Winter Storm in Montana, March 8 to 9, 2006

Name: Winter Storm in Montana, March 8 to 9, 2006
Start: 2006-03-08T10:00
End: 2006-03-09T10:00
Location: Montana

March 8 to 9, 2006 · NWS MSO · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A potent spring storm system brought 6 to 11 inches of new snow to the mountains of extreme Northwest Montana, with widespread winds gusting to 40 mph.

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.

A potent spring storm system brought 6 to 11 inches of new snow to the mountains of extreme Northwest Montana, with widespread winds gusting to 40 mph.

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 Mar 8, 8:54 AM MST, 1 hour 6 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 8, 8:54 AM MST, 1 hour 6 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 8, 3:45 AM MST, 6 hours 15 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MISSOULA MT
345 AM MST WED MAR 8 2006

IDZ005-006-MTZ001-002-004-006-043-082200-
NORTHERN CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS-SOUTHERN CLEARWATER MOUNTAINS-
KOOTENAI/CABINET REGION-WEST GLACIER REGION-
LOWER CLARK FORK REGION-BITTERROOT/SAPPHIRE MOUNTAINS-
POTOMAC/SEELEY LAKE REGION-
245 AM PST WED MAR 8 2006 /345 AM MST WED MAR 8 2006/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL
IDAHO...NORTHWEST MONTANA AND WEST CENTRAL MONTANA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SHOWERS WILL PERSIST THROUGH TODAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH
MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. HOWEVER...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS
EXPECTED TODAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

A STRONG PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA
TONIGHT. WINTER WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS HAVE BEEN ISSUED...PLEASE
SEE GTFWSWMSO FOR DETAILS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

IDZ007-008-082200-
OROFINO/GRANGEVILLE REGION-LOWER HELLS CANYON/SALMON RIVER REGION-
245 AM PST WED MAR 8 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL
IDAHO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
SHOWERS WILL PERSIST THROUGH TODAY
AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. HOWEVER...NO
HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED TODAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

A STRONG PACIFIC STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA
TONIGHT. WINDY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AHEAD
OF AND BEHIND THIS SYSTEM. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL WINDS COULD
REACH ADVISORY CRITERIA.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Lower Clark Fork Region

When: March 8, 10:00 AM MST to March 9, 10:00 AM 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)

Winter Storm, Kootenai/Cabinet Region

When: March 8, 10:00 AM MST to March 9, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Kootenai/Cabinet Region forecast zone
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 48.171, -114.863 (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 2006 Every state in 2006 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, March 2006

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: 5496101, 5496102.