Winter Storm in Montana, December 28 to 30, 2010

Name: Winter Storm in Montana, December 28 to 30, 2010
Start: 2010-12-28T03:00
End: 2010-12-30T12:00
Location: Montana

December 28 to 30, 2010 · NWS TFX · 18 events in 18 counties and zones

Pacific moisture and cold Canadian air met over North Central Montana and produced a widespread snow event. Snow amounts in excess of 6 inches were common across the area.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 18

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.

Pacific moisture and cold Canadian air met over North Central Montana and produced a widespread snow event. Snow amounts in excess of 6 inches were common across the area.

Event by event

18 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Toole

When: December 28, 3:00 AM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Toole forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Six inches of snow fell at Sunburst 8E.

Winter Storm, Madison

When: December 28, 5:00 PM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Eight inches of snow fell at Cameron 15SSW (the Clover Meadow SNOTEL site - elevation 8800 feet).

Winter Storm, Broadwater

When: December 28, 5:00 PM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Broadwater forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Eight inches of snow fell at White Sulphur Springs 18W (the Pickfoot Creek SNOTEL site - elvevation 6650 feet).

Winter Storm, Meagher

When: December 28, 5:00 PM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Meagher forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Eight inches of snow fell at White Sulphur Springs 18W (the Pickfoot Creek SNOTEL site - elevation 6650 feet).

Winter Storm, Gallatin

When: December 28, 5:00 PM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Gallatin forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

Ten inches of snow fell at West Yellowstone 1SSE.

Winter Storm, North Rocky Mountain Front

When: December 29, 5:00 AM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: North Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Six inches of snow fell at East Glacier 11SSW (the Pike Creek SNOTEL site - elevation 5928 feet).

Winter Storm, Eastern Glacier

When: December 29, 5:00 AM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Eastern Glacier forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer

Six inches of snow fell at Santa Rita 26NW.

Winter Storm, Hill

When: December 29, 5:00 AM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Hill forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media

Eight inches of snow fell at Havre. The snow caused a portion of the Havre High School roof to collapse.

Winter Storm, Cascade

When: December 29, 5:00 AM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Cascade forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee

Seven inches of snow fell at Cascade.

Winter Storm, Chouteau

When: December 29, 5:00 AM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Chouteau forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Seven inches of snow fell at The Knees 11ENE.

Winter Storm, Southern Lewis and Clark

When: December 29, 5:00 AM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Southern Lewis and Clark forecast zone
Reported by: Mesonet

Eight inches of snow fell at Lincoln 8NNE (the Copper Bottom SNOTEL site - elevation 5200 feet).

Winter Storm, Liberty

When: December 29, 5:00 AM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Liberty forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Ten inches of snow fell at Whitlash 3SSE.

Winter Storm, Eastern Pondera

When: December 29, 5:00 AM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Eastern Pondera forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Nine inches of snow fell at Valier.

Winter Storm, Blaine

When: December 29, 5:00 AM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Blaine forecast zone
Reported by: Public

Eight inches of snow fell at Fort Belknap.

Winter Storm, Southern Rocky Mountain Front

When: December 29, 5:00 AM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Southern Rocky Mountain Front forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Ten inches of snow fell at Choteau 2SW.

Winter Storm, Eastern Teton

When: December 29, 5:00 AM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Eastern Teton forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Six inches of snow fell at Dutton 8NNE. Snow drifts to 3 feet high were also reported.

Winter Storm, Judith Basin

When: December 29, 5:00 AM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Judith Basin forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Eleven inches of snow fell at Hobson.

Winter Storm, Fergus

When: December 29, 5:00 AM MST to December 30, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Fergus forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Seven inches of snow fell at Moore 2W.

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, December 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 269537, 269536, 269545, 269561, 269562, 269530, 269531, 269532, 269533, 269534, 269535, 269538, 269539, 269540, 269541, 269542, 269543, 269544.