BOZEMAN – Heavy snow followed by extremely cold Arctic air is coming to most of Montana.
The snow should begin Thursday night, but the heaviest snowfall is expected to be all day Friday and continue into Saturday morning and slowly diminish by Saturday evening.
Once the snow ends the deep cold Arctic air digs deeply into the valley floor with below zero temperatures by Sunday morning and the coldest morning lows by Monday morning.
The National Weather Service has a WINTER STORM WARNING up for SW Montana mountain ranges beginning 5 pm Thursday through midnight Saturday.
Higher elevation snow totals are likely to be between 10”-20” with some localized totals up to 30” of snow. Wind gusts to 40 mph are possible producing considerable blowing snow and low visibility travel hazards.
The National Weather Service issued a WINTER STORM WARNING for the valleys from 11 am to midnight Saturday and include: Bozeman, Ennis, Norris, Mcallister, Cameron, Gallatin Gateway, White Sulphur Springs.
Valley snow totals between 5”-10” is likely with localized amounts around 12”. Wind gusts to 40 mph will produce areas of blowing snow and low visibility travel hazards.
The National Weather Service issued a WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY from 11 am Friday to midnight Saturday for the following areas: Helena, Townsend, Three Forks, Whitehall, Twin Bridges, Dillon, and Monida Pass.
Snow totals 3”-7” is possible with wind gusts 30 to 40 mph producing areas of blowing snow and low visibility.
The National Weather Service continues a WINTER STORM WATCH west of the divide Friday into Saturday and includes the Butte-Blackfoot region, Missoula to Kalispell.
Snow totals 5”-12” is possible along with wind gusts 30 to 40 mph producing areas of blowing snow and low visibility.
NOTE: The other travel hazard will be “flash freezing” of wet roads Friday night into Saturday morning. Wet slush covered roads will flash freeze producing extremely icy road conditions and rough chunky ice.
Next topic is the bitter cold. Forecast lows Sunday morning could fall between –5 to –15 below zero. Monday morning –15 to –35 below zero and Tuesday morning –10 to –15 below zero.
Wind chill values in the early morning hours could be colder than –30 below zero. Exposed skin will be susceptible to frostbite, and hypothermia is possible within 30 minutes.
Travel is not recommended Friday into Saturday!
