Montana, 2011

Winter Storm in Montana, January 17 to 18, 2011

January 17 to 18, 2011 · NWS BYZ · 1 event in 1 county or zone

An unstable northwest flow aloft moving over an arctic frontal boundary led to a narrow heavy snow band.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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 BYZ wrote it up.

An unstable northwest flow aloft moving over an arctic frontal boundary led to a narrow heavy snow band.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Powder River

When
January 17, 5:00 PM MST to January 18, 1:00 PM MST
Where
Powder River forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
45.395, -105.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow amounts ranged from 6-7 inches across the county.

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 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, January 2011

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: 272370.