Heavy Snow, Wheatland/Park/Sweet Grass
- When
- February 25, 8:00 PM MST to February 26, 10:00 AM MST
- Where
- Wheatland/Park/Sweet Grass forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
Blizzard and Heavy Snow in Montana, February 25 to 26, 2000
A strong low pressure system crossed Southern Wyoming on the evening of the 24th then moved into Western Nebraska on the morning of the 25th before slowly tracking northeast into Central South Dakota by afternoon. Wrap around moisture from this system produced widespread rain across much of South Central and southeastern Montana which changed over to snow from west to east overnight.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 10
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 strong low pressure system crossed Southern Wyoming on the evening of the 24th then moved into Western Nebraska on the morning of the 25th before slowly tracking northeast into Central South Dakota by afternoon. Wrap around moisture from this system produced widespread rain across much of South Central and southeastern Montana which changed over to snow from west to east overnight. 15 inches of new snow fell in Hardin and Red Lodge. Billings received 7 inches of new snow. Baker picked up 10 inches of snowfall while Miles City picked up 6 inches. Most of South Central and southeast Montana received 6 to 12 inches of snowfall from this system. In addition to the heavy snowfall, gusty northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph combined with the snow to reduce visibility to near zero, and produce widespread blizzard conditions across southeast Montana.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
6 blizzard, 4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy Snow, Stillwater/Carbon
- When
- February 26, 1:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
- Where
- Stillwater/Carbon forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 45.669, -109.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Yellowstone
- When
- February 26, 1:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
- Where
- Yellowstone forecast zone
- Reported by
- OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Heavy Snow, Treasure
- When
- February 26, 2:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
- Where
- Treasure forecast zone
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 46.212, -107.272 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Big Horn
- When
- February 26, 2:00 AM MST to 2:00 PM MST
- Where
- Big Horn forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
Blizzard, Rosebud
- When
- February 26, 3:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Rosebud forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 46.230, -106.731 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Custer
- When
- February 26, 5:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
- Where
- Custer forecast zone
- Reported by
- OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY
- Coordinates
- 46.253, -105.572 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Powder River
- When
- February 26, 5:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
- Where
- Powder River forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 45.395, -105.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Fallon
- When
- February 26, 7:00 AM MST to 10:00 PM MST
- Where
- Fallon forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 46.334, -104.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Blizzard, Carter
- When
- February 26, 7:00 AM MST to 10:00 PM MST
- Where
- Carter forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 45.517, -104.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
- 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
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, February 25 to 26, 2000
- Winter Storm in Wyoming, February 25 to 26, 2000
- Tornado in Missouri, February 25, 2000
- Tornado and Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, February 25, 2000
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Iowa, February 25, 2000
- High Wind in Wyoming, February 25 to 27, 2000
- Tornado in Missouri, February 25, 2000
- Winter Storm in Nebraska, February 25 to 26, 2000
- Excessive Heat in West Virginia, February 25, 2000
- Winter Storm in North Dakota, February 25, 2000
- Tornado in Missouri, February 25, 2000
- Damaging Wind in Kansas, February 25, 2000
More
Every storm in Montana in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, February 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: 5128093, 5128094, 5128095, 5128096, 5128097, 5128098, 5128099, 5128100, 5128101, 5128102.