BOZEMAN — A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the Gallatin Valley through 6 AM Monday with a 90% chance of picking up around a tenth of an inch of additional liquid-equivalent through midnight Sunday. Snowfall rates of a quarter to a half inch per hour are likely through the overnight hours, with 3 to 5 inches of total accumulation expected from this first of the season snow.
The heavy, wet nature of the snow raises the risk of tree damage and isolated power outages, so have a plan if the lights go out.
Snow chances ease to around 75% overnight into early Monday morning before tapering further to about 35% by late morning, with skies staying mostly cloudy through the day and highs only reaching the upper 30s Monday. That is 20+ degrees below the seasonal average of 59°F.
Monday night clears out quickly, and with fresh snowpack on the ground and light winds, lows could drop into the mid-20s or even colder.
Temperatures climb steadily through the week with upper 30s Monday, mid-40s Tuesday, low 50s by Thursday which is still running well below normal early on.
By Friday and Saturday highs reach the low-to-mid 60s, actually 5 to 10 degrees above the seasonal average, a remarkable swing of nearly 30 degrees in less than a week.
No measurable precipitation is expected Tuesday through the weekend, so once this storm wraps up Monday morning, dry and increasingly pleasant conditions take over for the rest of the extended forecast.
