Montana, 2022Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Montana, February 20 to 21, 2022
February 20 to 21, 2022 · NWS MSO · 3 events in 3 counties and zones
The combination of snow, wind, and falling temperatures brought difficult travel conditions.
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.
- 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
- 3
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 combination of snow, wind, and falling temperatures brought difficult travel conditions.
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 Missoula, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 20, 5:23 AM MST, 2 hours 7 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 20, 5:23 AM MST, 2 hours 7 minutes before
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</html>Winter Storm, West Glacier Region
- When
- February 20, 7:30 AM MST to February 21, 8:00 AM MST
- Where
- West Glacier Region forecast zone
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 47.971, -114.069 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Arctic air came over the Divide on the morning of the 20th with snow and wind resulting in low visibility at Marias Pass and Essex. The snow and wind impact spread westward on US Highway 2 reaching Bad Rock Canyon by early afternoon with wind gusts to 50 miles per hour and heavy snow. Total snow amounts of 6 to 9 inches were common. Snow drifts to 4 feet were reported at Hungry Horse with a few power outages between West Glacier and Essex.
Winter Storm, Flathead/Mission Valleys
- When
- February 20, 12:20 PM MST to February 21, 8:00 AM MST
- Where
- Flathead/Mission Valleys forecast zone
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 47.872, -114.424 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Arctic winds blasted into the Flathead Valley during the early afternoon accompanied by snow. Glacier Park International Airport reported a peak gust to 47 miles per hour and blowing snow for 7 hours. Most areas only received an inch or two of new snow but the town of Whitefish picked up 9 inches of snow.
Winter Weather, Butte / Blackfoot Region
- When
- February 20, 12:20 PM MST to February 21, 5:00 AM MST
- Where
- Butte / Blackfoot Region forecast zone
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 46.306, -113.025 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Arctic air rushed over the Divide in the early afternoon of the 20th with wind and snow causing difficult travel. Most areas received between 1 and 3 inches of snow with wind gusts to 40 miles per hour.
- Winter Storm
- A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
- Winter Weather
- Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Rip Currents in Puerto Rico, February 20 to 22, 20222 deaths · 2 injured · 2 events
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Colorado, February 20 to 24, 202227 events
- Blizzard and Heavy Snow in North Dakota, February 20 to 22, 202218 events
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in Montana, February 20 to 21, 202217 events
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in South Dakota, February 20 to 22, 202217 events
- Winter Storm in Minnesota, February 20 to 22, 202210 events
- Blizzard in North Dakota, February 20, 20228 events
- Winter Storm in North Dakota, February 20 to 22, 20228 events
- Heavy Snow in South Dakota, February 20 to 21, 20227 events
- Blizzard in Minnesota, February 20, 20224 events
- Winter Storm in Idaho, February 20 to 21, 20223 events
- Wildfire in Oklahoma, February 20 to 22, 20223 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: 1000061, 1000063, 1000065.