MISSOULA — Moisture starts letting up through Thursday night and Friday morning for valleys, but it leaves behind some nasty roadways!
A warm front is moving north into the Bitterroot Valley Thursday afternoon and evening.
Temperatures will begin to rise even as the sun drops.
This means what little moisture is still falling will turn from snow to freezing rain to rain.
The certainty of the movement of the warm front to West-Central Montana is still uncertain.
Temperatures seem to be holding quite a bit lower than expected Thursday afternoon.
Either way, there will not be a lot of moisture to fall with during the overnight hours that the front is supposed to slide north, so if any warm air does mix with little moisture, we will see some wintry mix late Thursday/ early Friday.
Winter Storm Warnings remain in effect for valleys until Friday morning, but the Divide and mountains mostly see Winter Storm Warnings until Saturday.
Friday wind also picks up!
Gusts close to 40-50 MPH will be blowing falling precipitation and ground snow across roadways making for near-zero visibility.
Power outages are possible, too.
Expect dangerous driving and backcountry conditions for the weekend.
Avalanche Warnings are in place for parts of West-Central and Southwest Montana.
Make sure to check with your local avalanche center before heading out. Unstable snowpack is prevalent across our area.
