Montana Faces Rain-to-Snow Storm Thursday Into Friday With Heavy Mountain Snow

Overview

• Forecasts Wednesday confirm a stronger system is on track for Thursday into Friday with rain changing to snow and a Winter Storm Watch for parts of western, central, and southern Montana.
• The Crazy, Beartooth, and Bighorn ranges and nearby foothills are favored for the highest totals as upslope winds stack moisture, with several inches to over a foot likely in the higher terrain.
• Lower elevations will start as rain before switching to snow, with a light coating up to about 6 inches in places such as the Helena area and portions of Cascade, Judith Basin, and Fergus counties.
• Sustained winds of 10–25 mph with gusts over 40 mph and a drop into the 30s and 40s Thursday could cause blowing snow, slick roads, and threats to newborn livestock from heavy, wet snowfall.
• Snow and wind ease Friday as the storm exits, then high pressure brings a quick warmup with dry weather and highs rebounding into the 60s and even 70s by Sunday.