Montana, 2019

Winter Storm in Montana, February 24 to 27, 2019

February 24 to 27, 2019 · NWS TFX · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

Multiple shortwave troughs from the Pacific traversed north-central and southwest Montana during February 24th through 26th. Isentropic lift ahead of each shortwave resulted in periods of snow.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TFX wrote it up.

Multiple shortwave troughs from the Pacific traversed north-central and southwest Montana during February 24th through 26th. Isentropic lift ahead of each shortwave resulted in periods of snow. A surface front near the southwest Montana/Idaho border separated Arctic air to the north from milder air to the south. The front wavered northward and southward through the period. This front served as an additional focus for snow, especially on February 26th, when bands of heavy snow occurred along and just north of the front over southwest Montana. These snow bands then exited southwest Montana to the south and east by the evening of the 26th as the front did the same.

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 Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 24, 10:17 AM MST, 3 hours 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 24, 10:17 AM MST, 3 hours 23 minutes before
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Event by event

8 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Madison

When
February 24, 1:40 PM MST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways

MT DOT closed Raynolds Pass into Idaho during snowstorm.

Winter Storm, Gallatin

When
February 24, 2:40 PM MST
Where
Gallatin forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways

MT DOT closed Targhee Pass during snowstorm.

Winter Storm, Southern Lewis and Clark

When
February 24, 5:57 PM MST
Where
Southern Lewis and Clark forecast zone
Reported by
Newspaper

Helena Independent Record reported some rural Helena bus routes had been canceled for Monday, February 25th due to winter weather.

Winter Storm, Jefferson

When
February 24, 10:25 PM MST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways

MT DOT reported severe driving conditions along I-90 at Homestake Pass during snowstorm.

Winter Storm, Beaverhead

When
February 25, 7:40 PM MST
Where
Beaverhead forecast zone
Reported by
Department of Highways

MT DOT closed I-15 from Lima to Dillon during snowstorm.

Winter Storm, Judith Basin

When
February 26, 12:00 AM MST to February 27, 12:00 AM MST
Where
Judith Basin forecast zone
Reported by
Social Media

Geyser Public Schools shared Facebook post that school was cancelled on Tuesday, February 26th due to winter weather.

Winter Storm, Cascade

When
February 26, 12:00 AM MST to February 27, 12:00 AM MST
Where
Cascade forecast zone
Reported by
Broadcast Media

At 6:04 PM MST on Monday, February 25th MTN News reported Great Falls Public Schools had canceled bus routes along the outskirts of Great Falls for Tuesday, February 26th due to winter weather.

Winter Storm, Fergus

When
February 26, 12:00 AM MST to February 27, 12:00 AM MST
Where
Fergus forecast zone
Reported by
Broadcast Media

At 6:04 PM MST on Monday, February 25th MTN News reported Grass Range Public Schools would be closed on Tuesday, February 26th due to winter weather.

What these are

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.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Montana in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, February 2019

Sources

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: 801656, 801654, 801658, 801659, 801655, 801662, 801663, 801664.