Winter Storm in Montana, December 14 to 15, 2000

Name: Winter Storm in Montana, December 14 to 15, 2000
Start: 2000-12-14T17:00
End: 2000-12-15T17:00
Location: Montana

December 14 to 15, 2000 · NWS MSO · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

Widespread strong gusty winds and heavy snow invaded western Montana by the morning of 12/15/00. Local blizzard conditions caused emergency travel on many roads and even temporary road closures.

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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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 MSO wrote it up.

Widespread strong gusty winds and heavy snow invaded western Montana by the morning of 12/15/00. Local blizzard conditions caused emergency travel on many roads and even temporary road closures. The strongest winds reported were 75 mph at Deborgia, 55 mph at Hot Springs, 50 mph at Missoula and Deer Lodge, and 44 mph at Butte, which caused dangerous wind chills. Snow totals in the valleys were: 6 inches at West Glacier, 7 inches at Missoula, Kalispell, Olney and Noxon, 8 inches at Troy, 9 inches at Seeley Lake and Libby, and 10 inches at Thompson Falls and St. Regis. Snow totals in the mountains were: 8 inches at Lolo Hot Springs and Essex, 9 inches at Skalkaho Summit, 12 inches at Deborgia, Banfield Mountain, Twin Lakes, Flattop Mountain, and Noisy Basin, 13 inches at North Fork Jocko, Badger Pass, Moss Peak, 15 inches at Poorman Creek, 16 inches at Lolo Pass and Stuart Mountain, and 28 inches at Hoodoo Basin.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Kootenai/Cabinet Region

When: December 14, 5:00 PM MST to December 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Kootenai/Cabinet Region forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.171, -114.863 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Flathead/Mission Valleys

When: December 14, 5:00 PM MST to December 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Flathead/Mission Valleys forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.872, -114.424 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, West Glacier Region

When: December 14, 5:00 PM MST to December 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: West Glacier Region forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.971, -114.069 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Bitterroot / Sapphire Mountains

When: December 14, 5:00 PM MST to December 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Bitterroot / Sapphire Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.508, -113.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Missoula / Bitterroot Valleys

When: December 14, 5:00 PM MST to December 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Missoula / Bitterroot Valleys forecast zone
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 46.560, -114.023 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Butte / Pintlar Region

When: December 14, 5:00 PM MST to December 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Butte / Pintlar Region forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 46.306, -113.025 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Blackfoot Region

When: December 14, 5:00 PM MST to December 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Blackfoot Region forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.986, -113.597 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lower Clark Fork Region

When: December 14, 5:00 PM MST to December 15, 5:00 PM MST
Where: Lower Clark Fork Region forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 47.286, -114.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Montana in 2000 Every state in 2000 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, December 2000

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5159129, 5159130, 5159131, 5159132, 5159133, 5159134, 5159135, 5165693.