Montana, 2009

Winter Storm in Montana, April 27 to 30, 2009

April 27 to 30, 2009 · NWS TFX · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A strong Pacific storm brought heavy wet snow to portions of North Central Montana. Snow accumulations in excess of 6 inches was reported.

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 strong Pacific storm brought heavy wet snow to portions of North Central Montana. Snow accumulations in excess of 6 inches was reported.

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 Apr 26, 10:00 PM MST, 6 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 26, 10:00 PM MST, 6 hours 30 minutes before
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Event by event

7 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Cascade

When
April 27, 4:30 AM MST to April 30, 2:30 AM MST
Where
Cascade forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Eight inches of snow fell at Cascade 20SSE.

Winter Storm, Judith Basin

When
April 27, 4:30 AM MST to April 30, 2:30 AM MST
Where
Judith Basin forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Eight inches of snow fell at Stanford. In addition, 9 inches of snow fell at Martinsdale 13N (the Daisey Peak SNOTEL site - elevation 7600 feet).

Winter Storm, Fergus

When
April 27, 4:30 AM MST to April 30, 2:30 AM MST
Where
Fergus forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet

Nineteen inches of snow fell at Lewistown 18SSW (the Crystal Lake SNOTEL site - elevation 6050 feet).

Winter Storm, Jefferson

When
April 27, 4:30 AM MST to April 30, 2:30 AM MST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Eight inches of snow fell at Montana City.

Winter Storm, Meagher

When
April 27, 4:30 AM MST to April 30, 2:30 AM MST
Where
Meagher forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet

Fourteen inches of snow fell at White Sulphur Springs 17W (the Pickfoot Creek SNOTEL site - elevation 6650 feet). Seven inches of snow fell at White Sulphur Springs 40N (the Onion Park SNOTEL site - elevation 7410 feet).

Winter Storm, Chouteau

When
April 27, 4:30 PM MST to April 30, 2:30 AM MST
Where
Chouteau forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Twenty inches of snow fell at Carter 27NW.

Winter Storm, Southern Lewis and Clark

When
April 29, 4:30 AM MST to April 30, 2:30 AM MST
Where
Southern Lewis and Clark forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Ten inches of snow fell at Helena.

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 161833, 161843, 161853, 161854, 161860, 161835, 161838.