Montana Snow Report · SNOTEL Snowpack, Snowfall & 5-Day Forecasts

May

12

2026

Snow briefing

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.

Montana at a glance

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

85%

100% is the historical norm for today's date. Below 70% is drought-stressed; above 130% is a fat year.

Deepest snowpack

Moss Peak 103"

vs 98" seasonal average

Coldest station

Nohrsc Boulder Mountain 37°F

Elevation 7,911.36 ft

Biggest 5-day forecast

Nohrsc Beartooth Lake Snotel 5"

Expected fresh snow over the next 5 days

Full SNOTEL inventory

Montana snowpack monitoring sites

Every SNOTEL station Snoflo tracks in Montana. Sortable, quickly filterable. Numeric columns heat-mapped from light to deep. Tap any station for its full history.

Snowpack monitoring site	Snowpack (in)	Snowfall (in)	Next 72hrs (in)	Temp (°F)	% Normal	SWC (%)	Watershed	Elevation (ft)
Albro Lake, Mt Site 916	26	0	0	60	61%	38%	Jefferson	8,300
Badger Pass, Mt Site 307	41	0	0	60	70%	56%	Two Medicine	6,900
Barker Lakes, Mt Site 313	28	0	1	58	65%	38%	Upper Clark Fork	8,250
Beaver Creek, Mt Site 328	19	0	0	68	53%	41%	Madison	7,850
Black Bear, Mt Site 347	58	1	0	67	70%	44%	Madison	8,170
Boulder Mountain, Mt Site 360	33	0	3	55	67%	32%	Smith	7,950
Brackett Creek, Mt Site 365	2	0	0	64	12%	75%	Shields	7,320
Carrot Basin, Mt Site 385	53	0	0	60	79%	48%	Gallatin	9,000
Clover Meadow, Mt Site 403	23	-1	0	63	56%	37%	Madison	8,600
Copper Camp, Mt Site 414	43	0	0	58	79%	52%	Blackfoot	6,950
Daisy Peak, Mt Site 919	16	0	0	60	65%	38%	Upper Musselshell	7,600
Darkhorse Lake, Mt Site 436	67	0	0	60	90%	48%	Big Hole	8,600
Divide, Mt Site 448	7	0	0	68	42%	34%	Ruby	7,800
Fisher Creek, Mt Site 480	85	0	0	58	99%	44%	Clarks Fork Yellowstone	9,100
Flattop Mtn., Mt Site 482	78	0	0	57	80%	48%	Middle Fork Flathead	6,300
Hawkins Lake, Mt Site 516	33	1	0	56	66%	37%	Moyie	6,450
Hoodoo Basin, Mt Site 530	78	0	2	57	91%	51%	Middle Clark Fork	6,050
Lone Mountain, Mt Site 590	28	0	0	62	64%	44%	Gallatin	8,880
Lower Twin, Mt Site 603	34	0	0	64	68%	39%	Madison	7,900
Madison Plateau, Mt Site 609	27	0	0	71	62%	47%	Madison	7,750
Monument Peak, Mt Site 635	39	0	0	61	78%	44%	Upper Yellowstone	8,850
Moss Peak, Mt Site 646	86	0	0	54	94%	47%	Swan	6,780
Mount Lockhart, Mt Site 649	17	-1	0	57	54%	49%	Teton	6,400
Mule Creek, Mt Site 656	40	0	0	63	93%	37%	Big Hole	8,300
N Fk Elk Creek, Mt Site 657	2	0	0	63	34%	70%	Blackfoot	6,250
Nevada Ridge, Mt Site 903	25	0	0	60	94%	44%	Blackfoot	7,020
Noisy Basin, Mt Site 664	79	0	0	57	85%	46%	South Fork Flathead	6,040
North Fork Jocko, Mt Site 667	56	0	1	59	76%	·	Lower Flathead	6,330
Onion Park, Mt Site 1008	17	0	0	57	58%	38%	Smith	7,410
Peterson Meadows, Mt Site 930	3	0	1	60	23%	27%	Flint-Rock	7,200
Pickfoot Creek, Mt Site 690	1	0	0	61	0%	10%	Smith	6,650
Placer Basin, Mt Site 696	29	0	0	63	61%	42%	Upper Yellowstone	8,830
Poorman Creek, Mt Site 932	16	0	0	61	31%	47%	Upper Kootenai	5,100
Rocker Peak, Mt Site 722	31	1	1	58	72%	39%	Boulder	8,000
S Fork Shields, Mt Site 725	22	1	0	56	57%	42%	Shields	8,100
Saddle Mtn., Mt Site 727	39	-1	1	60	73%	46%	Bitterroot	7,940
Shower Falls, Mt Site 754	46	0	0	62	71%	39%	Gallatin	8,100
Skalkaho Summit, Mt Site 760	27	0	2	58	73%	50%	Flint-Rock	7,250
Spur Park, Mt Site 781	52	0	0	58	89%	38%	Judith	8,100
Stuart Mountain, Mt Site 901	75	0	0	52	102%	53%	Middle Clark Fork	7,400
Twin Lakes, Mt Site 836	53	0	3	63	85%	49%	Bitterroot	6,400
Warm Springs, Mt Site 850	64	0	1	60	104%	46%	Upper Clark Fork	7,800
Whiskey Creek, Mt Site 858	4	0	0	74	15%	53%	Madison	6,800
White Mill, Mt Site 862	57	0	0	60	91%	45%	Clarks Fork Yellowstone	8,700
Nohrsc Albro Lake, Mt Site ABRM8	23	-3	0	63	40%	37%	Jefferson	8,518
Nohrsc Badger Pass, Mt Site BADM8	38	-3	10	70	109%	57%	Two Medicine	6,862
Nohrsc Beaver Creek, Mt Site BEVM8	16	-1	0	71	53%	43%	Madison	7,849
Black Bear, Mt Site BLBM8	57	-2	0	70	97%	45%	Madison	8,174
Nohrsc Beartooth Lake Snotel, Mt Site BLTW4	65	-2	0	62	109%	43%	Clarks Fork Yellowstone	9,378
Nohrsc Boulder Mountain, Mt Site BOMM8	31	-3	0	60	93%	30%	Smith	7,911
Nohrsc Barker Lakes, Mt Site BRLM8	27	-2	0	67	79%	38%	Upper Clark Fork	8,246
Nohrsc Lone Mountain, Mt Site BSKM8	28	-2	0	65	70%	45%	Gallatin	8,836
Clover Meadow, Mt Site CMDM8	22	-2	0	67	56%	34%	Madison	8,820
Nohrsc Copper Camp, Mt Site CPCM8	40	-2	0	67	150%	52%	Blackfoot	6,990
Carrot Basin, Mt Site CRRM8	50	-4	0	63	78%	48%	Gallatin	9,194
Nohrsc Daisy Peak, Mt Site DAZM8	14	-2	0	60	37%	38%	Upper Musselshell	7,596
Nohrsc Deadman Creek, Mt Site DDMM8	192	-192	0	64	377%	·	Smith	6,475
Nohrsc Darkhorse Lake, Mt Site DHLM8	64	-3	0	63	104%	49%	Big Hole	8,941
Nohrsc Divide, Mt Site DIVM8	3	-3	0	70	63%	40%	Ruby	7,820
Nohrsc Flattop Mtn., Mt Site FTMM8	76	-3	8	63	102%	48%	Middle Fork Flathead	6,281
Nohrsc Jl Meadow, Mt Site JLMM8	9	-3	0	66	49%	38%	Red Rock	8,797
Nohrsc Lower Twin, Mt Site LWTM8	33	-2	0	69	73%	38%	Madison	7,934
Nohrsc Monument Peak, Mt Site MNPM8	37	-1	0	64	89%	44%	Upper Yellowstone	8,784
Nohrsc Madison Plateau, Mt Site MPLM8	25	-3	0	73	76%	46%	Madison	7,738
Moss Peak, Mt Site MSPM8	82	-4	0	62	98%	48%	Swan	6,760
Nohrsc Mount Lockhart, Mt Site MTKM8	15	-4	5	69	77%	47%	Teton	6,439
Nohrsc Mule Creek, Mt Site MULM8	37	-2	0	69	111%	38%	Big Hole	8,315
N Fk Elk Creek, Mt Site NFEM8	1	-3	0	73	18%	30%	Blackfoot	6,173
North Fork Jocko, Mt Site NFJM8	56	-8	0	70	86%	47%	Lower Flathead	6,114
Noisy Basin, Mt Site NOIM8	77	-3	0	65	87%	46%	Swan	6,098
Nohrsc Nevada Ridge, Mt Site NVRM8	23	-2	0	68	110%	43%	Blackfoot	7,045
Nohrsc Onion Park, Mt Site ONPM8	15	-2	0	64	57%	35%	Smith	7,413
Pickfoot Creek, Mt Site PCKM8	1	0	0	67	%	10%	Smith	6,708
Placer Basin, Mt Site PLCM8	27	-3	0	62	74%	43%	Upper Yellowstone	8,800
Nohrsc Parker Peak Snotel, Mt Site PRKW4	39	-3	0	62	92%	43%	Yellowstone Headwaters	9,446
Rocker Peak, Mt Site RKPM8	29	-1	0	65	92%	40%	Boulder	7,980
Nohrsc Saddle Mtn., Mt Site SDMM8	39	-1	0	60	101%	46%	Bitterroot	7,895
Nohrsc Shower Falls, Mt Site SHFM8	46	-3	0	61	72%	39%	Gallatin	8,085
Nohrsc Skalkaho Summit, Mt Site SKAM8	27	-2	0	57	115%	50%	Bitterroot	7,265
Nohrsc Slagamelt Lakes, Mt Site SLMM8	52	-3	0	59	101%	117%	Big Hole	8,613
Nohrsc Spur Park, Mt Site SPRM8	51	-3	0	58	96%	38%	Upper Musselshell	8,085
Stuart Mountain, Mt Site STTM8	75	-2	0	52	107%	53%	Middle Clark Fork	7,265
Nohrsc Savage Pass, Mt Site SVPI1	30	-3	0	60	112%	42%	Lochsa	6,202
Twin Lakes, Mt Site TWLM8	53	-4	0	63	89%	49%	Bitterroot	6,412
Elk Peak, Mt Site WHSM8	31	-2	0	60	98%	43%	Upper Musselshell	7,600
Nohrsc White Mill, Mt Site WHTM8	56	-2	0	60	100%	46%	Clarks Fork Yellowstone	8,744
Nohrsc Wolverine Snotel, Mt Site WLVW4	1	0	0	69	%	·	Clarks Fork Yellowstone	7,642
Warm Springs, Mt Site WRMM8	64	-1	0	60	109%	47%	Upper Clark Fork	7,852
Nohrsc Whiskey Creek, Mt Site WSKM8	4	-2	0	72	16%	53%	Madison	6,813

15-day outlook

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.

Snow report FAQ

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.

Montana snowpack