Heavy Snow in Gallatin Valley, Montana

Observer at MSU Bozeman campus reported an event total snow amount of 8.7 inches. Additionally, a CoCoRaHS observer on the southeast side of Bozeman reported 9.3 inches. A trained spotter 5 miles east of Gallatin Gateway reported an event total of 15 inches. Locations around Belgrade reported 6 to 7 inches for an event snow total.

A long duration winter storm event occurred from roughly January 26 through January 28th as a powerful storm system affected much of the western United States. Periods of snow, heavy at times (especially across the mountains) occurred. Event total snow amounts of 5 to 10 inches across area valleys and the Plains were common with upwards of 2 feet of snow falling across portions of area mountains. The snow was followed by a seasonably strong arctic outbreak. Southwest Montana felt the brunt of the arctic airmass with several locations experiencing wind chill values of -40 F or colder (isolated areas having wind chill values of -50 F to -60 F), with isolated locations reaching actual air temperatures of -40 F.