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Winter in Yellowstone County, Montana

90 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.

90 events · 3 deaths recorded · peak month December · county share of state 1.1%

Winter event locations in and around Yellowstone County. Boundaries: US Census Bureau.

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 90 winter events in Yellowstone County, Montana, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 22 years.

December is the busiest month, with 22 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 44 events against 46 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.

The county holds 1.1% of the 8,475 winter events recorded in Montana; its 3.4 per 100 square miles compares with 5.8 statewide.

NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to winter storms and snow.

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	Yellowstone County	Montana	US
Winter events since 1950	90	8,475	287,339
Per 100 square miles	3.4	5.8	8.1
Per 10,000 residents	5.4	76.7	8.7
Deaths recorded	3	86	2,509
Busiest month	December	December	January

By year

195019882026

Winter events recorded in Yellowstone County per year, 1950 to 2026 (2026 is partial).

Seasonality

Jan
14Feb
12Mar
17Apr
9May
1Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
1Oct
6Nov
8Dec
22

Winter events in Yellowstone County by month of occurrence, all years.

Recorded events

All 90 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
8 Oct 2019	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Feb 2019	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Jan 2019	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
21 Jan 2019	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Dec 2018	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Apr 2018	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
3 Mar 2018	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
14 Feb 2018	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
8 Feb 2018	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
3 Feb 2018	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Jan 2018	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Dec 2017	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
19 Dec 2017	Winter Weather	—	—	—	1	—	Forecast zone
9 Apr 2017	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
8 Mar 2017	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Feb 2017	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
31 Jan 2017	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
15 Dec 2016	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
14 Dec 2015	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
2 Jan 2015	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Nov 2014	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
27 Feb 2014	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
23 Feb 2014	Winter Storm	—	—	—	1	—	Forecast zone
1 Feb 2014	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Dec 2013	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
11 Dec 2013	Winter Weather	—	—	—	1	1	Forecast zone
2 Dec 2013	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
10 Jan 2013	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Jan 2012	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
6 Feb 2011	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Dec 2010	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Nov 2010	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Nov 2010	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
1 Feb 2010	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Jan 2010	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
5 Jan 2010	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Mar 2009	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
26 Feb 2009	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
26 Dec 2008	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
13 Dec 2008	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Oct 2008	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
19 Jan 2008	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Mar 2007	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
11 Jan 2007	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
19 Mar 2006	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
5 Oct 2005	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
5 Oct 2005	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
12 May 2005	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
20 Apr 2005	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
24 Mar 2005	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
26 Dec 2003	Blizzard	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
31 Oct 2003	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Mar 2003	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Mar 2003	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Mar 2003	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Mar 2003	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
8 Mar 2003	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
8 Mar 2003	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
7 Mar 2003	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
7 Mar 2003	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Jan 2003	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Jan 2003	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Jan 2003	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
4 Dec 2002	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Oct 2002	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Apr 2002	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Apr 2002	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
18 Apr 2002	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
16 Apr 2002	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
8 Mar 2002	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Apr 2001	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
9 Apr 2001	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Dec 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Nov 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Nov 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Nov 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
30 Nov 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
22 Sep 2000	Heavy Snow	—	$14K	—	—	—	Forecast zone
7 Mar 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
26 Feb 2000	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
5 Mar 1999	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
29 Dec 1998	Ice Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Dec 1996	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Dec 1996	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Dec 1996	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Dec 1996	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
28 Dec 1996	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Dec 1996	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Dec 1996	Winter Storm	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone
25 Nov 1996	Heavy Snow	—	—	—	—	—	Forecast zone

Questions and answers

How many winter events has Yellowstone County had?

90 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 Yellowstone County?

8 Oct 2019 (Winter Storm). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.

What was the most damaging winter event recorded in Yellowstone County?

The heavy snow of 22 Sep 2000, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $14K.

How does Yellowstone County compare with Montana for winter?

3.4 events per 100 square miles against 5.8 statewide; the county holds 90 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.