Yet another spring storm system brought widespread precipitation (a mix of rain and snow) to a large portion of Central and Southwest Montana. It was a heavy, wet snow with many areas reporting 1 /hr snowfall rates at times.
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 TFX wrote it up.
Yet another spring storm system brought widespread precipitation (a mix of rain and snow) to a large portion of Central and Southwest Montana. It was a heavy, wet snow with many areas reporting 1 /hr snowfall rates at times. The heavier snowfall rates overcame the warmer ground and air temps, allowing snow to accumulate. This event is also noteworthy because of the significant liquid-equivalent precipitation amounts that occurred.
9 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
A band of heavy snow with snowfall rates reaching or exceeding 1 inch per hour sat over Pondera County for several hours, producing up to 10 inches of snow in a relatively short amount of time. This led to significant reductions in visibility, near whiteout conditions, and difficult travel.
A band of heavy snow with snowfall rates reaching or exceeding 1 inch per hour sat over Teton County for several hours, producing 3 to 8 inches of snow in a relatively short amount of time. This led to significant reductions in visibility, near whiteout conditions, and difficult travel. There was also some blowing and drifting of snow in the eastern half of the county.
A band of heavy snow with snowfall rates reaching or exceeding 1 inch per hour sat over Pondera County for several hours, producing up to 10 inches of snow in a relatively short amount of time. This led to significant reductions in visibility, near whiteout conditions, and difficult travel.
Widespread moderate to heavy snow impacted portions of Glacier County, causing significant reductions in visibility. Snowfall rates likely reached 1 inch per hour at times. Snowfall across the county ranged from 4 to 6 inches, likely causing similar impacts as nearby counties that experienced comparable snowfall totals.
A band of heavy snow with snowfall rates reaching or exceeding 1 inch per hour impacted Toole County, producing 4 to 10 inches of snow in a relatively short amount of time. This led to significant reductions in visibility. This likely led to difficult travel as well based on similar reports from nearby counties with comparable snowfall amounts.
Moderate to heavy snow impacted Meagher County, causing significant reductions in visibility. Snowfall rates likely reached 1 inch per hour at times. Snowfall across the county ranged from 2 to 7 inches, likely causing similar impacts as nearby counties that experienced comparable snowfall totals.
Heavy snow impacted a large portion of Cascade County causing significant reductions in visibility for several hours. Event total snowfall ranged from 3 to 12 inches.
A band of heavy snow impacts portions of Madison County, likely producing 1 inch per hour or greater snowfall rates. The period of heavier snow only lasted about 3 hours, but produced 4 to 8 inches in a relatively short amount of time. This led to significant travel issues over Norris Hill.
Widespread moderate to heavy snow impacted Fergus County, causing significant reductions in visibility. Snowfall across the county ranged from 3 to 14 inches, likely causing similar impacts as nearby counties that experienced comparable snowfall totals.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, April 2018
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: 740307, 740309, 740306, 740292, 740312, 740301, 739766, 740300, 740284.