Winter Storm in Montana, January 7 to 8, 2005

Name: Winter Storm in Montana, January 7 to 8, 2005
Start: 2005-01-07T07:00
End: 2005-01-08T11:00
Location: Montana

January 7 to 8, 2005 · NWS MSO · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Winter storm impacted most of northwest Montana for a 28 hour period. Snowfall ranged from 4 to 6 inches in the valleys up to 9 inches in the mountains.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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: 4

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.

Winter storm impacted most of northwest Montana for a 28 hour period. Snowfall ranged from 4 to 6 inches in the valleys up to 9 inches in the mountains. 10 miles northwest of Noxon, up to 9 inches of snow fell over a 24 hour period. Gusty north to east winds were reported up to 40 mph in Flathead County, which caused considerable blowing and drifting snow, as well as very poor visibility on roads. Near blizzard conditions were reported from Bad Rock Canyon to Columbia Falls to near Glacier International Airport the morning of January 8. Snow drifts of four feet were reported near the airport with drifts of six to seven feet high reported near Columbia Falls. Flathead County Sheriff reported very hazardous road conditions from a combination of icy roads and poor visibility from blowing snow.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Kootenai/Cabinet Region

When: January 7, 7:00 AM MST to January 8, 11:00 AM 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: January 7, 7:00 AM MST to January 8, 11:00 AM 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, Lower Clark Fork Region

When: January 7, 7:00 AM MST to January 8, 11:00 AM MST
Where: Lower Clark Fork Region forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.286, -114.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, West Glacier Region

When: January 7, 7:00 AM MST to January 8, 11:00 AM MST
Where: West Glacier Region forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.971, -114.069 (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 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, January 2005

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: 5437052, 5437053, 5437054, 5437055.