Montana, 2000

Winter Storm in Montana, November 1 to 2, 2000

November 1 to 2, 2000 · NWS GGW · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A major winter storm hit eastern Montana leaving over 1500 residents without power as nearly 2000 power poles snapped in half. The storm started as rain and produced several hours of sleet before changing to snow.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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
$3.3 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 GGW wrote it up.

A major winter storm hit eastern Montana leaving over 1500 residents without power as nearly 2000 power poles snapped in half. The storm started as rain and produced several hours of sleet before changing to snow. After the ice turned to all snow, strong winds from 30 to 45 mph with gusts to 60 mph developed creating blizzard conditions with 6 to 12 inches of snow. Drifts up to 5 and 6 feet were reported in Sheridan County.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Sheridan

When
November 1, 8:00 AM MST to November 2, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Sheridan forecast zone
Property damage
$2.5 million
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.721, -104.505 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Richland

When
November 1, 8:00 AM MST to November 2, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Richland forecast zone
Property damage
$435,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.788, -104.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Roosevelt

When
November 1, 8:00 AM MST to November 2, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Roosevelt forecast zone
Property damage
$362,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
48.295, -105.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wibaux

When
November 1, 8:00 AM MST to November 2, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Wibaux forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.965, -104.249 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Dawson

When
November 1, 8:00 AM MST to November 2, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Dawson forecast zone
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.266, -104.899 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Prairie

When
November 1, 8:00 AM MST to November 2, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Prairie forecast zone
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.861, -105.378 (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

More

Every storm in Montana in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, November 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: 5157793, 5157794, 5157795, 5157796, 5157797, 5157798.