BOZEMAN – A strong Canadian cold front is still on track to pass through Montana Friday night through Saturday night. Snow, wind, and colder temperatures will impact all areas of Montana this weekend.
The cold front will hit the hi-line Friday early evening and reach southern Montana by Saturday morning. SW Montana will be well ahead of this front tonight with temperatures likely to stay above freezing into Saturday morning. This means rain is likely tonight into Saturday morning but will change over to snow once the cold air digs in by late morning.
This scenario will produce wet roads that could flash freeze and turn very icy Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning.
Mountains and passes will see moderate to heavy snow at times Saturday and the greatest travel impacts.
HIGHLIGHTS:
The National Weather Service has issued a WINTER STORM WARNING from Glacier National Park through Sheridan, WY tonight through Sunday morning.
Cut Bank, Great Falls, Lewistown, Helena, White Sulphur Springs, Big Timber areas will see the greatest impacts with moderate to heavy snow, gusty winds, and hazardous travel. General snow accumulations in these regions will be around 4”-8” for valleys and 8”-12” for most mountains and passes. Higher elevations could see over 16” of snow.
Butte/Blackfoot region is also under a WINTER STORM WARNING from midnight Friday to noon Saturday. Snow accumulations of 2"-5" is possible for Butte but 4"-8" for mountain passes like MacDonald Pass, Georgetown Lake and Homestake Pass. Wind gusts 30 to 50 mph are also possible as the cold front passes through producing areas of blowing snow and dangerous travel conditions.
I-15 from Helena to Great Falls, I-90 from Livingston to Billings to Northern Wyoming, and I-90 from Butte to Missoula is under a Winter Storm Warning.
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The National Weather Service has issued a WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY for SW Montana east of the divide from 4 am to midnight Saturday.
Snow accumulations of 2”-5” is possible for lower valleys with 5”-10” for most mountains and passes.
Difficult travel conditions will develop Saturday morning and continue into Sunday.
