This Montana 1887 Record Has Yet to Be Broken

BUTTE, MT - Montana is used to breaking records, one of my favs being the lowest air temperature ever recorded (spoiler: -70 F). However, yet another claim to fame that sounds too crazy to be true is a wintertime staple that was so large, it could easily be mistaken for a small frisbee or a dinner plate. Can you guess what it is?

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Now, before you dismiss this as a tall tale from an era before technology, let’s consider what we're dealing with here. This isn't just a quirky fun fact to share at parties in between awkward chit chat and stories from people you don't care about; this really is a marvel that challenges our understanding of what’s even possible in the world around us. Scientists are still baffled by the conditions required to create such a record-breaking behemoth. Was it a freak of nature, a misstep in measurement, or truly something one-of-a-kind?

So, what am I talking about here? Well, the residents outside of Missoula were undoubtedly as shocked as we are today when they witnessed a giant snowflake falling from the sky: a whopping 15 inches in diameter and 8 inches thick, making it the largest snowflake ever recorded in history. While we may never see one anywhere near there again, the legend of the world's largest snowflake lives on, begging to be broken again by another rough Montana winter.

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So, the next time you find yourself looking out over the beautiful mountains of our gorgeous region, remember that somewhere in Montana's history the snowflakes were once bigger than your own head. It's a chilling (hah!) reminder that anything is possible in the world around us.

What's your crazy winter story? Do you think Montana will be the one to break its own snowflake record? Only time will tell...