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Winter in Sweet Grass County, Montana
21 winter storms and snow events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Winter Storm, Winter Weather, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Ice Storm, Lake-Effect Snow, Sleet.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 21 winter events in Sweet Grass County, Montana, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 3 years.
February is the busiest month, with 4 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 0 events against 21 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.2% of the 8,475 winter events recorded in Montana; its 1.1 per 100 square miles compares with 5.8 statewide.
Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.
Compared with Montana
| Measure | Sweet Grass County | Montana | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter events since 1950 | 21 | 8,475 | 287,339 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.1 | 5.8 | 8.1 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 56.4 | 76.7 | 8.7 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 86 | 2,509 |
| Busiest month | February | December | January |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
4Mar
2Apr
4May
3Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
0Oct
2Nov
0Dec
3
Recorded events
All 21 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Oct 2004 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Feb 2004 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Dec 2003 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Dec 2003 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Dec 2003 | Blizzard | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Oct 2003 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Apr 2003 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Mar 2003 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Feb 2003 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Feb 2003 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Feb 2003 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2003 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2003 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Jan 2003 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 May 2002 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 May 2002 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 May 2002 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Apr 2002 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Apr 2002 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Apr 2002 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Mar 2002 | Heavy Snow | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many winter events has Sweet Grass County had?
21 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of winter storms and snow became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded winter event in Sweet Grass County?
23 Oct 2004 (Heavy Snow). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Sweet Grass County?
NCEI records no damage estimate for events of this type in the county.
How does Sweet Grass County compare with Montana for winter?
1.1 events per 100 square miles against 5.8 statewide; the county holds 21 of the state's 8,475 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Winter hub and the county page.