Montana, 1998

Ice Storm in Montana, December 29 to 30, 1998

December 29 to 30, 1998 · NWS BYZ · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

A widespread area of rain spread eastward over a shallow Arctic airmass at the lower levels of the atmosphere. As a result the rain froze as it came into contact with the surface.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
11

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 BYZ wrote it up.

A widespread area of rain spread eastward over a shallow Arctic airmass at the lower levels of the atmosphere. As a result the rain froze as it came into contact with the surface. In the Billings area alone there were 31 automobile accidents as a result of the freezing rain. Numerous roads were closed across South Central and southeastern Montana for several hours including portions of interstates 90 and 94.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Wheatland/Park/Sweet Grass

When
December 29, 2:00 PM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where
Wheatland/Park/Sweet Grass forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER

Ice Storm, Stillwater/Carbon

When
December 29, 2:00 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where
Stillwater/Carbon forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.669, -109.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Golden Valley/Musselshell

When
December 29, 2:00 PM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where
Golden Valley/Musselshell forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
46.497, -108.398 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Yellowstone

When
December 29, 2:00 PM MST to 6:30 PM MST
Where
Yellowstone forecast zone
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.

Ice Storm, Big Horn

When
December 29, 3:00 PM MST to December 30, 4:00 AM MST
Where
Big Horn forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT

Ice Storm, Treasure

When
December 29, 3:00 PM MST to December 30, 4:00 AM MST
Where
Treasure forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
46.212, -107.272 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Rosebud

When
December 29, 8:00 PM MST to December 30, 4:00 AM MST
Where
Rosebud forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
46.230, -106.731 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Custer

When
December 29, 8:00 PM MST to December 30, 4:00 AM MST
Where
Custer forecast zone
Reported by
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY
Coordinates
46.253, -105.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Powder River

When
December 29, 8:00 PM MST to December 30, 4:00 AM MST
Where
Powder River forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
45.395, -105.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Fallon

When
December 30, 2:00 AM MST to 8:00 AM MST
Where
Fallon forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
46.334, -104.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Carter

When
December 30, 2:00 AM MST to 8:00 AM MST
Where
Carter forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
45.517, -104.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Ice Storm
Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Montana in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 1998

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: 5677129, 5677130, 5677131, 5677132, 5677133, 5677134, 5677135, 5677136, 5677137, 5677138, 5677139.