In a very active pattern, the mountains along the Idaho and Montana continued to receive heavy snowfall which brought impacts to travel, especially along I-90 and US-12. A cold front brought strong gusty winds that brought limited visibility and hazardous driving conditions at Marias Pass and MacDonald Pass.
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.
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.
In a very active pattern, the mountains along the Idaho and Montana continued to receive heavy snowfall which brought impacts to travel, especially along I-90 and US-12. A cold front brought strong gusty winds that brought limited visibility and hazardous driving conditions at Marias Pass and MacDonald Pass.
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 Feb 17, 2:31 PM MST, 9 hours 29 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 winter weather, 1 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
The Lolo Pass SNOTEL reported 7 of total snowfall with 0.60 of snow water equivalent.
The MT DOT sensor at MacDonald Pass on US-12 milepost 27.9 at 6,325 ft. MSL reported a cold front passage around 1 am MST with light to moderate snowfall and winds sustained around 25 mph with gusts between 30 and 40 mph. MT DOT required chains for towing vehicles from 2 to 6:30 am MST at the pass due to blowing and drifting of snow.
The Lookout Pass Ski resort reported 14 of heavy snow in 12 hours while the MT DOT required chains for towing vehicles from 7 pm Feb. 18 through 5:30 am MST on Feb. 19.
Very strong wind gusts nearing 50 mph occurred after a cold front went through during the early morning hours of Feb. 19 near Marias Pass. This combined with 4 to 6 inches of new transportable snow caused reduced visibility, blowing and drifting snow and severe driving conditions 7 miles west of Marias Pass to Marias Pass on US-2. There were reports of 3 foot drifts near Marias Pass and US-2 east of Marias pass was closed between 10 am and 2:30 pm MST.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, February 2014
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: 504775, 504795, 504774, 504796.