Winter Storm — Gallatin, Montana

2016-10-11 · Gallatin, Montana

Event narrative

KBZK-TV in Bozeman reported that the MT Highway Patrol reported a fatal crash on I-90 near mile marker 280, just east of Three Forks. Roadways were slick.

Wider weather episode

On Sunday, October 9th, a cold front advanced southward across north-central MT. Behind this front, easterly to northeasterly surface winds underwent orographic lift along the Rocky Mountain Front. Farther aloft, moist southwesterly flow underwent isentropic lift ahead of an approaching Pacific shortwave trough. This complex flow pattern produced significant snow accumulations along the Rocky Mountain Front and portions of the Hi-Line on Monday, October 10th. As the aforementioned shortwave trough advanced eastward, significant snowfall also impacted Gallatin County in southwest Montana, including Bozeman, on Tuesday, October 11th.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 659260. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.