A cold front on April 9th followed by a very cold airmass across the region on the 10th and 11th, were important components to this spring storm. Relatively cold air was already in place when a strong Pacific system arrived across the Billings Forecast Area.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 BYZ wrote it up.
A cold front on April 9th followed by a very cold airmass across the region on the 10th and 11th, were important components to this spring storm. Relatively cold air was already in place when a strong Pacific system arrived across the Billings Forecast Area. The combination of strong upper level ascent, deep easterly (upslope) winds and temperatures favoring dendritic snow growth led to intense snowfall rates on the night of the 11th and morning of the 12th. The upper level low deepened and tracked slowly as it moved from Wyoming into the Dakotas, and this was responsible for the long-duration blizzard conditions that occurred across southeast Montana. Overall, the strength, duration and magnitude of cold (record cold temperatures) associated with this spring storm made it an event for the history books.
The combination of heavy snowfall and strong winds caused significant blowing and drifting snow, especially across southeast Montana where winds were the strongest. Some livestock were lost due to the snow, cold and wind. Several school districts closed schools. In addition, road closures delayed travel across much of the area.
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 11, 7:57 PM MST, 5 hours 3 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...Updated
National Weather Service Billings MT
857 PM MDT Mon Apr 11 2022
.UPDATE...
Radar was filling in over locations mainly south of Billings.
Livingston has already had moderate to heavy snow this evening.
Deep upslope flow and powerful upper divergence was entering
southwest Montana. The area will swing over the forecast area
tonight and get snow cranking. Deep dendrite growth zone suggests
the heaviest snow over south central zones to be late tonight
through Tuesday morning. Precipitation totals will approach an
inch, if not exceed, in mainly places. Latest model runs suggest
snow may hang of a little longer into Tuesday night for central
zones (including Billings). Overall forecast looks on track. One
last note: snow rates in the morning could be excessive and
visibility extremely limited, which will make travel and commuting
dangerous. Roads could quickly become snow packed and slick. The
volume and rate of snowfall, will make it difficult for roads to
improve throughout the day. The snow will be heavy and wet and
very difficult to shovel as well. Be safe! TWH
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Tonight through Wednesday Night...
Main takeaways:
None of the latest guidance has significantly shifted the
impacts. This storm systems is still expected to have very
significant impacts across the area. Widespread amounts across
southern Montana of 8 to 14 inches, with some locally higher
amounts that could approach 20 inches, are still expected Tuesday
into Wednesday. Snowfall rates could still be over an inch an hour
for several hours especially late tonight into early tomorrow
morning, including for the morning commute. This could lead to
limited visibilities and rapidly accumulating snow. Winds will
also increase during the day tomorrow, which will result in
further visibility reductions due to blowing snow. The strongest
winds are still expected across southeastern Montana where a
Blizzard Warning remains in effect. The rest of the area remains
in Winter Storm Warnings.
Details:
The latest guidance, which now includes more CAMs guidance,
continues to show a significant area of diffluent flow, resulting
in significant lift through the column. With a cold, moist air
mass in place with this lift, sounding profiles continue to show a
very deep dendritic growth zone co-located with the deep lift.
This will lead to very efficient snow production, for a prolonged
period of time. The HREF probabilities for seeing 1+ inch an hour
around sunrise tomorrow are 70+ for much of the area from Billings
westward. In the Bull Mountains, there are even around 40% chance
for seeing rates 2+ inches an hour. As the snow rates decrease
some into the afternoon and the increased insolation, the roads
may be able to melt some, but as temperatures drop there is
potential for refreezing tomorrow night.
Winds will start increase tomorrow morning with gusts 30 to 40
with up to 45 mph in southeast Montana. These winds will not only
produce blowing and drifting snow, but with the cold and damp
conditions prose a significant threat to young livestock. While
looking at the HREF probability for blizzard conditions does not
show much, this may be down the the models not resolving the
blowing snow component of the visibility reductions. Conditions
still look very favorable for blizzard conditions in southeast
Montana, which is currently in the Blizzard Warning. As the low
wraps up Wednesday into the Dakotas, the winds will increase again
in southeastern Montana with more gusts into the 40s possible.
Going into Wednesday, the snow should start to tapper off, however
models have trend a little farther west with the with the wrap-
around snow, associated with a TROWAL, so there is potential for
higher amounts in the southeast Wednesday, and the trends with
this will continue to be monitored. Wednesday night will be the
coldest, especially farther to the west where the snow will be
clearing out. Temperatures will be dropping into the single
digits by Thursday morning, and it cannot be ruled out that some
locations could see temperatures dipping below zero. Reimer
Thursday through Monday...
The large winter storm will be winding down over eastern Montana
Thursday morning, with snow diminishing. Over southeast MT, it
will also be windy through the day Thursday, and this wind
combined with the cold temperatures will cause snow on the ground
to blow around and lower visibility at times. Otherwise, upper
ridging will bring dry weather to most of the area Thursday.
Westerly flow will bring a chance of snow showers to the
Beartooth/Absaroka Mountains Thursday afternoon.
A wave of energy will move through NW Montana and bring a chance
of light snow Thursday night into Friday but amounts look very
light.
Another wave of energy brings a threat of snow Saturday into
Sunday but mainly a period of light snow that will reinforce the
snow cover which likely will still be around though depleted.
This snow cover will help keep temperatures cold.
High temperatures will generally be in the 20s and 30s Thursday
and Friday, then 30s and 40s Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
borsum/RMS
&&
.AVIATION...
A winter storm will affect at least parts of the region late this
afternoon through Wednesday night. Snow will begin first west of
Billings late this afternoon, then expand eastward tonight.
Accordingly, conditions will deteriorate to MVFR-LIFR due to low
ceilings and low visibility. Snow will be heavy at times.
Mountains will be obscured through Wednesday. RMS
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...
Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon
-----------------------------------------------------------
BIL 020/024 015/026 006/029 010/032 014/037 023/040 020/044
++/S 83/S 01/B 22/S 12/S 43/S 11/B
LVM 019/025 012/029 007/035 015/039 021/043 025/043 022/048
++/S 43/S 02/S 43/S 24/S 54/S 11/B
HDN 019/027 014/026 006/029 007/032 011/040 020/041 017/044
++/S 95/S 10/B 11/B 12/S 43/S 11/B
MLS 021/025 017/024 013/026 008/029 007/032 019/035 015/037
9+/S +8/S 31/N 11/B 01/B 32/S 10/B
4BQ 024/030 016/022 011/026 008/029 010/036 022/036 017/038
9+/S 86/S 21/N 01/B 01/B 32/S 10/B
BHK 020/025 015/022 012/023 007/026 006/030 017/033 013/035
8+/S +9/S 52/S 11/B 01/B 32/S 10/B
SHR 020/030 009/025 006/029 008/034 015/043 022/041 020/045
9+/S 64/S 10/B 12/S 12/O 34/S 21/B
&&
.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...Winter Storm Warning in effect from midnight tonight to 6 PM
MDT Wednesday FOR ZONES 29-173-235.
Winter Storm Warning in effect from 3 AM Tuesday to 6 AM MDT
Thursday FOR ZONES 30-31-36-57-58-138-169-171.
Blizzard Warning in effect from 3 AM Tuesday to noon MDT
Thursday FOR ZONES 32-33-37.
Winter Storm Warning in effect until 6 PM MDT Wednesday FOR
ZONES 34-40-42-56-63>68-139-141-170-172-228.
WY...Winter Storm Warning in effect from 3 AM Tuesday to 6 AM MDT
Thursday FOR ZONES 198-199.
&&
weather.gov/billingsThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall of 12 inches, along with wind gusts to 61 mph, occurred across the area.
Snowfall of 15 to 20 inches with wind gusts over 50 mph occurred across the area. This resulted in near zero visibilities along with significant drifting of snow.
Snowfall of 10 to 15 inches occurred across the area. In addition, strong winds and poor visibilities were also observed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, April 2022
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: 1017697, 1017699, 1017701.