Winter Storm Warning Issued for Little Belt, Highwood, Snowy, and Judith Mountains
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
A severe winter storm is forecast to bring up to 3 feet of snow and 85 mph wind gusts to central Montana mountain ranges through Saturday evening.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Winter Storm Warning
- Affected area
- Central Montana Mountains
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Great Falls
Storm notices can cover different combinations of wind, hail, lightning, and rainfall. Use the original notice for the hazards and boundaries attached to this specific record.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Central Montana Mountains.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Great Falls has issued a Winter Storm Warning for several mountain ranges in central Montana. The warning is in effect from 6:00 AM MDT Thursday, March 12, through 6:00 PM MDT Saturday, March 14.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following geographic regions:
- Little Belt Mountains
- Highwood Mountains
- Snowy Mountains
- Judith Mountains
Expected Conditions
Residents and travelers in the affected areas should prepare for severe winter weather conditions:
- Snow Accumulation: Total accumulations are expected to be between 1 and 3 feet. This will be a multi-day snowfall event, with occasional lulls in the snow.
- Wind Speeds: Wind gusts are forecast to reach between 65 and 85 mph on Thursday.
- Travel Impacts: Heavy snow and high winds will make travel very difficult. Tire chains may be required for some vehicles.
What You Should Do
The NWS advises the following precautions for those in the warning area:
- Travel Safety: If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.
- Road Conditions: Check the latest road reports by calling 5 1 1 or visiting the MDT Road Report website.
- Backcountry Safety: Individuals in the backcountry should ensure they are prepared for dangerous conditions.
- Livestock: Ranchers are encouraged to monitor the Cold Air Advisory for Newborn Livestock on the NWS webpage to assess the degree of stress on young animals.
Timeline
The Winter Storm Warning begins at 6:00 AM MDT on Thursday, March 12, and is scheduled to expire at 6:00 PM MDT on Saturday, March 14.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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