Montana, 2008

Heavy Snow in Montana, March 3 to 4, 2008

March 3 to 4, 2008 · NWS TFX · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A late winter storm brought heavy snow and gusty winds to a portion of North Central Montana. Snow amounts greater than 6 inches were common across the area.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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 TFX wrote it up.

A late winter storm brought heavy snow and gusty winds to a portion of North Central Montana. Snow amounts greater than 6 inches were common across the area.

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 Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 3, 4:50 PM MST, 6 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 3, 4:50 PM MST, 6 hours 10 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 3, 2:54 PM MST, 8 hours 6 minutes before
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Event by event

7 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Madison

When
March 3, 11:00 PM MST to March 4, 4:00 AM MST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet

Eight inches of snow fell at the Madison Plateau SNOTEL site (elevation 7750 feet).

Heavy Snow, Meagher

When
March 4, 4:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where
Meagher forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet

Ten inches of snow fell at the Onion Park SNOTEL site - White Sulphur Spring 35NNW (elevation 7410 feet). Seven inches of snow fell at Millegan 14SE.

Heavy Snow, Cascade

When
March 4, 5:00 AM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where
Cascade forecast zone
Reported by
Public

Nine inches of snow fell at Neihart 7NW (Showdown Ski Area).

Heavy Snow, Judith Basin

When
March 4, 5:00 AM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where
Judith Basin forecast zone
Reported by
Public

Eight inches of snow fell at the Kings Hill recreation site.

Heavy Snow, Fergus

When
March 4, 5:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where
Fergus forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet

Ten inches of snow fell at the Crystal Lake SNOTEL site, 18 miles south southwest of Lewistown (elevation 6050 feet). Eight inches of snow fell at Half Moon Pass, 22 miles south of Lewistown(elevation 5575 feet).

Heavy Snow, Gallatin

When
March 4, 8:00 AM MST to 6:00 PM MST
Where
Gallatin forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer

Ten inches of snow fell at the Big Sky Ski Resort (Big Sky 2NW).

Heavy Snow, Southern Lewis and Clark

When
March 4, 11:00 AM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where
Southern Lewis and Clark forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways

Six inches of snow fell at Lincoln 12E (Rogers Pass DOT site). Seven inches of snow fell at the Copper Camp SNOTEL site, 10 miles north northwest of Lincoln (elevation 6950 feet).

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 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, March 2008

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: 85598, 85601, 85596, 85599, 85600, 85602, 85597.