MacDonald PassNo live status availableno live record

US-12 · MT · 6,320 ft

MacDonald Pass

Name: MacDonald Pass road and snow conditions
Creator: Pass Conditions

Current Montana restrictions are unavailable here. Check Montana 511 before departure.

Our readingNo live status available

Confirm on the official MT road report ↗

Matched control points

No live road record matched this pass.

Current Montana restrictions are unavailable here. Check Montana 511 before departure.

Cameras near MacDonald Pass

Official DOT views

No current camera is matched here. Check official cameras ↗

Images may lag, fail, or point away from the road. A recent listing check does not verify the frame's age. We display current agency image URLs with attribution and do not retain or archive frames.

Weather near MacDonald Pass

6,320 ft

Road restrictions, station measurements and forecasts describe different things. Times below use Pacific time.

24h gridded snowfall estimate

0.8 in · old or expired

NOHRSC analysis near the pass, roughly 4 km grid. Not a road-surface measurement.

Observation / analysis time: Oct 27, 2026, 5:00 PM PDT
Last retrieved: Oct 28, 2026, 5:00 AM PDT

Official snow source ↗

72h gridded snowfall estimate

0.8 in · old or expired

NOHRSC analysis near the pass, roughly 4 km grid. Not a road-surface measurement.

Observation / analysis time: Oct 27, 2026, 5:00 PM PDT
Last retrieved: Oct 28, 2026, 5:00 AM PDT

Official snow source ↗

season gridded snowfall estimate

20.0 in · old or expired

NOHRSC analysis near the pass, roughly 4 km grid. Not a road-surface measurement.

Observation / analysis time: Oct 27, 2026, 5:00 AM PDT
Last retrieved: Oct 28, 2026, 5:00 AM PDT

Official snow source ↗

Measured station snow depth

5.0 in · old or expired

Frohner Meadow · 10.4 mi from pass · 6520 ft elevation. Not a measurement at the pass.

Observation / analysis time: 2026-10-28 (daily value; time not supplied)
Last retrieved: Oct 29, 2026, 5:00 AM PDT

Official snow source ↗

Forecast snowfall

0.0 in

NWS grid near the pass. Expected snow over the forecast window, not observed snowfall.

Issued: Oct 29, 2026, 1:01 AM PDT
Last retrieved: Oct 29, 2026, 5:00 AM PDT

Forecast window: Oct 29, 2026, 5:00 AM PDT to Nov 1, 2026, 4:00 AM PST

Official NWS forecast ↗

NWS outlook and forecast details

Today: Mostly Sunny, high 38°F, SSE wind 6 mph, 1% precipitation; Tonight: Mostly Cloudy, low 25°F, ENE wind 7 mph, 1% precipitation. No measurable NWS-grid snowfall forecast in the next 72 hours

Check the current NWS point forecast ↗

Snow history near MacDonald Pass

54 seasons

Season	GHCN snowfall	SNOTEL max depth	Station context
2026-2027	0.2 in	12.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2025-2026	2.2 in	31.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2024-2025	3.7 in	37.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2023-2024	5.8 in	21.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2022-2023	4.8 in	46.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2021-2022	2.3 in	24.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2020-2021	6.4 in	31.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2019-2020	3.7 in	33.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2018-2019	5.3 in	42.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2017-2018	6.5 in	47.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2016-2017	5.1 in	36.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2015-2016	1.5 in	29.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2014-2015	2.4 in	28.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2013-2014	4.2 in	55.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2012-2013	4.0 in	26.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2011-2012	4.0 in	37.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2010-2011	3.6 in	41.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2009-2010	2.8 in	30.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2008-2009	4.2 in	47.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2007-2008	3.1 in	32.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2006-2007	1.9 in	28.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2005-2006	1.9 in	31.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2004-2005	3.1 in	29.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2003-2004	0.5 in	31.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2002-2003	0.0 in	41.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2001-2002	0.0 in	0.0 in	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
2000-2001	0.0 in	Not available	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
1999-2000	1.2 in	Not available	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
1998-1999	0.0 in	Not available	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
1997-1998	0.0 in	Not available	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
1996-1997	0.0 in	Not available	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
1995-1996	1.9 in	Not available	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
1994-1995	2.9 in	Not available	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
1993-1994	3.5 in	Not available	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft
1992-1993	5.5 in	Not available	HELENA AP ASOS 15.8 mi away · 3,865 ft

Recent status transitions

No status transition has been archived for these matched control points yet.

Coverage and roadside context

Road informationCurrent Montana conditions are available on Montana 511.

LimitCurrent Montana restrictions are unavailable here. Check Montana 511 before departure.

Chain rulesMontana chain requirements. See chain controls in effect now across the West.

Cameras Live Caltrans and WSDOT stills are displayed above with agency attribution; Pass Conditions does not archive them.

RWIS Roadside weather readings are not republished yet. Use the official DOT link above for that view.

Watch MacDonald Pass for your trip dates

Updates for the matched road reports on this page, in every reported direction.

Choose up to 14 inclusive calendar days. Season alerts end on April 30. Every request requires email confirmation.

Alert window

Trip window Through April 30

Dates use this time zone

Email Start End (included)

2026-10-29 through 2026-10-31, inclusive, Pacific time. Season option ends 2027-04-30.

Confirm the email to activate alerts. When confirmed in time, we prepare one briefing on the day before your start, changes after a 20-minute stability check, and a final-day closeout. Updates continue until the end of your final calendar day. Manage individual requests or unsubscribe from all alerts using the links in any alert email. No newsletters or unrelated marketing.

Alerts are advisory. No email does not mean conditions are unchanged or safe. Check official road reports before departure.

NOHRSC snowfall is a roughly 4 km analysis, not a road-surface observation. SNOTEL and GHCN stations can differ materially in distance and elevation. Always use the DOT link for the travel decision.