Montana, 2009

Winter Storm and High Wind in Montana, April 27 to 29, 2009

April 27 to 29, 2009 · NWS MSO · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A surge of cold Canadian air helped push a cold front south into north central Idaho and southwest Montana. At the same time, moisture from an elongated Pacific weather system streamed up and over this boundary, bringing widespread snow to portions of the Great Divide.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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 MSO wrote it up.

A surge of cold Canadian air helped push a cold front south into north central Idaho and southwest Montana. At the same time, moisture from an elongated Pacific weather system streamed up and over this boundary, bringing widespread snow to portions of the Great Divide. Snow accumulations ranged from two to four inches in the valley locations and up to as much as two feet over the higher terrain. In addition, strong winds related to the cold front and a strong upper level jet produced strong damaging winds across northwest Montana.

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 Apr 26, 7:47 PM MST, 7 hours 7 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 26, 7:47 PM MST, 7 hours 7 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

2 winter storm, 2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, West Glacier Region

When
April 27, 2:54 AM MST to April 29, 11:00 AM MST
Where
West Glacier Region forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
47.971, -114.069 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Department of Transportation declared severe driving conditions on Highway 2 over Marias Pass due to snow and blowing and drifting snow reducing visibility significantly. Total snow amounts ranged from two to four inches over the valley locations, with up to two feet of snow over the higher terrain.

Winter Storm, Butte / Blackfoot Region

When
April 27, 8:00 PM MST to April 29, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Butte / Blackfoot Region forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
46.306, -113.025 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Department of Transportation declared severe driving conditions on Interstate 90 from 15 miles west of Butte, to Butte due to reduced visbility in blowing and drifting snow. Total snow amounts ranged between six to nine inches over the lower elevations.

High Wind, Kootenai/Cabinet Region

When
April 28, 1:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where
Kootenai/Cabinet Region forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
48.171, -114.863 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A trained spotter near Eureka reported a camper trailer was blown over due to the winds, which were estimated to reach up to 60 mph. The Forest Service reported forest blowdowns over hundreds of acres on the Kootenai National Forest and neighboring private lands in the Glen Lake and Indian Creek areas.

High Wind, Flathead/Mission Valleys

When
April 28, 1:00 AM MST to 3:00 PM MST
Where
Flathead/Mission Valleys forecast zone
Measured
65 kt (75 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.872, -114.424 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A trained spotter in the Columbia Falls area measured winds up to seventy five mph. Numerous trees were reported down across the area, causing fairly widespread power outages.

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 162636, 162637, 162634, 162635.