BOZEMAN – Severe winter weather is impacting Montana Friday afternoon. As expected, a strong Pacific storm and a powerful Polar jet stream are producing very strong surface winds and areas of snow.
Travel impacts are likely with snow, blowing snow, whiteouts, intense short burst of snow with squalls and mountain passes on the MT/ID state line could see moderate to heavy snow through Saturday evening.
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The National Weather Service has a HIGH WIND WARNING up for Madison, Gallatin, Jefferson, Broadwater, and Meagher counties of SW Montana through 7 pm Friday but warnings are up through Saturday evening along the Rocky mountain front. In Livingston a Wind Advisory is up now through 5 am Monday.
Sustained winds: 25 to 35 mph and peak wind gusts around or over 60 mph.
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The National Weather Service has a WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY for most of SW Montana.
Butte/Blackfoot region through Missoula, the advisory is up through 5 am Saturday. Snow accumulations of 2”-5” is possible and wind gusts 30 to 50 mph creating areas of blowing snow.
Snow squalls are possible. These are short burst of intense snow and wind creating whiteouts and dangerous travel conditions.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is up for Beaverhead, Madison, Gallatin counties above 6,500’.
Snow accumulations over 5” is possible and wind gusts 30 to 60 mph.
Bozeman is NOT included in the advisory. Areas impacted: Big Hole Pass, Monida Pass, Raynolds Pass, Targhee Pass, West Yellowstone.
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The National Weather Service has a WINTER STORM WARNING up for Island Park, ID and Yellowstone National Park through Saturday evening.
Moderate to heavy snow and wind gusts 30 to 60 mph will produce dangerous travel conditions with blowing snow, whiteouts, and at times intense snowfall.
The STORMTracker Weather Futurecast for total snow accumulations Friday through Monday morning shows heavy snow will impact all mountain passes on the MT/ID state line from Lookout Pass down to Targhee Pass.
Big Sky to West Yellowstone could 6”-12” of totals snow and Cooke City could see over a foot of snow.
