Montana, 2018Winter Storm in Montana, January 9 to 11, 2018
January 9 to 11, 2018 · NWS GGW · 9 events in 9 counties and zones
A strong surface low pressure system moved into the region from Alberta and Saskatchewan on January 9th, departing on the 11th. Meanwhile, a strong northwesterly upper level jet moved across the area on the 10th and 11th, enhancing lift and producing accumulating snow across northeast Montana.
Every event with a place to put it; 9 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
Open the live radar over this ground
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 9
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 surface low pressure system moved into the region from Alberta and Saskatchewan on January 9th, departing on the 11th. Meanwhile, a strong northwesterly upper level jet moved across the area on the 10th and 11th, enhancing lift and producing accumulating snow across northeast Montana. In addition to widespread areas of 2 to 5 inches of snowfall, strong winds were brought down to the surface, causing travel difficulties in the form of blowing and drifting snow across roadways as well as reduced visibility. Road conditions were rapidly deteriorating by the morning of the 10th, and did not improve until they were plowed on the 11th and 12th.
Winter Storm, Petroleum
- When
- January 9, 8:00 PM MST to January 11, 9:00 AM MST
- Where
- Petroleum forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 47.118, -108.250 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Archived Montana Department of Transportation road reports showed poor road conditions with blowing and drifting snow beginning at around 6:00 AM MST on the 10th. Roads continued to be snow covered until around 9:00 AM MST on the 11th. Additionally, a trained spotter located 4 miles east-northeast of Flatwillow reported 8 inches of snowfall that lasted from the evening of the 9th until approximately 1:00 PM MST on the 10th.
Winter Storm, Dawson
- When
- January 10, 5:30 AM MST to 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Dawson forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 47.266, -104.899 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Montana Department of Transportation road condition maps showed snow covered roads as well as blowing and drifting snow, starting at around 5:30 AM. Although this continued well into the night, by the evening winds had diminished enough to be below warning criteria. Snowfall amounts of approximately 3 inches were reported.
Winter Storm, Prairie
- When
- January 10, 5:30 AM MST to 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Prairie forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 46.861, -105.378 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Montana Department of Transportation road condition maps showed snow covered roads as well as blowing and drifting snow, starting at around 5:30 AM. Although this continued well into the night, by the evening winds had diminished enough to be below warning criteria. Two to three inches of new snowfall was reported.
Winter Storm, Garfield
- When
- January 10, 7:00 AM MST to 2:30 PM MST
- Where
- Garfield forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 47.278, -106.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Montana DOT road condition reports showed snow covered roads as well as blowing and drifting and blowing snow. Highway 200 was snow covered as early as 7:00 AM, and blowing and drifting snow was observed into the afternoon. Approximately 4 to 5 inches of new snowfall was reported.
Winter Storm, Wibaux
- When
- January 10, 9:30 AM MST to 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Wibaux forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 46.965, -104.249 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Montana Department of Highways road conditions maps showed significant blowing and drifting snow across roads in Wibaux County. This began around 9:30 AM and persisted into the evening. Snowfall amounts of approximately 3 inches were reported.
Winter Storm, Central and Southern Valley
- When
- January 10, 11:37 AM MST to 2:57 PM MST
- Where
- Central and Southern Valley forecast zone
- Reported by
- Social Media
- Coordinates
- 48.365, -106.667 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Reports on the KLTZ radio station's social media page indicated that several people in the town of St Marie could not get out of their driveways due to blowing and drifting snow, and that even an ambulance had to call for a snow plow to get in and out of town. New snowfall amounts ranged from approximately 2 to 5 inches. Time is estimated.
Winter Storm, Western Roosevelt
- When
- January 10, 11:37 AM MST to 7:00 PM MST
- Where
- Western Roosevelt forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 48.295, -105.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snow and significant blowing snow was reported across roads and highways in the area, starting about 1 PM and lasting into the evening.
Winter Storm, McCone
- When
- January 10, 11:37 AM MST to 7:11 PM MST
- Where
- McCone forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 47.645, -105.795 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Snow and significant blowing snow was reported across roads and highways in the area, starting about 1 PM and lasting into the evening. New snowfall totals were approximately 2 to 4 inches across the county.
Winter Storm, Richland
- When
- January 10, 11:37 AM MST to 7:11 PM MST
- Where
- Richland forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 47.788, -104.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
The combination of light to moderate snowfall and gusty winds created visibility and road conditions issues due to blowing and drifting snow on the afternoon of the 10th. The area received generally between 3 and 5 inches of snow from this storm.
- 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.
- Winter Storm and Debris Flows in California, January 9, 201821 deaths · 168 injured · $617 million · 6 events
- Winter Weather and Heavy Rain in Arizona, January 9 to 10, 20182 deaths · 3 injured · 3 events
- Flash Flooding and Dense Fog in Nevada, January 9 to 10, 20181 death · $3,000 · 6 events
- Drought in Georgia, January 9 to 31, 201821 events
- Drought in Florida, January 9 to 31, 201820 events
- Dense Fog in Illinois, January 9 to 10, 201819 events
- High Wind in Wyoming, January 9, 201812 events
- Dense Fog in Missouri, January 9 to 10, 201811 events
- Debris Flows and Flooding in California, January 9 to 10, 2018$2,000 · 82 kt wind · 10 events
- Winter Weather in Colorado, January 9 to 11, 20188 events
- High Wind in Wyoming, January 9 to 10, 201866 kt wind · 8 events
- Winter Weather in Utah, January 9 to 11, 20182 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: 733986, 732646, 732648, 732645, 732649, 732643, 732654, 732658, 732940.