A moist westerly flow brought moderate to heavy snow accumulations over the higher terrain of northwest Montana. Total snow amounts ranged between five to eleven inches.
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.
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 MSO wrote it up.
A moist westerly flow brought moderate to heavy snow accumulations over the higher terrain of northwest Montana. Total snow amounts ranged between five to eleven inches. In addition to the snow, a strong jet stream caused gusty winds up to 45 mph, causing areas of blowing and drifting snow.
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 Nov 7, 3:35 AM MST, 4 hours 25 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
SNOTELs in the area reported between five to nine inches of snow above 4000 feet. In addition gusty west winds up to 40 mph were reported.
SNOTELs in the area reported five to nine inches of new snow. In addition, wind gusts up to 90 mph were reported over Logan Pass.
SNOTELs in the area reported between five to eleven inches of new snow.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, November 2009
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: 203568, 203569, 203571.