Montana’s Weird Weather Phenomena

Montana is home to some of the harshest winter conditions in the country, and with that extreme weather comes some truly bizarre phenomena.

From beams of light shooting into the night sky to cracks of lightning in the middle of a snowstorm, Big Sky Country is full of winter wonders that have to be seen to be believed.

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Sun Dog

The refraction of light from the sun through ice crystals creates bright circles of light on either side of the sun or both. They occur approximately 22 degrees from the sun but totally depend on where the ice crystals are hanging out.

They can carry many colors, and sometimes they are so bright it looks like we've added an extra sun to our atmosphere!

Snow Rollers

Also known as snow donuts, if you see these, you may think someone was trying to build a snowman but didn't finish the job. Mother nature creates these weird snowballs through a process of snow, wind, freezing temperatures, and the perfect moisture content.

There has to be a thin layer of fresh loose snow, a layer of ice or compacted snow below that, and a perfect wind to get the ball rolling. These specific conditions create something rarely seen and truly unforgettable.

Light Pillars

Beam me up, Scotty! This is a strange and beautiful occurrence that might make you think multiple spaceships have arrived in your area, but it's just nature being extraordinary.

Light pillars stretching from the ground to the sky are caused when light is refracted by ice crystals low to the ground. Lights from street lamps or digital billboards take on the light source color and are a spectacular sight to see in winter. For this natural light show to occur, there must be no wind and temperatures below 0 degrees. 

Thunder Snow

Just like the name implies, thunder snow is lighting during a snowstorm. It's rare, but it does happen in Montana occasionally.

The recipe for thunder snow includes advancing cold air, warm moist air approaching from the lower / opposite direction, and boom... Thunder Snow.

Have you ever seen any of these rare phenomena? Let us know on the app or comment HERE.

Credit: Weather.gov, accuweather , montanarightnow, NBC Montana