MISSOULA — A Spring storm remains on track to bring valley rain and heavy mountain snow Thursday night into Friday. Showers will start this afternoon in southwest Montana with precipitation falling mostly as rain. The main system will then arrive tonight as a low pressure system moves through Lemhi County, Idaho then northeast across Beaverhead and Madison counties in Montana. This set up will bring widespread snow to the higher elevations and mountains along and east of the divide for southwest Montana.
Modest snow accumulations will also impact the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountains Thursday night through Friday morning. A winter weather advisory has been issued as travel impacts are expected for Lost Trail and Lolo Passes.
Here's a look at a few expected snow amounts through Friday morning:
Homestake Pass: 8"-to-12"
MacDonald Pass: 8"-to-12"
Georgetown Lake: 6"-to-10"
Lolo Pass: 4"-to-7"
Lost Trail Pass: 4"-to-7"
Marias Pass: 3"-to-5"
Deer Lodge: 3"-to-5"
Philipsburg: 2"-to-4"
Butte: 2"-to-4"
Active weather looks to continue through the weekend and into next week. Scattered showers will be possible each afternoon on both Saturday and Sunday. A slightly stronger system will then bring a better chance of mountain snow and valley rain showers by Monday and Tuesday of next week.
By the middle to end of next week, confidence is increasing for a warm up across the northern Rockies with high temperatures reaching the mid to upper 60s by Wednesday with even some 70s possible by Thursday.
