Unusually Warm Winter Has Montanans Asking Big Questions

The above-average temperatures and lack of snowfall have a lot of people scratching their heads in Montana. Several temperature records have been broken so far in 2026. This year's winter has been far from normal.

I was talking with a coworker, and he asked, "Do you think we're actually going to have a winter this year?" I'm no meteorologist, but it isn't looking promising. I've heard a lot of people say that we're just going to have a late winter, but have they checked the extended forecast lately?

I visited the Weather Channel app on my phone, and the beginning of February is going to be wild. It's supposed to be in the low to mid-50s. If you know anything about Montana, that's absolutely crazy for this time of year. It's usually well below zero.

Get our free mobile app

There is some good news. I checked the statewide snow water equivalent maps on the official State of Montana website, and according to the data, there's plenty of snow at higher elevations in most parts of the state. You can see for yourself below.

I sincerely hope that we have a late winter on the way. I have a lot of friends who are incredibly bummed out about the lack of snow. There are also a lot of businesses in Montana that rely on winter visitation to survive. I know some people might be happy about the warmer temperatures, but if we don't get snow, we're in for a rude awakening this summer.

We all need to start praying to the snow gods. I'm starting to think that Old Man Winter may have passed us by this year.