Winter Storm in Montana, April 5 to 6, 2010

Name: Winter Storm in Montana, April 5 to 6, 2010
Start: 2010-04-05T19:00
End: 2010-04-06T14:29
Location: Montana

April 5 to 6, 2010 · NWS TFX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A Pacific storm system brought heavy snow to portions of Southwest Montana. Snow amounts in excess of 6 inches were common.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 Pacific storm system brought heavy snow to portions of Southwest Montana. Snow amounts in excess of 6 inches were common.

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.

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 5, 5:03 PM MST, 1 hour 57 minutes before

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Event by event

3 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Beaverhead

When: April 5, 7:00 PM MST to April 6, 2:29 PM MST
Where: Beaverhead forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Eight inches of snow fell at Lima 22SW (the Beagle Springs SNOTEL site - elevation 8852 feet).

Winter Storm, Madison

When: April 5, 10:00 PM MST to April 6, 2:29 PM MST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

Seven inches of heavy wet snow fell at Ennis.

Winter Storm, Gallatin

When: April 6, 12:00 AM MST to 2:29 PM MST
Where: Gallatin forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Nine inches of snow fell at Bozeman 13S (the Lick Creek SNOTEL site - elevation 6860 feet).

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

Every storm in Montana in 2010 Every state in 2010 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, April 2010

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: 220123, 220124, 220125.