MISSOULA — Very cold air is being pushed south and west across the Continental Divide this morning. This cold air combined with gusty winds will create very cold temperatures and dangerous wind chills Thursday with highs only in the single digits and teens.
Snow bands have developed this morning specifically along the I-90 corridor. We will see these off and on through the morning with reduced visibility and blowing snow associated with those bands.
Snow will move into southwest Montana late this afternoon and evening as a low-pressure system tracks to our south. Snow may make it as far north as the I-90 corridor by early Friday morning but it won't much further than this.
Snow amounts will be greatest in southwest Montana. By Friday morning, the southern Bitterroot Valley (Hamilton, Darby, Sula) could see 2"-to-4", The central Bitterroot Valley and Butte/Blackfoot Region (Stevensville, Florence, Philipsburg, Butte) could see .5"-to-2". Areas along I-90 including Missoula will see an inch of snow or less.
Snow showers stick around Friday morning before drier air moves in by the afternoon. Expect another cold day with highs only in the single digits.
Cold air continues through the weekend with highs in the teens Saturday and teens to low 20s Sunday. We are looking at the potential for another weak system to bring light snow back to southwest Montana on Saturday as well.
Temperatures slowly warm up next week reaching the low to mid-30s by Tuesday. Models are showing yet another system bringing the potential for more snow Monday and Tuesday as well. Stay tuned for details on this as winter has made a return and appears to be staying for the foreseeable future.
