A WINTER STORM WARNING is in effect for the mountains of central and southwest Montana including Phillips County in northeast Montana.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is in effect for most of the rest of Montana.
Here we go again as another solid snowstorm will move across the state on Wednesday with heavy, wet, compactable snow that'll be good for making a snowman. Precipitation is already on the increase and will move northward through the night. Because it was fairly warm on Tuesday, some of the lower elevations may start out with rain or a mix of rain and snow. Within a couple hours of onset the precipitation should become all snow. Snow will fall through the night and there will be up to a few inches of snow on the ground by Wednesday morning. Travel will be difficult on Wednesday with moderate to heavy snow coming down in the morning. The snow will shift east through the day into eastern Montana, while western and some central areas will have clouds breaking up. Snow showers will linger across the western areas into the night. Total accumulation will likely be a few inches up to about 8" in some of the lower elevations, while the mountains will pick up between 6-14". Highs on Wednesday will be colder in the 20s and 30s. Some snow showers will continue Wednesday night and Thursday. Thursday will be partly to mostly sunny, but it's the time of year with stronger sun angle that creates atmospheric instability resulting in afternoon and evening snow showers. Highs will be well below average in the 20s and 30s. Friday is St. Patrick's Day and the storminess will clear out as high pressure moves in. Skies will be mostly sunny with light wind and highs in the 20s and 30s. Saturday will almost be a carbon copy with sunshine, light wind and chilly temperatures in the 20s and 30s. Sunday will be partly cloudy with a few mountain snow showers and highs in the 30s and 40s. Monday is the first official day of spring and the weather will be partly cloudy with a few mountain snow showers, high will be close to average in the 40s. The rest of the month of March looks colder than normal with several chances at more snow. While some people are yearning for sunshine and warmth, cool and wet weather now helps build up the snowpack for the hotter summer months.
Have a great day.
Curtis Grevenitz
Chief Meteorologist
