“Montana March Madness” Storm Gives Final Blast of Winter

Central Montana is still digging out from the fierce blizzard conditions that pounded some areas with more than 2 feet of snow and whiteout driving over the weekend.

As expected, the weather was brutal… and snowfall was the most this year. Of major towns, Lewistown was among those leading the way, with a storm total topping 25 inches. Helena was buried with 15 inches of drifting snow driven by the high winds, with Great Falls at 10 inches.

While Western Montana escaped with just a few inches of wet, heavy snow, geography helped develop one of the highest snow totals in the state, with 63 inches reported in a narrow band on top of Lolo Pass.

There are some snow showers in the forecast today, mainly over Northwest Montana. But the East won't escape more severe weather.

     💨 Winds could gust to 55 miles per hour tonight through Tuesday morning over North Central Montana.

No business like end-of-season snow business

The snow was exactly what the lift operators ordered, as many of the state's ski resorts saw huge turnouts over the weekend, while skiers and snowboarders celebrated the late-season surprise. The totals were expected to boost overall business for the resorts, many of which have struggled with low to no new snow amounts this year.

     ❄️ The storm pushed the seasonal total snowfall at Whitefish Mountain to 188 inches.

Fertilizer costs to soar

It's a new week, but an older problem: how can Montana's agriculture industry cope with global developments, and still stay in operation.

As Chris Cards reports, the disruption in fertilizer supplies, stemming from war in the Middle East, is the latest challenge, just as spring planting is getting underway.

Luke Grimes says Montanans have been uncomfortable neighbors

This probably won't make things any better for actor Luke Grimes, who complained on a recent podcast that his Montana neighbors haven't been all that welcoming.

Grimes, who moved to the Bitterroot during production of the Yellowstone TV series, told Joe Rogan there have been some uncomfortable incidents with locals. That includes a message left in the dust of his friends' car at a trailhead, and the worry that someone in a bar will try to incite him to fight.

READ MORE: Actor Feels Targeted by Montana Neighbors