
From 13-DEC-08 15:44:00 to 14-DEC-08 06:44:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest recorded wind chill was 45 degrees below zero.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in WESTERN ROOSEVELT, MONTANA
From 13-DEC-08 14:29:00 to 15-DEC-08 08:44:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest wind chill at Wolf Point was 52 degrees below zero.  At Poplar it was 49 degrees below zero.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in SHERIDAN, MONTANA
From 13-DEC-08 17:50:00 to 15-DEC-08 07:50:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest recorded wind chill was 49 below zero.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN VALLEY, MONTANA
From 13-DEC-08 16:44:00 to 15-DEC-08 07:44:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest wind chill reading was 51 degrees below zero at King Coulee.  In Glasgow, it was 45 degrees below zero. The Glasgow school district did not run school buses on the morning of the 15th due to the extreme cold.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in DANIELS, MONTANA
From 13-DEC-08 18:33:00 to 15-DEC-08 08:55:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest wind chill was 48 degrees below zero.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in GARFIELD, MONTANA
From 13-DEC-08 19:00:00 to 15-DEC-08 00:00:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest wind chill was 48 degrees below zero.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in EASTERN ROOSEVELT, MONTANA
From 13-DEC-08 19:00:00 to 15-DEC-08 09:33:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest recorded wind chill was 49 degrees below zero at Poplar.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in PRAIRIE, MONTANA
From 13-DEC-08 19:44:00 to 14-DEC-08 23:44:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest recorded wind chill was 49 below zero.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in RICHLAND, MONTANA
From 14-DEC-08 18:35:00 to 15-DEC-08 09:55:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest recorded wind chill was 42 degrees below zero.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in CENTRAL AND SE PHILLIPS, MONTANA
From 14-DEC-08 20:55:00 to 15-DEC-08 02:55:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest recorded wind chill was 47 degrees below zero.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in PETROLEUM, MONTANA
From 15-DEC-08 00:22:00 to 15-DEC-08 06:22:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest recorded wind chill was 43 degrees below zero.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in NORTHERN PHILLIPS, MONTANA
From 15-DEC-08 13:55:00 to 15-DEC-08 14:55:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest recorded wind chill was 40 degrees below zero.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in MCCONE, MONTANA
From 13-DEC-08 19:47:00 to 15-DEC-08 08:17:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest recorded wind chill was 51 degrees below zero.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in NORTHERN VALLEY, MONTANA
From 13-DEC-08 20:44:00 to 14-DEC-08 18:44:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest recorded wind chill was 43 degrees below zero.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in WIBAUX, MONTANA
From 13-DEC-08 23:46:00 to 15-DEC-08 09:46:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest recorded wind chill was 53 degrees below zero.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in DAWSON, MONTANA
From 14-DEC-08 14:55:00 to 15-DEC-08 03:55:00 (MST-7)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

The coldest wind chill recorded in all of northeast Montana during this event was 55 degrees below zero at the Lindsay Divide MDT site.