Montana, 2015Winter Storm in Montana, November 3, 2015
November 3, 2015 · NWS MSO · 2 events in 1 county or zone
A closed low tracked east through southern Idaho on November 3rd, bringing snow and the first widespread travel impacts to Butte and southwest Montana for the 2015 - 2016 winter. Bert Mooney Airport in Butte, MT had to cancel multiple flights, and multiple accidents were reported from the slushy snow accumulations.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
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 closed low tracked east through southern Idaho on November 3rd, bringing snow and the first widespread travel impacts to Butte and southwest Montana for the 2015 - 2016 winter. Bert Mooney Airport in Butte, MT had to cancel multiple flights, and multiple accidents were reported from the slushy snow accumulations.
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 Nov 3, 3:58 AM MST, 3 hours 43 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Nov 3, 3:58 AM MST, 3 hours 43 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Missoula MT
358 AM MST TUE NOV 3 2015
...Widespread snowfall across SW Montana and Lemhi County today...
.DISCUSSION...Periods of light snow have persisted overnight
across Lemhi County, ID and across SW Montana. However, all
indications suggest this is still just a foretaste of what's to
come today as a consolidated upper level low pressure system lifts
northeast out of Nevada, tracking across Idaho and Montana through
tonight. Overall, little change has been observed in the
models/forecast overnight, which basically match previous forecast
reasoning and still fully support the current suite of winter
weather highlights. If anything, the latest models suggest a
slight bump in precipitation/snowfall, with positioning of the
storm's wrap-around moisture a bit more to the west. When it's
all said and done, the valleys of SW Montana will see widespread
2-4 inches of accumulation, and locally up to 6 inches (including
Butte). The higher terrain will see widespread 4-6 inch amounts,
with some of the peaks measuring up to 10 inches!
Snow showers will taper off overnight and come to an end by midday
Wednesday. Dry air in between weather systems will lead to a
mostly clear sky and some very cold morning low temperatures on
Thursday, especially in the areas with fresh snowfall still
remaining on the ground.
Moisture moving southward out of British Columbia on Friday will
bring the return of precipitation, and could bring about the first
light coating of snow to many valley floors across western
Montana and central Idaho. Northwest flow will be conducive to
keeping lingering snow showers going through Saturday. The one
caveat to this forecast is the disagreement on how much moisture
will be available. One thing is for sure: prepare for an
unsettled, showery, colder beginning to the weekend for the
Northern Rockies.
Models agree on another brief ridge of high pressure persisting
through Sunday, although that's where most of their agreement
ends. The next system, which could impact the Intermountain West
as early as Sunday night/Monday morning, could produce measurable
precipitation area-wide. However, an influx of warmer air and
resultant rising snow levels may nix any chance of valleys seeing
snowfall. This will continue to be monitored closely.
&&
.AVIATION...Visibility reduction due to snow and fog are likely to
impact operations at KSMN and KBTM through the better part of
today. Periods of heavier precipitation are possible, especially
over the surrounding higher terrain which will also be completely
obscured through tonight. Although the precipitation will
gradually taper off overnight, areas of fog and/or stratus are
likely to develop by early Wednesday morning. Meanwhile KMSO will
be on the edge of precipitation and should bear little, if any
impact to aviating interests. This applies even more so to KGPI
which will be far north of anything but a few stray showers.
&&
.MSO WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...Winter Storm Warning until 11 PM MST this evening
Butte/Blackfoot Region.
Winter Weather Advisory from 6 AM this morning to 5 PM MST this
afternoon Bitterroot/Sapphire Mountains.
ID...Winter Weather Advisory until 5 PM MST this afternoon Eastern
Lemhi County...Western Lemhi County.
&&Winter Storm, Butte / Blackfoot Region
- When
- November 3, 7:41 AM MST to 10:00 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)
Roads were reported to have slushy accumulations of 3 to 6 inches in Butte, with at least 5 slide-offs accidents influenced by weather. Widespread storm accumulations of 3 to 6 inches were reported, with a highest estimated snow report of 7.0 inches 7 miles southeast of Butte, and the highest measured report of 6.5 inches 7 miles south of Butte. Additionally, the public reported 7 - 9 inches of snow over Homestake Pass.
Winter Storm, Butte / Blackfoot Region
- When
- November 3, 9:00 AM MST to 1:00 PM MST
- Where
- Butte / Blackfoot Region forecast zone
- Reported by
- ASOS
- Coordinates
- 46.306, -113.025 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The Bert Mooney Airport in Butte, MT had to divert a flight at 9am and cancel a flight at 12pm due to observations of 1/2 mile visibility along with overcast skies at 1000 feet.
- 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.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Colorado, November 3 to 5, 201515 events
- Dense Fog in Illinois, November 3 to 4, 201510 events
- Dense Fog in Missouri, November 3, 20157 events
- Flooding in North Carolina, November 3, 20154 events
- High Wind in Wyoming, November 3, 201559 kt wind · 4 events
- Dense Fog in Virginia, November 3, 20153 events
- Dense Fog in Missouri, November 3, 20153 events
- Heavy Snow in Utah, November 3 to 5, 20153 events
- Frost and Freeze in California, November 3 to 4, 20153 events
- Dense Fog in West Virginia, November 3, 20151 event
- Dense Fog in Maryland, November 3, 20151 event
- Flood in California, November 3 to 4, 20151 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 604791, 604805.