BOZEMAN – A cold front is passing through Montana Wednesday evening producing scattered snow showers and gusty surface winds. Both will diminish overnight.
A brief break between storms for Thursday but the next weather maker will arrive Friday morning across Northern Montana.
Friday through Wednesday will be an active weather pattern time for Montana and much of the western half of the country. Widespread snow, gusty winds, arctic cold will bring a harsh winter weather pattern for the last 5 days of the winter season. Although Spring officially begins on the 19th temperatures will remain below average all next week.
The Northern half of Montana is under a WINTER STORM WATCH Friday morning through Saturday evening. This will likely be upgraded to a winter storm warning by Thursday.
Heavy snow, strong surface winds, arctic cold, below zero wind chills will produce hazardous to dangerous travel conditions and recreational conditions this weekend into early next week.
6”-12” of valley snow with 18”+ for most mountain ranges in central and Northern Montana counties is likely.
SW Montana will be spared the brunt of this storm but we too will see periods of accumulating snow, well below normal temperatures and difficult to hazardous travel conditions this weekend.
SW Montana valley snow accumulations will be highly varied with some of the heaviest lower valley snowfall likely between Butte and Bozeman.
