Montana, 2009

Winter Storm in Montana, April 14 to 15, 2009

April 14 to 15, 2009 · NWS BYZ · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A major spring snow storm across the Northern Rockies brought significant moisture to the area. This moisture, combined with unseasonably cold air resulted in accumulating snow to the higher terrain across the western portions of the forecast area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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 BYZ wrote it up.

A major spring snow storm across the Northern Rockies brought significant moisture to the area. This moisture, combined with unseasonably cold air resulted in accumulating snow to the higher terrain across the western portions of the forecast 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 Billings, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 14, 2:20 AM MST, 4 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 14, 2:20 AM MST, 4 hours 40 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 14, 3:12 AM MST, 3 hours 48 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

4 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Northern Sweet Grass

When
April 14, 7:00 AM MST to April 15, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Northern Sweet Grass forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Melville received between 6 and 12 inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Livingston Area

When
April 14, 7:00 AM MST to April 15, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Livingston Area forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.488, -110.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Emigrant received 6 inches of snow while Livingston reported 7 inches.

Winter Storm, Northern Park County

When
April 14, 5:00 PM MST to April 15, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Northern Park County forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.488, -110.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Clyde Park received 8 inches of snow while Wilsall reported 10 inches.

Winter Storm, Red Lodge Foothills

When
April 14, 5:00 PM MST to April 15, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Red Lodge Foothills forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.227, -109.028 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Red Lodge received 6 inches of snow.

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

More

Every storm in Montana in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, April 2009

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: 163282, 163284, 163283, 163286.