Montana Snow Day Calculator: Chances & Closure Norms
What closes Montana schools? Snowday's Montana calculator typically flags a snow day at about 4–6 inches of wind-driven snow, with extreme cold (wind chills near −30 °F) the equal trigger across the eastern plains. Billings averages about 46 inches a year. Enter your ZIP above for tomorrow's chance.
Snow day calculator
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Your forecast appears here. Enter a ZIP code or city above and press Calculate snow day chance.
Fun estimate only — always follow your school district’s official announcements.
How Montana districts decide snow days
Snow closures usually need 4 to 6 inches plus wind — ground blizzards that reduce visibility below a quarter mile close bus routes regardless of fresh totals. Districts in the Hi-Line and eastern plains close more for wind and cold than depth.
Cold closures cluster around wind chills of −25 to −30 °F, protecting students who wait at the end of long gravel driveways. Montana districts build roughly five storm days into their calendars and move fast on night-before announcements when forecasts are clear.
Average snowfall in Montana
| Place | Avg. snow per year |
|---|---|
| Billings | ≈ 46 in/yr |
| Great Falls | ≈ 58 in/yr |
| Bozeman | ≈ 62 in/yr |
Averages are approximate NOAA/NCEI 1991–2020 climate normals, rounded. Mountain passes and valley inversions create sharp local differences — a storm can close Bozeman Pass while downtown Bozeman stays dry.
The storm Montana remembers
Browning’s world-record cold snap. On January 23–24, 1916, Browning, Montana recorded a 100-degree Fahrenheit temperature drop in 24 hours — from 44 °F to −56 °F — still the largest 24-hour swing ever measured on Earth. It is the founding legend of Montana cold-day closures, and the reason wind chill (not snow depth) anchors the state’s winter risk.
Using the calculator in Montana
Snowday gives Montana a 5-inch baseline, but the cold-hours bonus (below 15 °F) usually decides the score. Run the snow day calculator with ZIP 59101 for Billings or 59715 for Bozeman. For the full picture, open the snow day calculator and see how commute-hour snowfall, cold, and wind combine into tomorrow’s percent chance — free, instant, no sign-up.
Last updated: October 2026