Unlikely Storm Sets Montana Record

From 6 a.m. Saturday until 6 a.m. Sunday, 12.2 inches of snow fell at Glasgow, Mont., establishing a new, alltime 24-hour snowfall record.

Big snowstorms are rare in Glasgow. Situated on the plains of eastern Montana, Glasgow is usually out of reach of moisture-laden winds. The Rockies act as a barrier against Pacific moisture, while humid air from the distant Gulf of Mexico seldom makes the long journey.

But winds from the south blew persistently ahead of a slow-moving system over the Rockies, allowing saturated air at 5,000 feet to stretch northward and provide fuel for heavy snow.