This was the seasons first major winter storm and arctic outbreak. An arctic front combined with abundant Pacific moisture resulted in very heavy snowfall across South Central and Southeast Montana.
Every event with a place to put it; 13 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 BYZ wrote it up.
This was the seasons first major winter storm and arctic outbreak. An arctic front combined with abundant Pacific moisture resulted in very heavy snowfall across South Central and Southeast Montana. Snow accumulations of 8+ inches occurred for most areas along and west of a Roundup-Billings-Sheridan line. Billings received 12-17 inches, Livingston 8-12 inches and Sheridan 6-8 inches of snow. Severe driving conditions were common across the south central areas. Numerous school closures occurred on the 16th. The storm also prompted the closure of Zoo Montana on the 15th and 16th. In addition, numerous accidents occurred on local interstates and highways. The more significant impacts with this storm occurred after the snow had ended as strong winds developed across portions of the area creating blizzard conditions. For more information, please see the event titled Blizzard December 17-19.
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 Billings, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 14, 2:57 PM MST, 5 hours 3 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Billings MT
257 PM MST Wed Dec 14 2016
.SHORT TERM...valid for Thu and Fri...
Current IR imagery shows plume of Pacific moisture spilling into
the western Mountains. Snow showers will begin this evening
across the Absaroka and Beartooth Ranges and slowly push
northeastward over the valleys and foothills through the night.
As a warm front lifts northward through the day expecting
widespread snow to form across the area with the best coverage
and highest totals extending from the southwestern Mountains
through Rosebud County. Eastern Plains will see lighter
accumulations on Thursday likely around an inch or so. By Thursday
night and Friday morning models indicate significant upward
motion in the dendritic growth zone which should allow for 20:1
ratios and significant accumulations over the central Plains,
foothills, Bighorns, and Beartooth/Absarokas. Accumulations of 8
to 12 inches likely from Harlowtown through Billings to Sheridan,
with 10 to 14 inches in the foothills and a foot or more in the
mountains.
Arctic air will slide in from the north as a shortwave
approaches. Upslope winds will shift more northerly and snow will
spill out over the eastern Plains on Friday. Expecting light snow
to slowly diminish into Saturday out west while accumulating snow
continues over Powder River and Carter County with 5 to 7 inches
expected. Current thinking is generally 4 to 6 inches for Custer
and Fallon although there is less certainty for these areas.
Highs will stay in the single digits Friday afternoon before
crashing Saturday morning. Saturday morning looks to be the
coldest air of the season by a long shot with temperatures ranging
from 15 to 25 below zero. Walsh
.LONG TERM...valid for Sat...Sun...Mon...Tue...Wed...
Heads up: Local ground blizzard conditions possible in our west
by Sunday as klondike chinook develops.
Precipitation will shift south and east of the area by Saturday
morning as the disturbance responsible for the widespread snowfall
shifts out of the region. High temperatures will struggle to get
above zero on Saturday.
Impacts then become blowing and drifting snow and wind as
klondike chinook develops Saturday night and continues through
the first part of the coming week. With several inches of fresh
snow expected to fall, blowing and drifting snow will develop with
not much wind. Areas impacted most by blowing and drifting snow
will likely be from Billings and areas west where westerly winds
will increase and gust to 40+ mph with greatest gusts likely felt
at places like Big Timber and Harlowton and other places prone to
west winds. This could lead to ground blizzard conditions on
Sunday.
Potential for strong winds will continue Monday and Tuesday as
strong downslope gradients persist, with a flattening of the
gradient over time expected to shift the highest winds to the gap
areas. Temps will climb to the 20s Monday then 30s Tuesday. Would
expect the blowing and drifting snow to become less of an impact
over time as temperatures moderate and we eventually see some
melting.
Pacific trof of some sort will bring a chance of snow showers by
next Tuesday/Wednesday, along with a decrease in wind, though
models are very different in details by the middle of next week. JKL/STP
&&
.AVIATION...
Snow will spread into the area from the southwest tonight,
affecting KLVM-KBIL-KSHR with deteriorating flight conditions to
MVFR-IFR. Snow will overspread much of the area on Thursday with
MVFR-IFR conditions expected. Mountains will become obscured in
snow tonight into Thursday. STP
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...
Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed
-----------------------------------------------------------
BIL 007/017 002/004 917/901 904/017 008/024 018/034 020/033
79/S +8/S 40/I 01/Q 00/N 11/N 22/J
LVM 015/022 005/006 920/005 002/017 008/025 017/032 019/031
89/S +6/S 30/B 11/Q 11/N 12/J 22/J
HDN 003/018 003/007 920/902 912/015 001/024 010/034 015/032
69/S +8/S 51/I 00/B 00/U 01/B 22/J
MLS 901/018 001/005 919/905 912/016 007/025 013/034 018/032
04/S 87/S 40/I 00/B 00/U 11/N 22/J
4BQ 000/020 006/008 917/905 912/015 005/024 013/034 019/030
15/S 99/S 61/I 00/B 00/U 01/B 22/J
BHK 904/014 000/003 917/908 915/013 006/023 012/031 017/029
04/S 77/S 51/I 00/B 00/U 01/B 22/J
SHR 007/025 006/007 917/903 913/015 901/025 012/035 015/032
66/S 99/S 61/I 00/B 00/U 01/B 22/J
&&
.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...Winter Storm Warning in effect from 6 PM this evening to 5 PM
MST Friday FOR ZONES 28-34-39>42-56-63>68.
Winter Storm Warning in effect from 11 PM this evening to 11
PM MST Friday FOR ZONES 29>31-35-38-57-58.
Winter Weather Advisory in effect from 11 PM Thursday to 5 AM
MST Saturday FOR ZONES 32-33.
Winter Storm Warning in effect from 11 PM Thursday to 5 AM
MST Saturday FOR ZONES 36-37.
WY...Winter Storm Warning in effect from 11 PM this evening to 11
PM MST Friday FOR ZONES 98-99.
&&
weather.gov/billingsThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
17 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Area SNOTELS received around 12 of new snow.
Snowfall of 12+ inches was reported across the area.
Snowfall of 6 to 9 inches along with bad roads were reported across the area.
Snowfall of 6 to 8 inches along with bad roads were reported across the area.
Snowfall around 24 inches along with massive travel impacts were reported across the Big Timber area.
Road conditions were very poor across the area. Interstate 90 was closed due to a jack-knifed truck.
Snowfall around 7 inches was reported across the area.
Snowfall of 5 to 7 inches along with poor road conditions were reported across the area.
Snowfall of 12 to 15 inches was reported across the county. Major travel impacts were also reported.
Several inches of snow along with blowing snow and wind chills of -20F were common across the area.
Snowfall of 6 to 10 inches was reported across the area.
Snowfall of 6 inches along with bad road conditions were reported across the area.
Snowfall of 6 to 10 inches was reported across the county.
Snowfall around 6 inches was reported.
Snowfall of 6 to 8 inches was reported across the area.
Snowfall of 6 to 10 inches was reported across the county.
Snowfall of 7 to 10 inches was common across the southwest corner of the county.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, December 2016
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: 668526, 668518, 668517, 668520, 668522, 668523, 668525, 668498, 668500, 668519, 668521, 668497, 668516, 668511, 668513, 668496, 668495.