BOZEMAN – Strong winds in wind prone areas again today, especially in the Livingston area where a Wind Advisory is ongoing through Wednesday afternoon. Another high wind area is Monida Pass on I-15 south of Dillon. The combination of stronger surface winds and ample ground snow produced considerable areas of blowing snow and reduced visibility Tuesday afternoon.
High-pressure is slowly building over the region and should continue to produce mostly dry weather into Wednesday statewide but surface winds will continue to be a problem through Wednesday evening.
The next weather maker will be a pacific storm system that will lift up and over the building ridge. This will produce a warming trend with forecast highs jumping into the 40s by Friday, but it will also bring increasing mountain snow in west central and northwest Montana Thursday into Friday.
The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Watch Thursday morning through Friday morning. This will likely get upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning by Wednesday.
Snow accumulations will be heavy at times along the MT/ID state line and northern Rocky mountain front. Lookout pass on I-90 for example could see a foot of snow. Travel impacts are likely from Missoula to Spokane, WA with this storm Thursday and Friday.
