A Canadian cold front moved southward through north-central Montana during the early and mid-morning of Friday, November 16th. This front then cleared southwest Montana between mid-morning and late afternoon.
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.
A Canadian cold front moved southward through north-central Montana during the early and mid-morning of Friday, November 16th. This front then cleared southwest Montana between mid-morning and late afternoon. Rain quickly changed to snow following the frontal passage and wet roadways froze rapidly. The combination of ice and snow along roads had a significant impact on travel in some areas, including Great Falls. In addition, strong cold air advection and boundary layer mixing behind the front contributed to gusty northerly winds. Periods of snow continued across north-central and southwest Montana through much of Friday before ending late that evening or during the early morning of Saturday, November 17th.
3 winter storm, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
MT DOT reported severe driving conditions along US-89 from St. Mary to the Canada border. Roads were icy and snow-covered.
King Coulee mesonet station (7-miles NW of Devon) recorded peak gust of 58-mph.
MT DOT reported jack-knifed tractor trailer at milepost 225 on 1-15. This accident occurred near the Wolf Creek interchange.
Great Falls PD reported 37 crashes in the city over the past five hours due to icy and snow-covered roads. These accidents included jack-knifed semis that blocked the 1-15/10th Ave South interchange in Great Falls around 2:50 PM MST.
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, November 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 787799, 787797, 787802, 787805.