A strong disturbance aloft brought heavy snow, gusty winds and very cold temperatures to a large portion of North Central Montana. Snow amounts in excess of 6 inches, wind gusts in excess of 60 mph and wind chill readings colder than 40 degrees below zero were common.
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.
The episode as NWS TFX wrote it up.
A strong disturbance aloft brought heavy snow, gusty winds and very cold temperatures to a large portion of North Central Montana. Snow amounts in excess of 6 inches, wind gusts in excess of 60 mph and wind chill readings colder than 40 degrees below zero were common.
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 Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 27, 10:46 AM MST, 2 hours 14 minutes earlier.
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</html>17 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Fourteen inches of snow was reported at Babb 12W (the Many Glacier SNOTEL site - elevation 4900 feet). Additionally, sixteen inches of snow was reported at Babb 18W (the Flattop Mountain SNOTEL site - elevation 6300 feet).
Nine inches of snow was reported at the Yellowstone National Park Gate. Additionally, 7 inches of snow was reported at West Yellowstone and a wind gust to 64 mph was reported at Big Sky 7S.
Twelve inches of snow was reported at Dell 22SW (Beagle Springs SNOTEL site - elevation 8850 feet).
A wind chill reading of 43 degrees (F) below zero was reported at the Bowmans Corner DOT site.
A wind chill reading of 53 degrees (F) below zero was reported at the Sweetgrass DOT site.
Seven inches of snow was reported at Heart Butte 14SW (the Badger Pass SNOTEL site - elevation 6900 feet). Additionally, a wind chill reading of 42 degrees (F) below zero was reported at Brady 2W.
A wind chill reading of 50 degrees (F) below zero was reported at Fort Belknap 13S.
A wind chill reading of 47 degrees(F) below zero was reported at Hobson 6NW. Additionally, blowing snow caused road closures near Eddie's Corner.
A wind chill reading of 43 degrees (F) below zero was reported at the Great Falls ASOS site.
A wind chill reading of 52 degrees (F) below zero was reported at the Cut Bank ASOS site.
A wind chill reading of 43 degrees (F) below zero was reported at Lothair 3SE.
A wind chill reading of 46 degrees (F) was reported at Wickes 2SE (the Boulder DOT site).
A wind chill reading of 40 degrees (F) below zero was reported at Cameron 5NNE. In addition to the cold, winds gusting in excess of 40 mph caused areas of blowing snow and reduced visibilities to less than 1 mile.
A wind chill reading of 42 degrees (F) below zero was reported at White Sulphur Springs 1SE.
A wind chill reading of 42 degrees (F) below zero was reported at Roy 1N.
A wind chill reading of 40 degrees (F) below zero was reported at Havre 30N.
A wind chill reading of 40 degrees (F) below zero was reported at the Loma DOT site.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, January 2008
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: 69515, 69566, 69513, 69549, 69537, 69544, 69546, 69553, 69526, 69516, 69540, 69561, 69533, 69564, 69556, 69524, 69528.