Montana, 2014Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Montana, November 25 to 26, 2014
November 25 to 26, 2014 · NWS MSO · 4 events in 4 counties and zones
A prolonged warm advection pattern with a deep moisture plume resulted in abundant precipitation across the Northern Rockies. Snow levels quickly rose through the event over much of the region, but northwest Montana held enough cold air to keep snow levels down to the valley floors for much of the event.
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.
- 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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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $136,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 4
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.
A prolonged warm advection pattern with a deep moisture plume resulted in abundant precipitation across the Northern Rockies. Snow levels quickly rose through the event over much of the region, but northwest Montana held enough cold air to keep snow levels down to the valley floors for much of the event. The mountains near the continental Divide from near the Bob Marshall north through Glacier National Park received heavy snowfall. Five inches of heavy, wet snow fell in the Bitterroot Valley causing widespread power outages.
Winter Weather, Potomac / Seeley Lake Region
- When
- November 25, 3:00 AM MST to November 26, 11:00 AM MST
- Where
- Potomac / Seeley Lake Region forecast zone
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- Park/Forest Service
- Coordinates
- 46.986, -113.597 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The park service reported a large tree down across Hwy 83, with 11 inches of snow being reported by a weather spotter in the Seeley Lake area. Power outages and 8 inches of wet snow were reported by the public in Greenough.
Winter Weather, West Glacier Region
- When
- November 25, 5:00 AM MST to November 26, 1:00 PM MST
- Where
- West Glacier Region forecast zone
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 47.971, -114.069 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A semi-truck slide off occurred on Hwy 2 near Essex, where 4 inches of snow fell overnight on the 26th. There was also a snow report of 8.5 inches at Swan Lake.
Heavy Snow, Butte / Blackfoot Region
- When
- November 25, 12:00 PM MST to November 26, 11:00 AM MST
- Where
- Butte / Blackfoot Region forecast zone
- Property damage
- $35,000
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 46.306, -113.025 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Butte area saw steady snow for 24 hours and the spotter report amounts ranged from 8 to 14.5 inches. An additional hazard was the layer of ice below the snow due to the preceding rainfall in some places. In the morning school buses were stuck in uptown Butte delaying their arrival. Tens of weather-related accidents occurred in the Silver Bow county area. An emergency manager said this was definitely an above normal impact event for the Silver Bow County.
Heavy Snow, Missoula / Bitterroot Valleys
- When
- November 25, 10:00 PM MST to November 26, 11:00 AM MST
- Where
- Missoula / Bitterroot Valleys forecast zone
- Property damage
- $100,000
- Reported by
- Utility Company
- Coordinates
- 46.560, -114.023 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Over 2500 people in the Bitterroot Valley were without power for over 6 hours after 5 inches of extremely wet snow fell in and around Darby. Hamilton spotters reported 3 to 4 inches. Snow ratios were near 5:1 for this event. A local fire chief near Darby said it was the worst he's seen it in over 50 years in regards to call volume and number of broken tree limbs.
- 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.
- High Wind in Wyoming, November 25 to 27, 201469 kt wind · 45 events
- Heavy Snow in Pennsylvania, November 25 to 26, 201426 events
- Damaging Wind and Heavy Rain in Florida, November 25 to 26, 2014$20,000 · 52 kt wind · 4 events
- Heavy Snow in Washington, November 25 to 26, 201414 events
- Heavy Rain in Florida, November 25 to 26, 201411 events
- Winter Storm in Montana, November 25 to 26, 20149 events
- Avalanche and High Wind in Montana, November 25 to 28, 201463 kt wind · 8 events
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Colorado, November 25 to 26, 20144 events
- High Wind in Colorado, November 25, 201475 kt wind · 2 events
- Winter Storm in Wyoming, November 25 to 26, 20142 events
- Drought in Texas, November 25 to 30, 2014$500 · 1 event
- High Wind in New Mexico, November 25, 201451 kt wind · 1 event
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: 546549, 546548, 546551, 546550.