A Pacific trough developed a storm system producing rain/snow across the region on the 5th and 6th. The combination of snow levels falling to valleys and embedded bursts helped accumulate, heavy, wet snow in the Southwest MT valleys and Central MT mountains on the 5th.
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.
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 TFX wrote it up.
A Pacific trough developed a storm system producing rain/snow across the region on the 5th and 6th. The combination of snow levels falling to valleys and embedded bursts helped accumulate, heavy, wet snow in the Southwest MT valleys and Central MT mountains on the 5th. Another round of snow came through the 6th, which further stressed the infrastructure.
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 Great Falls, MT wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 4, 10:50 PM MST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.
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</html>The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Showdown Ski resort measured a storm total of 16 inches of snow.
A public caller measured 6 inches of new snow 11 miles north of Whitehall.
A trained spotter reported 9 inches of snow 6 miles north of Bozeman on the 6th.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Montana in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Montana, March 2026
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1322938, 1322940, 1322943.