Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Montana, February 20 to 21, 2023

Name: Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Montana, February 20 to 21, 2023
Start: 2023-02-20T17:00
End: 2023-02-21T22:45
Location: Montana

February 20 to 21, 2023 · NWS MSO · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A strong push of arctic air entered western Montana thanks to low pressure to the west. This brought high winds and scattered power outages across northwest Montana.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $4,000
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 MSO wrote it up.

A strong push of arctic air entered western Montana thanks to low pressure to the west. This brought high winds and scattered power outages across northwest Montana. Heavy snow near the front caused low visibility, slick roads and eventual drifting snow in places.

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, 2:36 PM MST, 2 hours 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 20, 2:36 PM MST, 2 hours 24 minutes before

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In the hours before

Local storm report, Feb 20, 3:28 PM MST, 1 hour 32 minutes before

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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 winter storm, 3 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, West Glacier Region

When: February 20, 5:00 PM MST to February 21, 10:00 AM MST
Where: West Glacier Region forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 47.971, -114.069 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A weak arctic push brought heavy snow to Marias Pass between 6 and 9 am on the 20th, then ramped up again by the evening including Essex. Points north and west received a mixture of rain and snow before the arctic push westward overnight. Severe driving conditions were reported for US-2 between West Glacier and Columbia Falls and also at Marias Pass. Total snows included 17 inches at Marias Pass, 11.2 inches at Essex and 6 inches at West Glacier.

Winter Weather, Bitterroot / Sapphire Mountains

When: February 21, 12:00 AM MST to 3:00 PM MST
Where: Bitterroot / Sapphire Mountains forecast zone
Reported by: SNOTEL
Coordinates: 46.508, -113.828 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow occurred at Lolo Pass with the Pacific cold front in the early morning hours and then heavy showers during the day. Overall it recorded a snow depth increase of 9 inches. The arctic cold front was mostly a dry front, but temperatures dropped to the single digits by late evening.

Winter Weather, Lower Clark Fork Region

When: February 21, 2:00 AM MST to 8:00 AM MST
Where: Lower Clark Fork Region forecast zone
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 47.286, -114.685 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy snow showers with the Pacific cold front impacted Lookout Pass where chains were required for a period. Heavy snow showers also impacted Evaro Hill and brought low visibility.

Winter Storm, Kootenai/Cabinet Region

When: February 21, 3:30 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
Where: Kootenai/Cabinet Region forecast zone
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 48.171, -114.863 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Reports of heavy snow started to come in before daybreak along US-93 between Eureka and Whitefish. Near Stryker there was an estimated 4 inches of snow on the road that fell in only 3 hours and by 0727, the wind picked up and caused near whiteout conditions. By the afternoon a traveler reported there were drifts on Highway 37, and it took them an hour to go from the Koocanusa Bridge to Eureka.

Winter Weather, Butte / Blackfoot Region

When: February 21, 3:40 AM MST to 9:00 PM MST
Where: Butte / Blackfoot Region forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 46.306, -113.025 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow bands behind the Pacific cold front brought periods of heavy snow and slick conditions in the morning with multiple vehicle wrecks as a result. A weather spotter reported whiteout conditions in Drummond around 1330 as the arctic cold front pushed westward with plummeting temperatures and strong gusty east winds.

Winter Storm, Flathead/Mission Valleys

When: February 21, 6:15 AM MST to 8:00 PM MST
Where: Flathead/Mission Valleys forecast zone
Property damage: $4,000
Reported by: Utility Company
Coordinates: 47.872, -114.424 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High winds at least to 54 mph at the Glacier Park International airport were reported and could have been higher closer to Columbia Falls. A utility company experienced power outages with at least 4 of them caused by trees falling into electrical equipment. The wind damage locations included between Whitefish Lake and Columbia Falls, east side of Flathead Lake, east of Creston, and the area south of Beaver Lake. Heavy snow with 2 inch per hour rates was reported from Bigfork to Yellow Bay for at least 3 hours. Hodgson Road was closed the following night due to severe drifting and severe driving conditions were hoisted by MDT on Highway 206 and 406. Severe drifting was reported on Mud Lake Road due to strong northeast winds coming down off the Swan Range.

Winter Storm, Potomac / Seeley Lake Region

When: February 21, 9:00 AM MST to 1:00 PM MST
Where: Potomac / Seeley Lake Region forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 46.986, -113.597 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The Lindbergh Lake observer reported 10.6 inches of snow, and 8.3 inches fell in Seeley Lake during this event. The arctic cold front brought plummeting temperatures, with gusty east winds to 35 mph, and caused a flash freeze and slick roads.

Winter Storm, Missoula / Bitterroot Valleys

When: February 21, 4:00 PM MST to 10:45 PM MST
Where: Missoula / Bitterroot Valleys forecast zone
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 46.560, -114.023 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

There were multiple reports of flash freeze in Missoula as the cold arctic air moved in and froze the wet roads. Cars were sliding off the roads and the Missoula Police issued a Emergency Travel Only alert due to whiteout conditions. A report from the public south of Hamilton reported 6 inches of heavy snow.

What these are

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.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Montana in 2023 Every state in 2023 This day in weather history Warnings in Montana, February 2023

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1081688, 1081699, 1081691, 1081687, 1081703, 1081690, 1081702, 1081692.