Winter Storm and High Wind in Montana, March 11 to 14, 2026

Montana Department of Transportation required chains for Lookout Pass on Interstate 90 on two occasions: 0530MST and again at 1843MST. The interstate was blocked in both directions by a semi trailer. On the morning of March 14, Lookout Pass Ski Area had reported 35 inches of new snow in 48 hours, 49 inches in 72 hours.

Montana Department of Transportation in West Glacier reported 10 downed trees. They received 2 feet of snow in Essex, 14 inches at Marias Pass. Chains were required on Marias Pass on March 11 at 21:12. Winds gusted to 49 mph near the Marias Pass summit.

This storm was a major snow producer. Montana Department of Transportation cited severe driving conditions and chains required on Highway 12 over Lolo Pass. Storm total snow for Twin Lakes SNOTEL on the Bitterroot Crest was 43 inches, with 8.10 inches of snow-water equivalent. Lost Trail Pass got 43 inches, and the Lolo Pass Visitor Center reported 59 inches.

There were about 600 people without power on the northeast side of Flathead Lake. The Department of Transportation also reported a power line across a road in Bigfork.

Winds were gusting to 50 mph when the power went out in western Mineral County around 3:13am MST on March 12. There were a lot of power outages in western Sanders County from Thompson Falls to Heron. There were still people without power as of 2:00 am MST March 13. Northern Lights also had 10,265 members affected, as of 1:00 am MST March 13, 6,085 have been restored. Still 4180 without power. Schools were closed in Noxon, resulting in Picture Day needing to be rescheduled.

Missoula County roads crews reported sending crews up to the Seeley Lake area where other crews in that area were being overwhelmed by downed trees. Damage was worst in the Seeley Swan Valley, where approximately 480 members are without power. There was a downed powerline near mile marker 57 along Highway 83.

There were over 1800 people without power from Yaak to Bull Lake. Multiple trees were blocking roads as of 6:54am March 12. There was a downed power line across Highway 56 creating a total road blockage. Trees fell on a garage and house in Libby.|There were 52 power poles down south of Libby.

There were about 150 people without power.

Montana Department of Transportation required chains for MacDonald Pass on Highway 12 overnight on March 13, and severe driving conditions on Highway 141 on the morning of March 14. Missoula Electric COOP reported over 223 customers without power, with one broken power pole.

Montana Department of Transportation reported severe driving conditions on MT Highway 83 from milepost 14.0 to 47.8, Seeley Lake to Condon due to blowing and drifting snow, heavy snow. There was a slide-off accident on Highway 83 south of Seeley Lake. Obstructions blocked travel on Highway 200 and Interstate 90 on the morning of March 14. Missoula Electric COOP reported 2500 customers without power at 0930 MST March 14 plus a major infrastructure failure: two main feeders from the Clinton substation were damaged, cutting power to 505 members. Some storm total snow amounts were 26.7 inches in Seeley Lake, 16 inches at Clearwater Junction, 14 inches at Lubrecht Forest, and 32.6 inches at the Ovando CoCoRaHS.

From the afternoon on the 12th through the afternoon on the 14th snow amounts ended up being impressive, in the 6-12 inch range. Power outages were reported and lasted into Sunday the 15th. Multiple trees had fallen in the Flathead and Mission Valleys especially by Friday and Saturday (March 13-14) with the heavy wet snow falling. Power outages/tree issues were also found in other areas of west-central Montana. On Sunday March 15, Polson Rural Fire District responded to numerous calls including downed trees and powerlines and a vehicle slide-off. According to Mission Valley Power there were several power outages in their area including Melita Island Rd/Wilderness Valley, Rocky Point/Kings Point areas, and Hellroaring Road. |There were lots of downed power lines in Rocky Point where power was out for over 30 hours. Blackfoot Communication reported telephone lines and power were out 6 miles east of St. Ignatius on Saturday March 14. Snow totals from CoCoRaHS for March 13-14 (Fri-Sat) were 3 to 4 inches in the Flathead, 8 inches in Polson, and 7.5 inches in Ronan. Much of the power outages and trees down occurred with the heavy snow Friday night March 13.

Montana Department of Transportation reported on Highways 2 and 37. The crash on Highway 37 resulted in a fatality. An observer reported a storm total of 17 inches in Marion.

Wet, heavy snow snapped tree limbs which fell on power lines, causing several power outages in the Missoula and Bitterroot valleys. Missoula COOP reported 2500 customers without power on the night of March 13.

Snow Squall. Metars from Ronan Airport, K7S0, indicate a drop in visibility from 9 statute miles down to less than 1/4 statute miles in 20 minutes at 1435MST. A 3 degree (F) drop in temperature accompanied the drop in visibility. Temperature dropped from 30 to 27 degrees. A member of the public called to report that they were driving through whiteout conditions and could hardly see the car in front of them at 1450MST. Another member of the public reported 12-14 inches of snow from this event in St. Ignatius.

Snow Squall. A snow Squall hit the Highway 200 corridor between 1930MST and 2020MST. An NWS Missoula employee was between Greenough Hill and Clearwater Junction. About 1 inch of snow fell with the squall. Easterly winds developed with the squall with temperatures falling due to the Arctic cold front that pushed westwards. He reported that several people left the camp at 1930MST and encountered snow and low visibility on their drive back to Missoula.