Widespread snow system entered south-central MT, producing heavy, wet snow across the area.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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.
Widespread snow system entered south-central MT, producing heavy, wet snow across 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 Mar 17, 4:27 PM MST, 5 hours 33 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion...Updated
National Weather Service Billings MT
527 PM MDT Mon Mar 17 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Heavy mountain snow through Tuesday.
- Rain/snow transitioning over to all snow tonight through Tuesday
over the lower elevations. Greatest snow accumulations along the
foothills of the Absaroka/Beartooth, Bighorn, and Pryor
mountains, as well as southern Rosebud, Powder River, Custer,
and Big Horn Counties.
- Seasonable temperatures through the week, with periodic chances
of rain and snow showers.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Rest of Today through Tuesday night...
Tonight, a weak surface front and upper trough will shift winds
to the north- northeast bringing deep upslope flow into the
mountains and foothills. Precipitation will increase again, mainly
in the mountains, foothills and south- eastern Montana along the
Montana/Wyoming state line. The resurgence of precipitation will
persist though Tuesday afternoon, bringing heavy snowfall into the
mountains and foothills. As a result, Winter Storm Warnings have
been issued for the Red Lodge Foothills, Sheridan Foothills,
Bighorn and Pryor Mountains, and southern Powder River, Carter,
Rosebud, and Big Horn Counties. Strong ascent will shift from the
western mountains and foothills tomorrow, into the southeast,
allowing for enhanced snowfall.
The current forecast has 6 or more inches in the aforementioned
areas, with the highest amounts in the mountains and foothills.
The Winter Storm Warning for the Absaroka/Beartooth and Crazy
Mountains will continue through Tuesday morning with an additional
foot of snowfall possible at higher elevations and for north-east
facing aspects. Winter Weather Advisories remain in effect for
the Beartooth Foothills and Paradise Valley with 2-6 inches of
snow forecast, with locally higher amounts possible. Accumulations
on roadways will be difficult due to the lack of cold air and
surface temperatures. However, slick and slushy roads are still
expected to impact I-90 between Crow Agency and Buffalo, WY, as
well as US-212 from Crow Agency to Alzada. Travel along Highway 14
through the Bighorns will become difficult to impossible.
Precipitation will begin as rain for lower elevations tonight,
before transitioning to snow on Tuesday. Precip type north of
Billings will likely stay as a rain/snow mix.
Upper trough begins to depart the region Tuesday night, giving
way to ridging over the Northern Rockies for Wednesday. High
temperatures on Tuesday will be in the 30s and 40sF.
Last but not least, recreation in the high country will continue
to be difficult and dangerous with heavy snowfall. Avalanche
danger will remain high through Tuesday morning in the
Absaroka/Beartooth mountains. Matos
Wednesday through Monday...
A progressive pattern with seasonable temperatures will prevail
through the weekend. Wednesday and Wednesday night will be dry
under a period of ridging. Expect a Pacific trof to bring some
mountain snow and a 20-50% chance of rain/snow showers at lower
elevations Thursday into early Friday. In addition, there will be
enhanced pre- and post-frontal winds. The gap areas are favored
for 50+ mph gusts Wednesday night (75% chance) while mixed west
winds may reach 50 mph along all western foothills Thursday (which
will see breezy conditions regionwide). After another brief
period of ridging, the next Pacific trof moves through the area
Saturday and Saturday night. Similar to the first shortwave, the
late week system will also produce windy conditions along the
foothills, but models currently suggest gusts will be a bit lower.
Something to keep an eye on. Otherwise, lower elevation precip
should remain light per the persistent downslope pattern, while
mountains pick up several inches of snow per favorable temps and
lapse rates with each wave. Temperatures in general should range
from the mid 40s to mid 50s.
Heights begin to build over the northern Rockies Sunday, but the
ridge is dirty, and there may be enough Pacific moisture to
produce at least orographic light precip. There is strong ensemble
agreement for a healthy ridge to build over the intermountain west
the first half of next week, so look for a return of above normal
temps. JKL
&&
.AVIATION...
00z TAF Update...Flight conditions will deteriorate along and
south of a Harlowton to Billings to Ekalaka line this evening. A
surface front combined with strong upper level divergence and
upslope winds will increase low level cloud cover and
precipitation through the evening over this area. By 06z expect a
rain/snow mix in the lower elevations to turn over to all snow for
the overnight hours. Mountain obscuration is likely to become
predominant by 06z as well with heavy mountain snow. Area
foothills will see snow increasing to moderate to occasionally
heavy overnight through much of the day Tuesday, including KSHR
where LIFR conditions are forecast at times. To the north of the
aforementioned line, MVFR flight conditions can be expected at
times from 06z through the day Tuesday with occasional light snow
and depressed ceilings. Flight conditions will improve from
northwest to southeast late Tuesday afternoon into the evening
hours. Chambers
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMP/POPS...
Tdy Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
-------------------------------------------------------
BIL 049 034/041 026/047 030/052 033/052 034/052 033/052
2/R 56/S 10/U 02/W 30/N 15/W 31/B
LVM 045 029/038 019/043 030/045 024/043 029/041 024/045
3/O 75/S 20/N 06/J 21/N 37/J 31/N
HDN 050 032/042 023/048 023/055 030/053 029/053 032/053
2/R 67/O 20/U 02/W 41/B 16/W 42/J
MLS 051 032/046 024/049 026/057 034/051 031/053 032/052
0/B 12/O 10/U 00/B 20/B 03/W 31/B
4BQ 051 032/037 025/042 020/051 032/047 028/049 032/048
1/E 89/S 20/B 00/B 31/B 03/W 41/B
BHK 048 027/040 019/043 021/053 026/046 024/051 025/047
0/B 23/S 10/B 00/B 21/B 02/W 31/B
SHR 050 027/035 018/039 013/048 022/043 019/044 022/045
4/R ++/S 50/U 02/W 51/B 06/W 52/J
&&
.BYZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MT...Winter Storm Warning in effect from 11 PM this evening to
midnight MDT Tuesday night FOR ZONES 36-37-58-138-169.
Winter Storm Warning in effect until midnight MDT Tuesday
night FOR ZONES 56-171.
Winter Weather Advisory in effect until midnight MDT Tuesday
night FOR ZONES 64>66.
Winter Storm Warning in effect until noon MDT Tuesday FOR
ZONES 67-68.
WY...Winter Storm Warning in effect from 11 PM this evening to
midnight MDT Tuesday night FOR ZONE 199.
Winter Storm Warning in effect until midnight MDT Tuesday
night FOR ZONE 198.
&&
weather.gov/billingsThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Got 1.3 swe at Tie Creek. 1 swe at Sucker Creek.
Multiple reports of 6-8.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wyoming in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Wyoming, March 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: 1249482, 1249484.