Montana’s Summer Surprise: 30 Year Old Summer Snow Storm

I can remember a summer road trip to the top of the world. I remember my parents using Beartooth Pass to go to Cody, WY. It was a hot summer day. We left the house in shorts and t-shirts. We made our way to the top of the pass, sitting high above the world at nearly 11,000 feet above sea level.

Get our free mobile app

As we arrived at the top, a snowstorm broke out. It was nearing triple digits when we left Billings, and now we were in the middle of a blizzard. After the giant snow cloud passed, we found ourselves making snow angels and having a snowball fight... In the middle of July.

With snow threatening to fall just days before the 1st day of Summer this year, it made me wonder, "How much snow has Montana got during the summer?"

Every Montanan knows that our weather can be very unpredictable. But, building a snowman in August is just ridiculous.

In August of 1992, Montana experienced a freak summer snowstorm.

According to KTVQ

The NWS explained that an early-season arctic surface airmass moved south along the Continental Divide, resulting in record-cold temperatures across Montana for several days leading up to the snowfall.

The NWS said that it was a “significant event, considering no snow had ever been measured in August at Great Falls in 100 years of record keeping.”

The NWS says that during an eight-day span of August 1992, the temperature reached or fell below 34 degrees five times.

 

Higher elevations are more prone to the occasional snowfall. But, when the snow starts to drop below 4,000 feet, it is safe to say it is time to pack up the flip-flops and bust out the winter boots and shovel.