Blizzard, North Rocky Mountain Front
- When
- November 26, 2:00 AM MST to November 27, 12:00 PM MST
- Where
- North Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Blizzard in Montana, November 26 to 27, 1996
Gusty west to southwest winds of 40 to 60 mph developed over Glacier county, creating large snow drifts. The Blackfeet indian reservation was hardest hit where drifts of 4 to 6 feet were common with some drifts up to 12 feet.
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS TFX wrote it up.
Gusty west to southwest winds of 40 to 60 mph developed over Glacier county, creating large snow drifts. The Blackfeet indian reservation was hardest hit where drifts of 4 to 6 feet were common with some drifts up to 12 feet. Almost all roads became impassible, stranding hundreds of people. Glacier county was declared a disaster area and the National Guard was sent to help break open roads and bring provisions to stranded people. Many cattle were stranded as well and an estimated 10% of the stock perished (about 1500 head).
Event by event
1 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Blizzard
- Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornado in Maryland, November 26, 1996
- Damaging Wind in Maryland, November 26, 1996
- Winter Storm in Vermont, November 26, 1996
- Winter Storm in Vermont, November 26, 1996
- Winter Storm in New York, November 26, 1996
- Heavy Snow in New York, November 26 to 27, 1996
- Heavy Snow in New York, November 26 to 27, 1996
- Winter Storm in Vermont, November 26, 1996
- Winter Storm in Vermont, November 26, 1996
- Winter Storm in Vermont, November 26, 1996
- Winter Storm in Vermont, November 26, 1996
- Winter Storm in Vermont, November 26, 1996
More
Every storm in Montana in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, November 1996
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5580805.