BOZEMAN – Our first serious blast of winter weather is slowly moving out this evening for SW Montana but impacts will continue for eastern Montana counties through Thursday afternoon.
Snowfall forecasts checked out and verified with most lower valleys reporting around 3”-8” and numerous reports of mountain snow over a foot in SW Montana from midnight Tuesday through 6 pm Wednesday.
There could be a few areas picking up a little snow through midnight, but the heavy snow bands are now moving out of the region.
As of 6:30 pm Montana Department of Transportation is reporting I-15 south of Dillon is CLOSED from Clark Canyon to Lima and over Monida Pass. Numerous accidents, slide-offs, jackknifed semi-trucks were reported on I-15 and I-90. Snow-covered and icy roads and drivers going to fast for conditions were to blame with our first major snow event.
RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES
Record to near record lows are possible as skies clear tonight into Thursday morning. Fresh snow on the ground and Arctic air blanketing Montana will produce morning lows well below normal and for some possibly slightly below zero Thursday and Friday mornings.
It will take 4 to 5 days, but temperatures will slowly begin to moderate this weekend and by next week most of us will be back up into the 50s. So fall like weather will return after this blast of winter weather moves out of Montana.
