Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Montana, February 20 to 21, 2014

Name: Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Montana, February 20 to 21, 2014
Start: 2014-02-20T00:00
End: 2014-02-21T19:00
Location: Montana

February 20 to 21, 2014 · NWS MSO · 9 events in 8 counties and zones

A moist upper level wave brought a period of heavy snow early on Feb. 20 and as it moved through the region, very unstable conditions helped to form heavy snow bands.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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 MSO wrote it up.

A moist upper level wave brought a period of heavy snow early on Feb. 20 and as it moved through the region, very unstable conditions helped to form heavy snow bands. These snow bands lasted through Friday Feb. 21.

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.

NWS Missoula, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 19, 2:50 PM MST, 9 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 19, 2:50 PM MST, 9 hours 10 minutes before

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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 heavy snow, 3 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Kootenai/Cabinet Region

When: February 20, 12:00 AM MST to February 21, 12:00 AM MST
Where: Kootenai/Cabinet Region forecast zone
Injuries: 0 direct, 1 indirect
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 48.171, -114.863 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The COOP located 30 miles south-southeast of Libby at 3,440 ft. reported a two day snowfall total of 7.1 with 0.39 of precipitation. The Lincoln County sheriff dispatch reported slick roads with black ice on the morning of Feb. 21. During the evening of Feb 20, a motor vehicle slipped on the slick conditions on Granite Lake Road near Libby and went off a 30 foot embankment causing injuries.

Heavy Snow, Lower Clark Fork Region

When: February 20, 10:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where: Lower Clark Fork Region forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 47.286, -114.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A NWS employee reported that snow was falling at least 1 per hour rates during this time period from Haugan to Lookout Pass. The MT DOT reported that several semi-trucks had spun out and jack-knifed due to the snowy conditions. Interstate 90 was closed for a period of time around 3:34 pm MST. The NWS employee reported again at 4:20 pm MST that probably small cars had no chance to travel near the Lookout Pass area due to the deep snow on the sides.

Winter Weather, West Glacier Region

When: February 20, 11:00 AM MST to February 21, 7:00 PM MST
Where: West Glacier Region forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 47.971, -114.069 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The West Glacier COOP reported a storm total of 6 with 0.20 of snow water equivalent. A person from the public located 6 miles southwest of Marias Pass reported an estimated 6 of total snowfall.

Heavy Snow, Potomac / Seeley Lake Region

When: February 21, 1:00 AM MST to 7:00 PM MST
Where: Potomac / Seeley Lake Region forecast zone
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 46.986, -113.597 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A CoCoRaHS observer located one mile north of Greenough measured 11 of snow due to the heavy snow bands. The COOP located in Seeley Lake reported 9 of total snowfall with 0.50 of precipitation. A Missoula County deputy reported driving through a foot of snow on MT-200 from Seeley Lake to Missoula around 7 am MST. Very slick driving conditions were experienced in the afternoon and evening hours on I-90 from Bonner to Bearmouth with numerous accidents reported by the MT DOT.

Winter Weather, Bitterroot / Sapphire Mountains

When: February 21, 1:00 AM MST to 5:00 PM MST
Where: Bitterroot / Sapphire Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 46.508, -113.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The COOP located 14 miles northeast of Sula observed 6.5 of snow with 0.30 of precipitation. The COOP at Lolo Hot Springs measured 5 of snow with 0.35 of precipitation.

Heavy Snow, Missoula / Bitterroot Valleys

When: February 21, 2:00 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Missoula / Bitterroot Valleys forecast zone
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 46.560, -114.023 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Missoula International Airport received 5 inches of snow in 5 hours from a heavy snow band that was over the Missoula Valley. A weather spotter located one mile north of Florence reported 7 of snow in 8 hours at 5:36 am MST. A weather spotter located 2 miles west of Charlos Heights estimated that 10 of snow fell in 12 hours ending at 6:36 am MST. Multiple motor vehicle slide-offs and accidents were reported from Missoula south to Hamilton due to the snow.

Heavy Snow, Butte / Blackfoot Region

When: February 21, 3:00 AM MST to 7:00 PM MST
Where: Butte / Blackfoot Region forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 46.306, -113.025 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Granite County dispatch reported 4 of heavy snow in Drummond 4 hours ending at 7:13 am. MT DOT required chains for towing units on MacDonald Pass on US-12 from 6:10 am to 8:27 am MST. A SNOTEL located 11 miles north-northeast of Bearmouth reported 8 of snow with 0.50 snow water equivalent. Nine slide-offs were reported from Bearmouth to Drummond throughout the day.

Heavy Snow, Lower Clark Fork Region

When: February 21, 3:50 AM MST to 12:00 PM MST
Where: Lower Clark Fork Region forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 47.286, -114.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow bands brought heavy snowfall rates between 1 to 2 per hour across portions of Sanders and Mineral Counties. Montana DOT reported heavy snow along I-90 and MT-200 at times throughout the morning hours. Mineral County dispatch reported periodic power outages due to the heavy snow in Superior and also in St. Regis. The St. Regis schools were closed due to the heavy snow and slick roads. Heavy snow brought whiteout conditions from Tarkio to Frenchtown on I-90 around 11 am MST.

Heavy Snow, Flathead/Mission Valleys

When: February 21, 4:25 AM MST to 10:00 AM MST
Where: Flathead/Mission Valleys forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 47.872, -114.424 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At 4:25 am MST on Feb. 21, Montana DOT reported heavy snow, snow covered and icy conditions on US 93 from Arlee to Polson, on Highway 212 4 miles north of Dixon and Moise and Highway 211 junction fo US-93 at Ronan west to Hot Springs. A heavy snow band had parked itself over this area for several hours as noted on radar imagery.

What these are

Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
Heavy Snow: Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Montana in 2014 Every state in 2014 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, February 2014

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 504797, 504836, 504832, 504839, 504840, 504838, 504841, 504837, 504835.