Today's Forecast:
Your Wednesday will be a transition day in southwest Montana. Highs today will be in the 40s with a strong cold front expected to move through this evening. We are expecting scattered rain showers that will transition to snow through the late afternoon and evening. Snow will begin to accumulate by sunset leaving 1”-2” of snow with the possibility of ice on the roadways by Thursday morning.
BOZEMAN: High: 44; Low: 15. Spotty rain showers will transition to a rain/snow mix during the afternoon with bands of heavier snow expected for the evening. The latest model trends show 1”-2” in the Gallatin Valley by early Thursday morning. Icy conditions are expected as temperatures fall for the evening.
BUTTE: High: 45; Low: 13. An approaching cold front will move in late in the day with scattered rain and snow showers for the afternoon. Our temperatures will fall quickly tonight with a few bands of heavy snow. Expect icy roads as you head out early on Thursday.
DILLON: High: 49; Low: 16. Isolated rain showers are likely late in the afternoon with light snow possible tonight. Models indicate little accumulation in the area, but don’t be surprised to see at least a light dusting of snow by early Thursday.
WEST YELLOWSTONE: High: 45; Low: 13. Cool showers are expected today with heavy snow moving in during the evening. Expect 1”-2” of fresh snow on the ground by Thursday morning.
IMPACTS OF OUR FIRST WINTER STORM: Our first significant winter storm is moving into southwest Montana by Wednesday afternoon. There are several takeaways on this system and timing could cause some significant issues for driving in southwest Montana.
Wednesday afternoon: Rain showers or a rain/snow mix could impact visibility. If bands of snow develop through the afternoon there could be some slushy and wet snow for the evening commute.
Wednesday evening and Thursday: Cold air will drop into place through the evening and any rain/snow that has melted on the roadways could freeze and leave a layer of ice covered by snow on Thursday morning. Use extra caution as you leave on Thursday morning!
Saturday and Sunday: The cold air will continue to deepen as we go through the weekend. While we are expecting bands of snow Saturday our biggest issue will likely be the extreme cold and bitter wind chills. Highs will be in the teens both Saturday and Sunday and we are likely to see overnight lows fall below zero for most of the area.
