Winter Weather in Southwestern Yellowstone, Montana

Snow, freezing drizzle, and black ice were reported across the area.

A disturbance within an unstable northwest flow aloft brought mixed precipitation to a large portion of the Billings Forecast Area. Warm temperatures aloft allowed the precipitation to fall in liquid form, but surface temperatures at or slightly below freezing, resulted in the precipitation to freeze upon contact. This resulted in widespread freezing drizzle and freezing rain. As a result, numerous accidents were reported across the area. Over a span of 16 hours, 102 car crashes were reported to the Montana Highway Patrol. The crashes resulted in numerous injuries and resulted in a fatality in Sweet Grass County. Most of the crashes occurred across the Billings, Laurel, Columbus, Big Timber, Red Lodge and Hardin areas.