Montana, Oct 2026

A rare setup

Hurricane moisture meets a cold front. Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA.

Why it's unusual

NWS: "very rare"

Hurricane Rachel's remnant moisture combining with a cold front this early.

The forecast

Up to 1 foot of snow

6-12 inches as low as 4,000 feet, Oct 10-12. AccuWeather, NWS Missoula.

The record

Billings: Sept 7, 1962

Montana's earliest snowfall record. Early snow isn't new here.

The honest part

One storm isn't a season

This winter's El Nino still leans milder overall. See the full guide.

Read the full guide

What the data really shows

Real city normals, historical records, and this week's forecast.

Read the full guide