Montana, 2001

Heavy Snow in Montana, June 3 to 4, 2001

June 3 to 4, 2001 · NWS MSO · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Late spring storm brought heavy wet snow to low elevations, which damaged trees and downed power lines throughout southwest Montana. Snowfall totals ranged from 6 to 12 inches with as much as 28 inches at Georgetown Lake.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
2

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.

Late spring storm brought heavy wet snow to low elevations, which damaged trees and downed power lines throughout southwest Montana. Snowfall totals ranged from 6 to 12 inches with as much as 28 inches at Georgetown Lake. In the Butte area, wet snow broke tree branches, which blocked roads and damaged power lines, cutting electricity to many homes. Many traffic accidents were reported, and Homestake Pass on Interstate 90, was closed part of the day. In addition, flights at Bert Mooney Airport were canceled due to poor visibility.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Missoula, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 2, 12:55 PM MST, 19 hours 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 2, 12:55 PM MST, 19 hours 50 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Butte / Pintlar Region

When
June 3, 8:45 AM MST to June 4, 12:00 AM MST
Where
Butte / Pintlar Region forecast zone
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
46.306, -113.025 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Bitterroot / Sapphire Mountains

When
June 3, 8:45 AM MST to June 4, 12:00 AM MST
Where
Bitterroot / Sapphire Mountains forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
46.508, -113.828 (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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Montana in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, June 2001

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5246891, 5246892.