Montana, 2018Winter Storm in Montana, April 1 to 3, 2018
April 1 to 3, 2018 · NWS BYZ · 21 events in 21 counties and zones
A strong upper low over Idaho combined with a surface low over central Wyoming brought a late season heavy snow event to the entire Billings forecast area. |Snowfall amounts of 6 to 10 inches were common across the entire forecast area.
Every event with a place to put it; 16 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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- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
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- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
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Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 21
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 strong upper low over Idaho combined with a surface low over central Wyoming brought a late season heavy snow event to the entire Billings forecast area. Tight surface pressure gradients associated with the surface low resulted in gusty northwest winds and considerable blowing and drifting snow across the east and southeast portions of the area.|Snowfall amounts of 6 to 10 inches were common across the entire forecast area.
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 Billings, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 1, 2:48 PM MST, 2 hours 12 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 1, 2:48 PM MST, 2 hours 12 minutes before
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Local storm report, Apr 1, 2:07 PM MST, 2 hours 53 minutes before
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</html>Winter Storm, Crazy Mountains
- When
- April 1, 5:00 PM MST to April 2, 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Crazy Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.923, -110.104 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The east side of the Crazies received over a foot of new snow.
Winter Storm, Absarokee / Beartooth Mountains
- When
- April 1, 5:00 PM MST to April 2, 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Absarokee / Beartooth Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- SNOTEL
- Coordinates
- 45.550, -109.722 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Fisher Creek and Cole Creek received 12+ inches of new snow.
Winter Storm, Beartooth Foothills
- When
- April 1, 6:00 PM MST to April 2, 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Beartooth Foothills forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.742, -109.668 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Mystic Lake received 19 inches of snow while McLeod received 12 inches.
Winter Storm, Livingston Area
- When
- April 1, 6:00 PM MST to April 2, 1:30 PM MST
- Where
- Livingston Area forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.488, -110.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall of 5 to 10 inches was reported across the area.
Winter Storm, Red Lodge Foothills
- When
- April 1, 6:00 PM MST to April 2, 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Red Lodge Foothills forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.227, -109.028 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall of 6 to 9 inches was reported across the area.
Winter Storm, Northern Sweet Grass
- When
- April 1, 6:55 PM MST to April 2, 3:00 PM MST
- Where
- Northern Sweet Grass forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Snowfall of 5 to 10 inches was reported across the area.
Winter Storm, Judith Gap
- When
- April 1, 7:00 PM MST to April 2, 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Judith Gap forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.424, -109.509 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall of 4 inches was reported. Highway 191 was closed through Judith Gap due to blizzard conditions.
Winter Storm, Golden Valley
- When
- April 1, 7:00 PM MST to April 2, 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Golden Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.381, -109.175 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall of 9 inches was reported. Highways 87 and 191 were closed due to bad road conditions.
Winter Storm, Musselshell
- When
- April 1, 7:00 PM MST to April 2, 10:00 PM MST
- Where
- Musselshell forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.497, -108.398 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall of 8 to 10 inches was reported across the area.
Winter Storm, Southern Wheatland
- When
- April 1, 7:00 PM MST to April 2, 5:00 PM MST
- Where
- Southern Wheatland forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Two Dot received 7 inches of snow.
Winter Storm, Paradise Valley
- When
- April 1, 7:00 PM MST to April 3, 1:30 PM MST
- Where
- Paradise Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.488, -110.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall of 6 inches was reported south of Livingston.
Winter Storm, Northern Park County
- When
- April 1, 7:00 PM MST to April 2, 1:30 PM MST
- Where
- Northern Park County forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.488, -110.526 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall of 5 to 10 inches was reported across the area.
Winter Storm, Yellowstone
- When
- April 1, 8:00 PM MST to April 2, 10:00 PM MST
- Where
- Yellowstone forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Broadview received 7 inches of snow and Laurel received 8 inches.
Winter Storm, Eastern Carbon
- When
- April 1, 8:00 PM MST to April 2, 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Eastern Carbon forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Snowfall of 9 inches was reported across the area.
Winter Storm, Northern Stillwater
- When
- April 1, 8:00 PM MST to April 2, 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Northern Stillwater forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.669, -109.395 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall of 5 to 8 inches was reported across the area.
Winter Storm, Northern Big Horn
- When
- April 1, 9:00 PM MST to April 3, 1:00 AM MST
- Where
- Northern Big Horn forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.424, -107.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall of 6 inches was reported in Hardin and Busby.
Winter Storm, Northern Rosebud
- When
- April 1, 11:00 PM MST to April 3, 1:00 AM MST
- Where
- Northern Rosebud forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.230, -106.731 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall of 6 to 8 inches was reported across the area.
Winter Storm, Treasure
- When
- April 1, 11:00 PM MST to April 3, 1:00 AM MST
- Where
- Treasure forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.212, -107.272 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall of 6 to 9 inches was reported.
Winter Storm, Southern Big Horn
- When
- April 2, 3:00 AM MST to April 3, 2:00 AM MST
- Where
- Southern Big Horn forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
Both lanes of I-90 were blocked by numerous accidents around and north of Aberdeen Hill. Northern Sheridan County in Wyoming received 4 to 8 inches of snow.
Winter Storm, Southern Rosebud
- When
- April 2, 5:00 AM MST to April 3, 2:00 AM MST
- Where
- Southern Rosebud forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.230, -106.731 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Chains were required over Lame Deer Divide.
Winter Storm, Powder River
- When
- April 2, 7:00 AM MST to April 3, 3:00 AM MST
- Where
- Powder River forecast zone
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.395, -105.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snowfall of 6 inches along with severe driving conditions along Highway 212 were reported.
- 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 Nebraska, April 1, 20181 death · 1 injured · 15 events
- High Wind in Vermont, April 1, 2018$275,000 · 63 kt wind · 4 events
- Flood in Iowa, April 1 to 9, 2018$200,000 · 1 event
- Drought in New Mexico, April 1 to 30, 201839 events
- Flooding in Indiana, April 1 to 18, 2018$40,000 · 2 events
- Flooding in Indiana, April 1 to 16, 2018$35,000 · 2 events
- Drought in Oklahoma, April 1 to 30, 201826 events
- Flooding in Illinois, April 1 to 18, 2018$30,000 · 2 events
- Drought in Texas, April 1 to 30, 201824 events
- Winter Weather in Ohio, April 1 to 2, 201823 events
- Flooding in Illinois, April 1 to 30, 2018$22,000 · 6 events
- Drought in Kansas, April 1 to 30, 201821 events
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: 746444, 746445, 746436, 746437, 746439, 746440, 746431, 746432, 746434, 746435, 746438, 746441, 746433, 746442, 746443, 746386, 746389, 746420, 746387, 746381, 746388.