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Weather Forecast: Snow showers Thursday

Posted at 6:19 AM, Dec 16, 2021
and last updated 2021-12-16 08:19:07-05

MISSOULA — A low pressure system will bring light snow to all of western Montana Thursday. The best chance to see accumulating snow will be tonight into early Friday morning as a cold front moves east to west across the divide. This front will allow snow showers to become stronger with accumulations possible for all elevations. Winter Weather Advisories start tonight at 5 pm and continue through 11 am Friday morning. Models are also showing the potential for snow bands to develop tonight for areas along the I-90 corridor as well as the Missoula and Bitterroot Valleys. These snow bands lead to quick bursts of moderate to heavy snow and quickly changing road conditions.

Behind the previously mentioned cold front, temperatures will drop quickly tonight, especially across northwest Montana. Lows tonight will be in the single digits to low teens for northwest Montana and teens for west-central and southwest Montana.

After a brief break Friday, snow showers return for the weekend. Snow looks to be most widespread across northwest Montana Saturday. By Sunday precipitation moves into west-central and southwest Montana, however, as temperatures are expected to warm, some valleys, primarily the Bitterroot valley could see precipitation fall as a rain/snow mix with highs in the upper 30s to low 40s.

We'll keep active weather in the forecast for the week leading up to Christmas. No major storms are on the horizon, just off and on snow showers leading to light accumulations for western Montana.