A shift to colder, winter-like weather is arriving in northwest Montana this weekend. The National Weather Service in Missoula expects strong northeast winds, snow in the mountain passes and a hard freeze early next week, the Flathead Beacon reports.

Weekend Timeline

  • Friday: a transition day with gusty west-southwest winds and mostly dry weather. A cold front moves through Friday night, bringing rain and falling snow levels.
  • Saturday: snow levels fall through the day. Winds turn northeasterly in the afternoon, with gusts of 25 to 35 mph across western Montana.
  • Sunday: snow levels reach valley floors by morning, and the northeast winds continue.
  • Monday: a hard freeze, with temperatures in the upper teens to low 20s across much of western Montana, including valleys.

How Much Snow?

  • Valleys: generally light accumulations. KPAX expects about an inch in the Missoula and Bitterroot valleys, and less than an inch across most of northwest Montana.
  • Mountain passes: 3 to 5 inches on average.
  • Southwest Montana: the heaviest snow, with 6 to 10 inches possible on higher passes along the Continental Divide. It is expected to be heaviest Saturday night and linger into Monday morning.
  • High elevations: several inches to near a foot in some spots, including backcountry areas such as Seeley-Swan.

Advisories and Closures

  • Going-to-the-Sun Road: Glacier National Park closed the alpine section between Avalanche and Jackson Glacier Overlook at 7 p.m. Friday. The road normally closes for the season on the third Monday of October, which is October 19 this year.
  • Winter weather advisory: the NWS Missoula office issued one for two western zones, calling for up to 3 inches of snow and gusts as high as 35 mph. An advisory ranks a level below a winter storm warning.
  • Wind risk: Glacier-area forecasts mention gusts up to 65 mph Saturday night, with visibility occasionally dropping to a quarter-mile or less.

How to Prepare

  • Check road conditions and carry winter gear if you must cross mountain passes.
  • Protect pipes, hoses and outdoor plants ahead of Monday's hard freeze. KPAX says freezes are likely Monday and Tuesday mornings.
  • Backcountry travelers should prepare for cold, raw conditions.

More Cold to Come?

KPAX notes that the system moves out by Monday, but another cold storm may arrive around the middle of next week. Forecast details can change, so check the latest NWS updates.

Key Takeaways

  • Cold air, snow and northeast winds arrive Saturday, with valley snow by Sunday morning.
  • Mountain passes could see 3 to 5 inches, with higher Divide passes seeing more.
  • A hard freeze is forecast for Monday morning.