Fortine, MT Live Doppler Radar

Live radar for Fortine, Lincoln County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.

Open live radar for Fortine What TALON shows

What weather hits Fortine?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged heavy snow or a winter storm on 175 days in the Kootenai/Cabinet Region forecast zone and Lincoln County — the most common reported hazard around Fortine, mostly in December and January. Next come high winds (27 days) and damaging thunderstorm winds (19 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Heavy snow & winter storms	175	Oct 2025	Nov 18, 1996 · 1 death
High winds	27	Mar 2026	Dec 17, 2025 · $610,000 damage
Damaging thunderstorm winds	19	May 2026	Jul 21, 1997 · $1.5 million damage
Flooding	18	Dec 2025	Dec 11, 2025 · $31 million damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	9	Feb 2025	—
Excessive heat	4	Jul 2024	—
Ice storms & sleet	3	Dec 2024	—
Avalanches	2	Feb 2014	Feb 22, 2014 · 1 death

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1996–2026 (the latest year is partial). A "day" is a date with at least one report in the Kootenai/Cabinet Region forecast zone and Lincoln County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

How much snow does Fortine get?

A normal year brings about 41 inches of snow to Fortine, based on NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the Fortine 1 N weather station in town. The snowiest month is usually December (9.3 in).

Oct	Nov	Dec	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May
0.7	7.9	9.3	9.1	5.9	5.6	2.1	0.3

Normal snowfall in inches. TALON Pro compares this season's snow at your location with these normals as winter goes on.

Which radars cover Fortine?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KMSX (Missoula, MT), about 127 miles south-southeast. Radar beams climb as they travel, so the height of the lowest scan over town decides how low in a storm the radar can see.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Fortine	View
KMSX Missoula, MT	127 mi south-southeast	13,800 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KOTX Spokane, WA	147 mi west-southwest	17,600 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms
KTFX Great Falls, MT	185 mi east-southeast	25,700 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms

Beam height is the center of the 0.5° scan above the radar, with standard refraction. Mountains near a radar can block it further.

Tornado & hail history near Fortine

NOAA has no tornado on record within 25 miles of Fortine since 1950.

Hail: 10 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 1 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 3.00-inch hail on August 11, 1968.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center — tornadoes 1950–2025, hail 1955–2025. Distances are to each tornado's track; ratings before February 2007 use the original Fujita scale.

On TALON you get Fortine's live radar loop, rain/snow/ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks with arrival times and NWS warnings free; close-up radar and rotation detection are part of TALON Pro.

Fortine radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Fortine, MT?

KMSX (Missoula, MT), about 127 miles south-southeast. KOTX (Spokane, WA) is 147 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Fortine?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Fortine the lowest scan from KMSX is about 13,800 ft up, so light snow from shallow clouds can be under-shown — check NWS winter alerts too.

Is TALON's radar for Fortine free?

Yes — the US radar loop, rain/snow/ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and NWS warnings are free in any browser. Close-up radar, rotation detection and longer forecasts are part of TALON Pro.

Should I rely on radar for my safety?

No app replaces official warnings. When the National Weather Service issues a warning for Fortine, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

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