Temperatures in Montana have been warmer than usual, but the state is typically known for harsh winters and lots of snow.

Did you know the largest snowflake ever recorded was discovered in Montana? For the most part, snowflakes don't get very big, but this one was gigantic!

Montana Holds Record For Largest Snowflake In The World

Montana holds the Guinness World Record for the largest snowflake ever recorded. The following question was featured on an episode of Jeopardy!.

Guinness noted that a 15-inch one of these fluttered down at Fort Keogh, Montana in 1887.

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If your answer was "What is a snowflake?", you're right.

According to Guinness, the largest snowflake ever documented fell in Montana.

On the night of 27 January 1887, a fierce winter storm dropped snowflakes described as "larger than milk pans" over the Clark Fork River valley, in the vicinity of a ranch owned by Matt Coleman, near Missoula in Montana, USA. Reports suggest that they were up to 1 ft 3 in (38 cm) wide and 8 in (20 cm) thick.

If you're wondering how big a milk pan is, you're not alone. It's a small saucepan that's used for heating milk that generally has a diameter of six inches. Unfortunately, a picture of the massive snowflake doesn't exist.

I've never seen a snowflake that comes close to 15 inches. The fact that it was over 8 inches thick is incredibly impressive as well. Can you imagine that thing hitting your windshield while you were driving? You'd be completely blinded by it.

Western Montana is known for its abundance of snow, and it's pretty cool that the largest snowflake ever documented fell in Big Sky Country.

Ten Best Towns To Raise A Family In Montana

Montana is a great place for those looking to raise a family. So which towns are the best? According to the folks at Niche, some Montana towns stand out a little more than others when it comes to the best places to start and raise a family in The Treasure State.

Gallery Credit: Derek Wolf

5 Montana Towns You Should Avoid Moving To

Thinking of making your way to Big Sky Country? Before you decide to list the house for sale and schedule a moving service, here's a list of towns you might want to avoid if you plan on moving to Montana.

Gallery Credit: Derek Wolf

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