Montana snowpack
Live SNOTEL readings, fresh snowfall, snow-water content, and 5-day forecasts at every monitored peak in Montana. Sourced from USDA NRCS and NOAA NOHRSC.
Montana's snowpack is at 73% of normal for today's date. The deepest station is Moss Peak with 82" on the ground (seasonal average 79"). Nohrsc White Mill is the coldest right now at 39°F. The biggest expected snowfall over the next 5 days is at Nohrsc Beartooth Lake Snotel: 7".
The Montana snowpack is monitored by the USDA NRCS SNOTEL network — automated stations sitting on the mountain that report snow depth, snow water equivalent (SWE), and air temperature every hour. Snoflo joins those live readings to a 5-day NOAA forecast for each station so you can see what's on the ground and what's coming.
Use the SNOTEL inventory below to find the closest station to where you're headed. Percent of normal tells you how today's snowpack compares to the historical average for the same date — below 70% is drought-stressed; above 130% is a fat year. Snow water content (SWC) indicates how wet and dense the snowpack is — useful for water-supply planning and avalanche stability assessment.
For backcountry travel always cross-reference with your regional avalanche center at avalanche.org.
State-wide snowpack overview
Today's standouts across the Montana SNOTEL network -- the deepest snowpack, coldest mountain, biggest expected snowfall, and how the state sits versus normal.
Percent of normal
100% is the historical norm for today's date. Below 70% is drought-stressed; above 130% is a fat year.
Deepest snowpack
vs 79" seasonal average
Coldest station
Elevation 8,744.48 ft
Biggest 5-day forecast
Expected fresh snow over the next 5 days
Montana snowpack monitoring sites
Showing the top 10 deepest SNOTEL stations in Montana — 86 more hidden. Tap any station for its full history.
| Snowpack monitoring site | Snowpack (in) | Snowfall (in) | 24hr fcst (in) | Next 72hrs (in) | Temp (°F) | % Normal | SWC (%) | Watershed | Elevation (ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Nohrsc Deadman Creek, Mt
Site DDMM8 |
192 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 393% | · | Smith | 6,475 |
|
Placer Basin, Mt
Site PLCM8 |
187 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 295% | 4% | Upper Yellowstone | 8,800 |
|
Moss Peak, Mt
Site 646 |
80 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 102% | 49% | Swan | 6,780 |
|
Moss Peak, Mt
Site MSPM8 |
80 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 107% | 49% | Swan | 6,760 |
|
Noisy Basin, Mt
Site 664 |
76 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 98% | 47% | South Fork Flathead | 6,040 |
|
Noisy Basin, Mt
Site NOIM8 |
76 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 95% | 47% | Swan | 6,098 |
|
Flattop Mtn., Mt
Site 482 |
75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 88% | 49% | Middle Fork Flathead | 6,300 |
|
Nohrsc Flattop Mtn., Mt
Site FTMM8 |
75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 110% | 49% | Middle Fork Flathead | 6,281 |
|
Fisher Creek, Mt
Site 480 |
72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 96% | · | Clarks Fork Yellowstone | 9,100 |
|
Hoodoo Basin, Mt
Site 530 |
72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 100% | 52% | Middle Clark Fork | 6,050 |
86 more Montana SNOTEL stations
You're seeing the top 10 deepest. Snoflo Premium unlocks every SNOTEL station in Montana, sortable by any column, filterable, with custom alerts and unlimited favorites.
- All 96 stations
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- 15-day forecasts
Montana ski-area meteograms
Per-resort interactive weather forecasts for the next 15 days — temperature curve, precipitation bars, weather symbols, and humidity at every Montana ski area Snoflo tracks.
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Bear Paw Ski Bowl
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Big Sky Resort
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Blacktail Mountain Ski Area
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Bridger Bowl Ski Area
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Discovery Ski Area
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Great Divide Snowsports
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Montana Snowbowl
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Moonlight Basin
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Red Lodge Mountain
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Showdown Ski Area
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Spanish Peaks Resort
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Teton Pass Ski Area
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Turner Mountain
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Whitefish Mountain Resort
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Yellowstone Club
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About Montana snowpack
Where does the Montana snowpack data come from?
The USDA NRCS SNOTEL network (SNOpack TELemetry) -- automated mountain stations that continuously measure snow depth, snow water equivalent, precipitation, and air temperature. Snoflo aggregates the live readings and joins them to a 5-day NOAA forecast for each station.
What is Snow Water Equivalent (SWE)?
The depth of water you'd get if you melted the entire snowpack. A 30-inch snowpack with 8 inches of SWE is wetter and denser than one with 5 inches -- useful for water-supply forecasting and avalanche assessment. The "SWC %" column shows the ratio.
What does Percent Normal mean?
Current snowpack as a percentage of the historical average for the same date at that station. 100% is right at the historical norm. Below 70% indicates drought-stressed snowpack; above 130% is a fat year.
How fresh is the Montana data?
SNOTEL stations transmit hourly; Snoflo re-pulls throughout the day. The 5-day forecasts regenerate from NOAA NOHRSC analysis fields and NWS forecast guidance.
Why are SNOTEL stations only in some states?
The NRCS SNOTEL network is concentrated in the western mountain U.S. -- where the snowpack drives federal water supply forecasts for irrigation, hydropower, and municipal water. Eastern snowpack is measured by other networks (CoCoRaHS, NWS) which Snoflo includes elsewhere.
Is this a substitute for the local avalanche center?
No. For backcountry travel always consult your regional avalanche forecast at avalanche.org. Snoflo is informational data only.