Heavy Snow — Bears Paw Mountains and Southern Blaine, Montana

2024-11-05 · Bears Paw Mountains and Southern Blaine, Montana

Event narrative

Rocky Boy Snotel estimated 16 inches new snowfall (Change in Snow Depth) over the event. Snow depth data was missing for a few hours around the start of the event, so the start time was estimated. Criteria time was also estimated.

Wider weather episode

Strong mid level winds associated with a passing shortwave combined with two cold fronts (One Pacific and one Canadian), to result in two separate periods of strong winds, initially along the Rocky Mountain Front, but over portions of the plains as well later in the event. Behind the second Canadian cold front, northwesterly upslope snow developed across island ranges and in the Little Belts, which resulted in the greatest snow total for the event. Locations on the plains between Belt and Stanford also observed heavy snow. Additional heavy snow was observed further south across the Madison and Gallatin Ranges as westerly and eventually northwesterly flow allowed for a steady, but accumulating snow. A Blizzard Warning was also issued for the Rocky Mountain Front during portions of this period, but the period of strongest winds did not end up coinciding with falling snow, hence these potential impacts were never observed.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1216053. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.