It’s no secret that winters are brutal in Montana—in fact, it’s impossible to determine when we the state experienced its worst winter. The National Weather Service even released an article in 1999 called “The Top 10 Montana Weather Events of the 20th Century.” Still, believe it or not, one of the worst blizzards in our history happened in the spring. One of the biggest snowstorms in Montana came about in 1969, and it shocked the entire state.
On April 25, 1969, a late season storm brought a drastic change in weather to Eastern Montana.
Matt Lavin / Flickr Montana is no stranger to drastic weather changes, but this one was exceptional. One day after numerous areas registered their highest temperature for the month, some over 80 degrees, a cold front swept through and brought blizzard conditions to most of the eastern half of the state.
Temperatures dropped more than 50 degrees in just 24 hours.
Tess Gilliam / Flickr Wind chill readings were well below zero for almost 48 hours. Winter weather in Montana is always aggressive, but this year the lateness of the event caught the state by surprise.
Snowfall amounts of over one foot were reported.
Tess Gilliam / Flickr A 32 inch snowfall was reported near Sonnette. It’s hard to believe it all happened in just one day and in late April.
The wind made everything feel worse… and it blew some high snowdrifts.
Emily Harrison / Flickr Power and phone lines were knocked out left and right. Some residents of southeastern Montana were without power for two weeks and without telephone service for over a month. The Montana blizzard of 1969 was primed to make history.
Over 100,000 sheep, cattle and horses were lost in the storm.
Bitterroot / Flickr The income loss from those animals would be equivalent to $10 million today.
This winter doesn’t seem quite so bad now, does it?
Western Area Power / Flickr The biggest blizzard in Montana seems to constantly be changing, but 1969 sure made a mark on the state’s history. Do you remember it?
Our records snowfalls aren’t always fun, but sometimes snow makes Montana look beautiful.
Matt Lavin / Flickr
Montana is no stranger to drastic weather changes, but this one was exceptional. One day after numerous areas registered their highest temperature for the month, some over 80 degrees, a cold front swept through and brought blizzard conditions to most of the eastern half of the state.
Tess Gilliam / Flickr
Wind chill readings were well below zero for almost 48 hours. Winter weather in Montana is always aggressive, but this year the lateness of the event caught the state by surprise.
A 32 inch snowfall was reported near Sonnette. It’s hard to believe it all happened in just one day and in late April.
Emily Harrison / Flickr
Power and phone lines were knocked out left and right. Some residents of southeastern Montana were without power for two weeks and without telephone service for over a month. The Montana blizzard of 1969 was primed to make history.
Bitterroot / Flickr
The income loss from those animals would be equivalent to $10 million today.
Western Area Power / Flickr
The biggest blizzard in Montana seems to constantly be changing, but 1969 sure made a mark on the state’s history. Do you remember it?
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Blizzards In Montana December 14, 2019 Meghan Kraft When was the biggest blizzard in Montana? Montana has been the victim of many aggressive winters, which in turn have delivered rough weather and bad blizzards. In January and February of 1889, an Arctic air mass left Montana under some of the most extreme wind chills the state has ever experienced. Record lows in Billings were recorded, and though lows in the -20’s were recorded across the state, in Wisdom, Montana, it reached -52F. The entire state was frozen, and the record amount of snow dumped that winter kept the lonely western plains of the nation’s north buried deep. What is the most snow ever recorded in Montana? Montana is always breaking its own records, since the state experiences such intense swings in winter seasons every year. Missoula, Montana, however, set a September record in 2019 that broke its earlier record in 1934. 1.7 inches of snow had already fallen in September, breaking 1.5 inches that fell in the 1930’s. Great Falls, Montana received 9.7 inches of snow on a Saturday and another 9.6 the next day, which significantly buried the city’s in snow before autumn had even begun. What is winter weather in Montana typically like? Montana is known for seeing some serious wintertime extremes even across the state. There are some areas in the state that end up in a deep-freeze, buried below temperatures in the solid negatives from late summer to springtime, whereas other parts of the state can experience temperatures up to 50 degrees warmer at the same time. The coldest month in the state is by far February, and though heavy snowfall is recorded between November and Mary, it can snow as early as September and as late as early May. Montana sure knows how to experience an intense wintertime!
The OIYS Visitor Center
Blizzards In Montana
December 14, 2019
Meghan Kraft
When was the biggest blizzard in Montana? Montana has been the victim of many aggressive winters, which in turn have delivered rough weather and bad blizzards. In January and February of 1889, an Arctic air mass left Montana under some of the most extreme wind chills the state has ever experienced. Record lows in Billings were recorded, and though lows in the -20’s were recorded across the state, in Wisdom, Montana, it reached -52F. The entire state was frozen, and the record amount of snow dumped that winter kept the lonely western plains of the nation’s north buried deep. What is the most snow ever recorded in Montana? Montana is always breaking its own records, since the state experiences such intense swings in winter seasons every year. Missoula, Montana, however, set a September record in 2019 that broke its earlier record in 1934. 1.7 inches of snow had already fallen in September, breaking 1.5 inches that fell in the 1930’s. Great Falls, Montana received 9.7 inches of snow on a Saturday and another 9.6 the next day, which significantly buried the city’s in snow before autumn had even begun. What is winter weather in Montana typically like? Montana is known for seeing some serious wintertime extremes even across the state. There are some areas in the state that end up in a deep-freeze, buried below temperatures in the solid negatives from late summer to springtime, whereas other parts of the state can experience temperatures up to 50 degrees warmer at the same time. The coldest month in the state is by far February, and though heavy snowfall is recorded between November and Mary, it can snow as early as September and as late as early May. Montana sure knows how to experience an intense wintertime!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Montana has been the victim of many aggressive winters, which in turn have delivered rough weather and bad blizzards. In January and February of 1889, an Arctic air mass left Montana under some of the most extreme wind chills the state has ever experienced. Record lows in Billings were recorded, and though lows in the -20’s were recorded across the state, in Wisdom, Montana, it reached -52F. The entire state was frozen, and the record amount of snow dumped that winter kept the lonely western plains of the nation’s north buried deep.
What is the most snow ever recorded in Montana?
Montana is always breaking its own records, since the state experiences such intense swings in winter seasons every year. Missoula, Montana, however, set a September record in 2019 that broke its earlier record in 1934. 1.7 inches of snow had already fallen in September, breaking 1.5 inches that fell in the 1930’s. Great Falls, Montana received 9.7 inches of snow on a Saturday and another 9.6 the next day, which significantly buried the city’s in snow before autumn had even begun.
What is winter weather in Montana typically like?
Montana is known for seeing some serious wintertime extremes even across the state. There are some areas in the state that end up in a deep-freeze, buried below temperatures in the solid negatives from late summer to springtime, whereas other parts of the state can experience temperatures up to 50 degrees warmer at the same time. The coldest month in the state is by far February, and though heavy snowfall is recorded between November and Mary, it can snow as early as September and as late as early May. Montana sure knows how to experience an intense wintertime!
