A clipper system brought snow to the mountains and foothills, and rain to the lower elevations.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 clipper system brought snow to the mountains and foothills, and rain to the lower elevations.
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 3, 1:14 PM MST, 46 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Billings MT
214 PM MDT Thu Apr 3 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Snow expected from late this afternoon/this evening into Friday
morning. The mountains and foothills will see the greatest
accumulations.
- Slight chance of thunder expected through early
evening.
- Snow could impact the commute for this evening and Friday
morning, mainly around the southern foothills.
- High confidence of building high pressure this weekend; expect
warmer and dry conditions into next week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Rest of Today through Friday night...
Line of showers and thunderstorms have developed in an inverted
trough over Rosebud County. Potential wind gusts with these storms
will be 20 to 30 mph based on radar velocity signatures. For the
18-21Z period, added thunder from the SW mountains ENE through
KBIL, KSHR and KMLS. Mesoanalysis showed 100-250 J/kg MLCAPE in
this region and lapse rates were quite steep over the area.
Effective Bulk Shear was only 20-25 kt. KBIL reported GS due to
the unstable airmass. Meanwhile cold front had moved S into the
area and at 19Z was from Roundup to K3HT. Behind the front, Judith
Gap reported 27 degs over 27 dewpoint and some moisture had
appeared on the web cam. Increased PoPs over much of the area
through 21Z and had likely PoPs for snow over Judith Gap. Front
has ushered in gusty N winds. Chances for thunder will remain from
around KBIL S and SE for the rest of the afternoon. PoPs will
increase to likely over much of the area as the front progresses S
and 700 mb frontogenesis increases behind it. Precipitation will
be in the form of rain with rain and snow or all snow N and NW of
KBIL.
Front should be through the entire forecast area by 06Z tonight,
accompanied by high PoPs along the frontogenesis band and over
areas favored by N to NE upslope flow. Precipitation will
gradually change to snow from NW to SE with mostly all snow
expected between 06-09Z. Kept a low chance of thunder S and SE of
KBIL through 03Z based on RAP forecast of low MLCAPE. Steep lapse
rates and upslope flow, combined with the frontogenesis will
allow for heavier snow showers over the upslope areas through the
evening. Gusty winds behind the front will continue into the
evening. The strong frontogenesis will be SE of the area by early
Friday morning and chance PoPs will linger over the far SE, S.
Big Horn County, NE upslope areas and Sheridan County. PoPs taper
off to the S in the afternoon. Snow totals will be an inch or less
from KBIL N and E. Expect 1-3 inches in the ongoing Advisory
areas with around 10 inches in Red Lodge and up to 18 inches in
the upslope areas of the Beartooths/Absarokas where a Warning is
in effect. 8 to 11 inches is expected over the NE Bighorns which
are under an Advisory. Will go ahead and expand the Advisory
through S. Rosebud, Powder River and Carter Counties due to a
possible band setting up in this area for 1-3 inches of snow.
Friday will be a cool day with highs in the upper 30s to mid 40s.
Friday night will be dry with lows in the teens to mid 20s. Arthur
Saturday through Thursday...
Through the weekend, NW flow will transition into ridging through
Monday. This will allow for dry conditions with above average
temperatures into the 50s and 60s during this timeframe. Early
Tuesday into Wednesday, a weak Pacific shortwave will move
through, bringing an increased chance (20-50%) for rain showers
for lower elevations. Areas 6000ft and above will likely see snow
showers (40-70% chance). The lower elevations have about a 30-50%
chance of getting a tenth of an inch of water Tuesday through
Wednesday, with the mountains at a 60-80% chance. Westerly flow
transitions back to ridging for the latter part of the week.
Tuesday through Thursday's high temperatures remain mild with
temps in the 50s and 60s, gradually warming through the week. TS
&&
.AVIATION...
Precipitation associated with a frontal passage is expected to
move across the region through the afternoon. A few isolated
thunderstorms can be expected during this time. A rain/snow mix
can be expected for lower elevations late afternoon, quickly
transitioning to snow this evening. All sites will be subject to
IFR/LIFR conditions this evening with the transition to snow.
Expect snow showers to taper off from 12-15Z Friday. Mountain
obscurations can also be expected. TS
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu
-----------------------------------------------------------
BIL 027/042 025/055 033/065 036/069 042/063 040/063 038/068
81/B 00/U 00/U 00/U 24/R 32/R 00/U
LVM 023/041 022/053 031/060 035/063 038/058 037/056 036/065
91/B 00/U 00/U 01/B 35/R 32/R 01/B
HDN 026/042 022/055 031/064 033/070 040/064 039/063 036/067
81/B 00/U 00/U 00/U 24/R 42/R 10/U
MLS 025/042 024/054 031/061 031/064 038/063 040/061 039/064
50/B 00/U 00/B 00/U 12/R 22/R 10/U
4BQ 026/039 021/050 031/059 031/064 037/062 040/061 039/063
+1/B 00/U 00/B 00/U 13/R 22/R 10/U
BHK 022/039 020/050 028/058 026/055 031/060 034/059 035/061
91/B 00/U 00/B 00/U 12/R 22/R 10/U
SHR 022/037 016/050 026/058 029/066 034/060 034/059 033/064
+3/J 10/U 00/U 00/U 15/R 32/R 10/U
&&
.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...Winter Weather Advisory in effect from 6 PM this evening to 6
AM MDT Friday FOR ZONES 34-65-138-139-141-169-170.
Winter Weather Advisory in effect from 9 PM this evening to 6
AM MDT Friday FOR ZONES 36-37-58.
Winter Storm Warning in effect until 6 AM MDT Friday FOR
ZONES 56-66-67.
Winter Weather Advisory in effect until 6 AM MDT Friday FOR
ZONES 64-171.
WY...Winter Weather Advisory in effect from 6 PM this evening to 6
AM MDT Friday FOR ZONE 199.
Winter Weather Advisory in effect until 6 AM MDT Friday FOR
ZONE 198.
&&
weather.gov/billingsPreliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Billings MT
245 PM MDT Thu Apr 3 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0100 PM Rain 13 ENE Wilsall 46.09N 110.43W
04/03/2025 M1.10 Inch Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station SFSM8 12.8 E Wilsall
(SNOTEL). (SWE)
0700 AM Rain 1 ENE Hardin 45.74N 107.60W
04/03/2025 M0.81 Inch Big Horn MT Cocorahs
Cocorahs station MT-BH-2 Hardin 0.6 ENE.
0215 PM Rain 2 WSW Story 44.57N 106.92W
04/03/2025 M0.75 Inch Sheridan WY Mesonet
Mesonet station DW7699 Story.
0100 PM Rain 10 WSW Limestone 45.42N 110.09W
04/03/2025 M0.70 Inch Sweet Grass MT Mesonet
Mesonet station PLCM8 10.2 W Limestone
(SNOTEL). (SWE)
0100 PM Rain 15 ESE Chico 45.26N 110.41W
04/03/2025 M0.70 Inch Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station STYM8 Mill Creek.
0700 AM Rain 15 NNW Pompeys Pillar 46.22N 108.03W
04/03/2025 M0.66 Inch Yellowstone MT CO-OP Observer
CO-OP Observer station PMPM8 15.4 N Pompeys
Pillar.
0215 PM Rain Melstone 46.60N 107.87W
04/03/2025 M0.64 Inch Musselshell MT Mesonet
Mesonet station EW6456 Melstone.
0100 PM Rain 12 SSW Beckton 44.58N 107.20W
04/03/2025 M0.60 Inch Sheridan WY Mesonet
Mesonet station BGEW4 Big Goose.
0700 AM Rain 3 NNE Billings 45.84N 108.52W
04/03/2025 M0.58 Inch Yellowstone MT Cocorahs
Cocorahs station MT-YS-27 Billings 3.2 NNE.
0700 AM Rain 6 E Melstone 46.59N 107.75W
04/03/2025 M0.57 Inch Rosebud MT Cocorahs
Cocorahs station MT-RB-9 Melstone 5.7 E.
0100 PM Rain 3 NNW Cooke City 45.06N 109.94W
04/03/2025 M0.50 Inch Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station FSHM8 3.4 NW Cooke City
(SNOTEL). (SWE)
0153 PM Rain 1 NW Billings 45.80N 108.55W
04/03/2025 M0.50 Inch Yellowstone MT ASOS
ASOS station KBIL Billings.
0220 PM Rain 2 NNW Forsyth 46.30N 106.70W
04/03/2025 M0.50 Inch Rosebud MT Mesonet
Mesonet station EW1247 Forsyth.
0600 AM Rain 13 NE Ingomar 46.74N 107.21W
04/03/2025 M0.49 Inch Rosebud MT CO-OP Observer
CO-OP Observer station INEM8 13.1 NE
Ingomar.
0700 AM Rain 2 W Worden 45.96N 108.22W
04/03/2025 M0.44 Inch Yellowstone MT Cocorahs
Cocorahs station MT-YS-48 Worden 2.5 W.
0800 AM Rain 2 WSW Story 44.57N 106.93W
04/03/2025 M0.43 Inch Sheridan WY Cocorahs
Cocorahs station WY-SH-33 Story 2.1 WSW.
0145 PM Rain 6 SSW Big Horn 44.60N 107.04W
04/03/2025 M0.43 Inch Sheridan WY Mesonet
Mesonet station LGCW4 6.3 SW Big Horn.
0800 AM Rain 4 ENE Huntley 45.92N 108.24W
04/03/2025 M0.40 Inch Yellowstone MT CO-OP Observer
CO-OP Observer station SBRM8 3.8 E Huntley.
0100 PM Rain 2 N Cooke City 45.05N 109.91W
04/03/2025 M0.40 Inch Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station WHTM8 2.0 N Cooke City
(SNOTEL). (SWE)
0100 PM Rain 21 NW Cooke City 45.22N 110.24W
04/03/2025 M0.40 Inch Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MNPM8 18.4 NW Northeast
Entrance (SNOTEL). (SWE)
0100 PM Rain 5 W Cooke City 45.01N 110.01W
04/03/2025 M0.40 Inch Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station NORM8 2.7 NE Northeast
Entrance (SNOTEL). (SWE)
0100 PM Rain 12 NE Wilsall 46.11N 110.47W
04/03/2025 M0.40 Inch Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station PRPM8 12.2 NE Wilsall
(SNOTEL). (SWE)
0700 AM Rain 5 SSW Coalwood 45.67N 105.62W
04/03/2025 M0.37 Inch Powder River MT Cocorahs
Cocorahs station MT-PR-1 Broadus 18.8 NNW.
0700 AM Rain 2 W Story 44.58N 106.93W
04/03/2025 M0.36 Inch Sheridan WY Cocorahs
Cocorahs station WY-SH-44 Story 2.1 W.
0118 PM Rain 6 SSE Pryor 45.34N 108.49W
04/03/2025 M0.33 Inch Big Horn MT Mesonet
Mesonet station PMRM8 Pryor Mountain.
0145 PM Rain 5 WNW Beckton 44.77N 107.23W
04/03/2025 M0.33 Inch Sheridan WY Mesonet
Mesonet station WLFW4 7.1 S Dayton.
0159 PM Rain 2 SSE Crow Agency 45.57N 107.44W
04/03/2025 M0.33 Inch Big Horn MT Mesonet
Mesonet station LBHM8 Little Bighorn.
0117 PM Rain 6 W Cooke City 45.01N 110.04W
04/03/2025 M0.31 Inch Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station SBYM8 Soda Butte Raws.
0100 PM Rain 15 SW Beckton 44.57N 107.30W
04/03/2025 M0.30 Inch Sheridan WY Mesonet
Mesonet station DMLW4 Dome Lake.
0100 PM Rain 3 SSW Luther 45.24N 109.46W
04/03/2025 M0.30 Inch Carbon MT Mesonet
Mesonet station BMTM8 3.2 SW Luther
(SNOTEL). (SWE)
0100 PM Rain 22 SW Limestone 45.27N 110.25W
04/03/2025 M0.30 Inch Park MT Mesonet
Mesonet station BOXM8 22.0 NW Northeast
Entrance (SNOTEL). (SWE)
0100 PM Rain 5 W Red Lodge 45.19N 109.35W
04/03/2025 M0.30 Inch Carbon MT Mesonet
Mesonet station CLCM8 4.8 W Red Lodge
(SNOTEL). (SWE)
0700 AM Rain 10 ENE Lavina 46.33N 108.74W
04/03/2025 M0.29 Inch Musselshell MT CO-OP Observer
CO-OP Observer station RLAM8 Roundup 15 SW.
0121 PM Rain 13 W Garland 46.03N 106.19W
04/03/2025 M0.29 Inch Rosebud MT Mesonet
Mesonet station MCCM8 Cow Creek.
0134 PM Rain 8 W Roundup 46.46N 108.70W
04/03/2025 M0.28 Inch Musselshell MT Mesonet
Mesonet station BSFM8 Billings Qd No. 2.
0200 PM Rain 5 WSW Billings 45.76N 108.63W
04/03/2025 M0.28 Inch Yellowstone MT Cocorahs
Cocorahs station MT-YS-50 Billings 5.2 WSW.
0127 PM Rain 7 NNE Otter 45.30N 106.16W
04/03/2025 M0.26 Inch Powder River MT Mesonet
Mesonet station FHFM8 Fort Howes.
0141 PM Rain 17 SSE Delphia 46.26N 108.10W
04/03/2025 M0.25 Inch Yellowstone MT Mesonet
Mesonet station STBM8 Steamboat.
0700 AM Rain 6 W Billings 45.79N 108.67W
04/03/2025 M0.24 Inch Yellowstone MT Cocorahs
Cocorahs station MT-YS-52 Billings 6.2 W.
0810 AM Rain 1 WNW Story 44.58N 106.90W
04/03/2025 M0.24 Inch Sheridan WY CO-OP Observer
CO-OP Observer station STOW4 0.6 W Story.
0700 AM Rain 1 NW Roundup 46.45N 108.55W
04/03/2025 M0.23 Inch Musselshell MT Cocorahs
Cocorahs station MT-MH-23 Roundup 0.6 NW.
0700 AM Rain 10 ESE Ashland 45.59N 106.12W
04/03/2025 M0.23 Inch Powder River MT Cocorahs
Cocorahs station MT-PR-6 Ashland 9.7 ESE.
0216 PM Rain 1 SSW Big Timber 45.82N 109.96W
04/03/2025 M0.23 Inch Sweet Grass MT Mesonet
Mesonet station CW9353 Big Timber.
0700 AM Rain 4 SE Klein 46.35N 108.48W
04/03/2025 M0.22 Inch Musselshell MT Cocorahs
Cocorahs station MT-MH-17 Roundup 7.4 SSE.
0139 PM Rain 7 WSW Roundup 46.43N 108.67W
04/03/2025 M0.22 Inch Musselshell MT Mesonet
Mesonet station HORM8 Horse Thief.
0215 PM Rain 7 ENE Banner 44.64N 106.73W
04/03/2025 M0.22 Inch Sheridan WY Mesonet
Mesonet station FW6148 Banner.
0700 AM Rain 9 NNE Wyarno 44.93N 106.68W
04/03/2025 M0.20 Inch Sheridan WY Cocorahs
Cocorahs station WY-SH-9 Wyarno 9 NNE.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Got 12-18 at mountain snotels.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, April 2025
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: 1252803.